Hi guys,
Thanks for the input regarding crytalline AL3/rad problems.
Reading what you have written it seems that we caught No 4 in time. The tank was replaced, and the solution within the old tank and the relief valve dissolved with plenty of warm water. It seems that when the relief valves blow of, then seat again, a little coolant is trapped in the space behind it, and this is where our problem was.
WR963 is lucky in that she had the radiators changed out a few years ago, and isn’t using AL3 in three of her engines – in fact when I tried to get some AL3 recently through work I was told it was no longer available and obsolete. (I got the usual “What the hell do you want that for?!!” from stores…) Looking at your posts it appears the decision we took to use an off the shelf equivalent was a wise one.
Engines No 1, 3, and 4 are using a modern automotive antifreeze, its a nice blue in colour and contains a fair amount of Ethylene Glycol. No 2 being an engine from store, has bright green coolant in it which looks to be the mix of AL3 with fluorocene. This now concerns me slightly. I know the other ‘new’ engines we have in store also have a similar coolant in them, so I’m going to bring this to the attention of our Trustees and organise draining and refilling them.
We have a couple of the rads on one side that were removed as blocked; so I’ll retrieve one and start investigating what breaks this stuff down. I have a few friendly research chemists that I can call on; it may give them something interesting to tinker about with.
Thanks again
Rich
MR1 conversion is now off. We figured that as the nose has more airshow bookings this year than ’63 we’d best leave it alone. 😀
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