BUGA Community
Technical => Maintenance => Topic started by: Postie Bob on October 22, 2012, 04:12:22 PM
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G`day all.
Finally got around to checking my motor ( red 186 ) out ready for it,s first start in about 6 yrs . Filled the radiator up and had a bad leak from behind the manifolds at the front of the engine . Is there a welshplug behind there ? It,s not the welshplug in the block.
I removed the thermostat housing and it,s badly corroded . I,m wondering if the alloy inlet manifold could corrode through and be the leak?
I think the previous owner used seawater for a coolant!!! All the alloy bits are ruined .
The PO had a new short motor fitted ( by a `shade tree` mechanic ) about 500ks before it was shedded and I,m shure he just bunged on all the old bits just to get it running. The airfilter, oil breather, etc look like they,ve done a million miles .
I,m now up for a thermostat, housing, waterpump,possibly inlet manifold and who knows what else :'( .
The radiator is also shot. Are the aluminium ones like on ebay recommended or what,s the best way to go? .
Also is the electronic ignition available for these engines recommended or should I stick to the points ign?
My `little` project is gettin bigger by the minute :) . It keeps the `grey matter` active , thats all that counts at my age .
Cheers , Bob.
PS.... tried to put up some pics but can,t work out how!!! PCs are one step ahead of me :) .
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hi Postie Bob
Follow this link for Adding Pictures (http://www.buga.com.au/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=2&topic=2671.0) to a post.
As for your leaking, from memory there are 3 or four welsh plugs on the manifold side, most likley it would be best to pull the manifold and pop the welsh plugs, flush the block and replace the plugs with new ones.
Warren
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Alloy rads are great
Elec dissy get from a comdomadoor
The rest is just standard stuff if its been sitting, it'll be worth it
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Thanks for the info. Had to get my daughter to help me out with the pics..
Here is side view.
Cheers, Bob.
(http://www.buga.com.au/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=43248&g2_serialNumber=2)
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Here,s a pic of my sad internals :'( .
(http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/541063_453921677982615_203445842_n.jpg)
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Hey PB
In the picture of the thermostat the white stuff is the result of the aluminium thermostat housing being exposed to the air and breaking down and oxidiesing.
As the engine block etc are cast iron you get galvanic corrosion due to dissimilar metals and the softest one will corrode.
Pull the thermostat, flush the block and replace the housing and you should be OK.
Warren
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you should replace the water pump because the bearings will fail from sitting around for so long cheers merlin
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check all your welch plugs while your at it.
if their not brass id change them all.
id prob change them all anyway if it was my van.
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Found my mystery leak .
The front manifold stud was missing and the hole goes into the water jacket . New stud with some sealant and problem solved . I hope .
Someone must have removed the stud while the vehicle was stored .
Is there a write-up somewhere on changing over to the electronic ignition? Is it much of a drama?
Cheers, Bob.
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i just changed mine to elec ignition,
was easy as remove old dissy n coil fit new one,s
ebay item number= 271042257968
disy was $68.90 and coil was $60.
and i can say the distributer n coil work well.
shops in parramatta just 15mins away from my place, i picked them up, thus no postage cost.
ive seen old second hand crap for sale on ebay dearer than this new setup.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HOLDEN-electronic-distributor-138-149-161-179-186-202-/271042257968?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f1b60a430 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HOLDEN-electronic-distributor-138-149-161-179-186-202-/271042257968?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f1b60a430)
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That is a realy good price, looks like the beddy gets a new dissy ;D
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As your van only has a 186 now would be a good time to update to a VH commodor BLUE 202 Find a low milage one in wreckers like I did Best move I have done & it already has electronic ignition & way more power prob cost about $500.00
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Will think about a engine upgrade later on . For the time being I just want to get the old girl up`n`running .
My 186 is supposed to have only around 4-5 hundred ks from a Repco exchange motor about 6yrs ago . The previous owner got ill not long after and was unable to drive so the vehicle has been sitting ever since .
I don,t know what condition the gearbox ( 3 sp manual ) & diff is in so I just want it started to check out the running gear , etc .
The poor `ol bugger,s got no brakes either but that,ll be another story :-\ .
Cheers , Bob.
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Turns out the `mystery leak` was not the missing stud.
Took off the manifold gasket and there were 3 buggered welsh plugs .
My Q is... is it ok to just knock in the old plugs and replace with new? Am having trouble getting the old one,s out .There,s not much of them left .
What favorite sealer to use nowdays?
Cheers , Bob.
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yeah should be 3 little ones under the manifolds about as round as your finger.
some people jusy knock them in and fit new ones,
i go to extreme of getting them out and fitting the new ones.
try a small slide hammer with a hook on the end.
go to a spare parts place and get the right stuff to seal thenew ones in.
i use a small socket or round bar to punch the new ones in. try something that filll the round recess of the welch plug, a solid bar about 5in long works well.
dont use silastic
ive always used stag joining paste, and found it works well.
someone might ba able to recomend something better , im not sure, but ive used the stag for 20+ years
click on this link=
http://compare.ebay.com.au/like/280870232763?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes (http://compare.ebay.com.au/like/280870232763?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes)
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While you have ALL the welsh plugs out FLUSH the Block with a hose (high pressure pump if you have one)
Get rid of all the old scale and rust, then use a good coolant
Warren
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good idea warren , i forgot to mention that.
while your at it use a big long screwdriver and dig between the cylinders, lots of sludge settles there, ive found old welch plugs in that sludge, lol. :o
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if you're going to do ALL of them the motor needs to come out as there is one in the back of the block behind the flywheel and you can bet your boobies it will leak cheers merlin
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can i ask a question? what purpose do welch plugs serve?
ben
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to gain access to the cooling compartments in the block ??? ??? ??? just an educated guess but......
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a welsh plug is a plug in the side of the block and the heads.
these fill the holes left after casting.they actually allow the sand to be removed that is used during casting so as you have a hollow block which allows for the water jackets. in the USA these welsh plugs are called freeze plugs. they really do not stop the coolant from damaging the block if coolant freezes
they are specifically to block the casting holes