Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses

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Sun 29 Mar 2015 22:13
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - 7greenhorses
Hello I have a 1990 registered Vauxhall Cavalier 1.7 diesel nonturbo I have recently noticed that the coolant hoses are very tight. Also when it has been running there is a slight weep of coolant coming from the small hose which returns to the coolant tank at its connection at the radiator. The car has done a genuine 60,000 miles and has been meticulously maintained. We have fitted The following new parts and are all genuine Vauxhall, new radiator all new coolant hoses new water pump new heater matrix new Cambelt. The car doesn't overheat in fact runs very cool the heaters are nice and hot, there are no air bubbles in the expansion tank, it has never had a head gasket and due to the cars age which is now 25 years old could this be the start of the head gasket starting to go?
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Sun 29 Mar 2015 23:28
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - RobJP

What exactly do you mean by 'tight' coolant hoses ? Do you mean fitted properly (in which case they are simply fitted properly), or that they seem a bit short, or what ?

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Mon 30 Mar 2015 16:16
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - galileo

What exactly do you mean by 'tight' coolant hoses ? Do you mean fitted properly (in which case they are simply fitted properly), or that they seem a bit short, or what ?

Perhaps they feel 'hard' as if overly pressurised?

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Mon 30 Mar 2015 04:24
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - 2zx12

Well try and tighten the hose clips and if it still leakd change the hose, it's not rocket sciece!

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Mon 30 Mar 2015 04:29
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - 2zx12

At 60k miles the hose are like 'brikes', so changr the hoses and clips and renew the anti freeze.

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Mon 30 Mar 2015 10:46
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - Andrew-T

At 60k miles the hose are like 'brikes', so changr the hoses and clips and renew the anti freeze.

The OP says 'all new hoses' ?

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Mon 30 Mar 2015 20:14
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - 7greenhorses
Hi, the hoses get very tight as if over inflating a bicycle innertube, they feel like they are ready to burst...all of them, obviously indicating there is too much pressure in the cooling system, the car is very well maintained, the coolant is always kept fresh and is a crystal clear blue, it doesn't overheat, the temperature sits where it should and if left long enough (about 30 minutes) the cooling fan comes in and out as it should, the leak isn't the issue as due to the excess pressure it's simply finding the easiest way out which in this case is the small pipe returning to the expansion tank and this is due to the hose clip being slightly too big for the hose and not tightening fully, I just wanted to know if there's something iv overlooked or is it's definately the gasket starting to go
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Mon 30 Mar 2015 22:53
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - hardway

Could be a number of things.

I t was here now I would be doing a coolant dye test,

Simple to use,

If the fluid goes from blue to green/yellow there's combustion gas on the coolant amd the head gasket is faulty.

If it passes this test then it's suspect the thermostat/coolant pump or blocked radiator/

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Mon 30 Mar 2015 23:50
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - 7greenhorses
Hi, as I have mentioned earlier, the radiator, all hoses, water pump, matrix are all brand new, there are no blockages, the coolant has always been changed twice a year so there's no rust, corrosion or silt whatsoever, I agree the coolant test was my next port of call but as the current head gasket is the original factory fit item...after 25 years it probably time to change it!
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Tue 31 Mar 2015 22:44
Cavalier 1.7d - Tight coolant hoses - hardway

Well I don't like condeming anything just because of age.

And the dye test is something I get my customers to do themselves while make myself a coffee!

I put the fluid dye container right next to the tester in operation and say "let me know if the colour change",

Though there's always this nagging doubt that someday I'll do this and the owner will be colour blind!

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