| Author | Message | ||
     Cliff Biggs New User Username: cliffy Post Number: 49 Registered: 09-2021 |
How prevalent is water pump failure? Of course mine is original (86) but no issues right now BUT I do drive long distances across empty desert terrain out west here in the USA. I read an old thread suggesting 7-10 years to change the pump precautionary. Any truth to that ? If so I'm long over due. | ||
| Mark Aldridge Frequent User Username: mark_aldridge Post Number: 801 Registered: 10-2008 |
Cliff I have had one fail,but it did so gradually and only leaked when the engine was stationary. If you are covering a lot of miles away from help in hot climate, I would probably change hoses thermostat and radiator as well as the pump and use the recommended antifreeze. How comprehensive is the service history of your car over the last 5 years, and what major maintenance has been done. Have the gas springs and hydraulic accumalators been changed recently ? Mark | ||
| Cliff Biggs New User Username: cliffy Post Number: 50 Registered: 09-2021 |
Its actually in pretty good shape. Since I've owned it its had accumulators, steering rack rear end oil change engine oil change and filter coolant change brakes checked and bled transmission fluid refreshed new tires new ignition wires and plugs EVERYTHING WORKS AS IT SHOULD all the engine gages show perfect temps and pressures. Engine runs perfect so far. Only one very small leak from the power steering system (not the rack) that I'm addressing It was always serviced by the RR dealer until I got it. The entire service coupon book is filled out through 60,000 miles even thought it only has 31,000 on it. Always garaged, NO SALT road driving ever NO corrosion anywhere NO rust even. Its a pretty good one | ||
| Mark Aldridge Frequent User Username: mark_aldridge Post Number: 804 Registered: 10-2008 |
Cliff With a good history , I might just change the thermostat and coolant, check belts and hoses and deal with any problems if they arise. Mark | ||
| Cliff Biggs Experienced User Username: cliffy Post Number: 54 Registered: 09-2021 |
I did change the coolant but haven't gone into the thermostat yet as all seems well The old coolant was in good "color" but old I'm sure. Belts and hoses look real good right now | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 3309 Registered: 06-2009 |
Cliff, If you do eventually decide to change the thermostat, definitely have a look at the article (on which I'm third author): Thermostat Issues and Selection which was also published in Tee-One Topics, Issue 95. I can't remember when Crewe stopped using the flawed "lead plug" thermostats, but getting away from those is the best possible thing you can do. If your car already has the modern plugless thermostat that Crewe eventually converted over to you will be unlikely to need to change that at all. If Crewe had not gone over to extended life coolant by that point, provided you don't go to a Dex-Cool formulation, any extended life or lifetime coolant that is 2EHA free is a major improvement over old green IAT coolant with a 2-year change interval. Brian | ||
| Mark Aldridge Frequent User Username: mark_aldridge Post Number: 809 Registered: 10-2008 |
I have recently had a £7k full top end rebuild on a Bentley 8 engine and was advised by a respected Bentley Specialist to fit the early type Thermostat. This was due to headgasket failure.There was a suspicion of overheating on inspecting the engine but in my ownership, (17 years) the engine has never run hot The engine had 50K on the clock from new in 1998, being a geuine Crewe replacement engine. The lead plug thermostat appeared and tested perfect. The advice was new thermostat, all aluminium radiator , hoses and belts- all done. Having changed headgasket on a previous Spirit and seen a decayed gasket soaked in long life coolant, I would want a cast Iron guantee from the supplier before using anything other than Bentley green in my cars. The headgasket cahange that I did took 44 hours tools out to tools away, hence why I did not do the Bentley. Using the switch advised by Mike, low temp switch worked fine and the fans did not cut in on last nights 200 mile drive. Will be good for auxilliary belt and braces backup. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 3310 Registered: 06-2009 |
Mark, I can't explain that, because Crewe officially specified that for all the SZ cars the old-style lead plug thermostats were superseded. The replacement they recommend is (for all practical intents and purposes) the same thing as the Stant and NAPA thermostats. And based on my extensive participation in the research needed for the previously referenced article, I cannot agree with your Bentley specialist. The reasons I cannot are documented, in great detail, in that article. The old lead-plug thermostats are just failures waiting to happen. I've also been using Peak Global Lifetime in my SY cars for years now (and I have reports from many others using extended life or lifetime formulations that do not use 2EHA) with zero issues. I also use the same product in all my vehicles, changing out to it as coolant changes are required. Brian | ||
| Mark Aldridge Frequent User Username: mark_aldridge Post Number: 810 Registered: 10-2008 |
Point noted Brian, All of my SY and SZ cars are on pellet stats and have been in my ownership, covering in total some 200k miles . Perhaps I have been lucky. I only use Bentley green in all of my cars not just RR & B and have done for 25 years, changed every 2. Mark | ||
| Mark Aldridge Frequent User Username: mark_aldridge Post Number: 811 Registered: 10-2008 |
The 200k miles is miles driven by me. all of the cars had 140k miles+ on the clock when I sold them ( or I still have them). I normally buy at 90 k ish and sell at 140k ish. which is about 4 years for my daily driver. The recent pellet stat I believe was from Crewe. I notice that FS repro stats are pelleted, although there is a non pellet option. Introcar stats for a Shadow and SZ are also pelleted apparently for all years and they still stock the Crewe item UE36600 Mark |
