Blown HCV pipe after hose replacement

[raspberrycheesecake]

Hi

The thermostat housing on my Puma cracked so I replaced it along with the thermostat itself and whilst having the coolant system open, replaced all the hoses too.

Put everything back together and ran the car - but had over tightened a jubilee clip on the HCV so the pipe sheared.

Got a short term (second hand) replacement off a Fiesta and fitted it, car running and off I go.

Noticed the heater was blowing mental hot, so thought there must be a problem with the HCV. Not too much of a problem - new HCV is already ordered and on its way.

But then I'm sitting in traffic on a sunny afternoon, temperature needle doesnt move from bang central but something goes under the bonnet and heaps of steam comes out. Temperature needle is still bang central so its not overheated!? But turned the engine off. Under the bonnet I see that the same pipe has sheared as last time (left if you're sitting in the car).

Would this happen if I'd plumbed the pipes in the wrong direction? The pipe off the back of the block should go into the left pipe (as you sit in the car) and the other to the front of the engine goes onto the right pipe?

Or does this sound like an air lock? What's the process to get rid of these air locks?

Or could it be a faulty HCV (seeing as it was second hand) ?

Thanks for any help!

 

[quest63]

I havent studied what you said about possible incorrect connection but it sounds like a simple case of the first one broke because its old and brittle and the second one broke because its old and brittle.

Probably exacerbated by the fact you used jubilee clips and not the correct clips which you cant overtighten.

I had a spigot break on my HCV last week without having touched it (common prob) and while removing it to change it another spigot broke.