WO Newbie needs advice!

Alan Trotter · Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:35 pm Post subject: WO Newbie needs advice!

Is there a medical term for becoming besotted by Bentleys? Shocked

Just acquired Chassis 573, Reg XT9546

Now happily graunching my way round the locality and planning to hit Europe in the Spring.

Can anyone help with ideas of the type of period luggage to fit on the little rack over the fuel tank? Pictures would help.

Also, water temp seems to stabilise at about 45/50 deg which some say is too low? What is correct this time of year?

Many Thanks

Alan

Iain Warner · Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2019 4:59 pm Post subject:

Hello Alan, Welcome to the forum and to WO Bentleys. You are correct in thinking that 45/50 degree is too low.
Has the car got at thermostat fitted? If so it is either badly adjusted or defective. The body of the thermostat is the brass cylindrical object mounted at the front of the water rail, immediately in front of the exhaust manifold. It has a bellows unit inside which expands with heat to allow water either to bypass or flow through the radiator as required to maintain the running temp.
If no thermostat fitted then partially blanking the radiator will effect an increase in running temp. I was out on Sunday in my 3 litre and the temp settled around 75 degree during a fairly leisurely run. Hope this is understandable!
Iain

John Murch · Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2019 8:39 pm Post subject:

Hi Alan,
Being besotted with Bentleys is perfectly normal, I had my first ride in one aged 10, managed to get a WO at 25 and 45 years later have not recovered.
Like Iain, I run with 50% of the rad blanked off in the winter and generally at about 70°, (I don’t have a thermostat, as when I had the rad rebuilt with a larger header tank, there was no room). although should stationary traffic occur the temperature will rise and use of the electric fan can be necessary.
Regarding gear changing, I find the adjustment of the clutch stop critical, if too fierce its close to impossible to get a totally silent change. Find what suits you and you will be rewarded with crunch free changes!
John

Dan Suskin · Joined: 22 Feb 2011 Posts: 298 Location: Georgia, USA

Yes, it's normal. Thought I'd stop with a nice 3 liter, but then added a 4.5 liter ....

Of course, I thought I'd stop with one vintage Rolls-Royce, and now....

Same for Veteran Cars....

Oh dear, I really am sick.

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2019 11:09 am Post subject:

A well sorted 3 /4 1/2 ex V&P Biddulph,I have been reading all its history on the oracle; vintagebentleys.org.
Was the VDP saloon the first body, or what happened to the Faulkner?

John Murch · Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2019 1:03 pm Post subject:

I note on the web site that Chris refers to, that the original engine is still about, it may pay to acquire this. Matching numbers do seem to be economically worth amassing!

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2019 2:17 pm Post subject:

John,

I would not have thought that he may consider swapping a modernised 4 1/2 litre engine for an original, that looks like a box of bits.
C.

Alan Trotter · Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:45 am Post subject:

Thanks for the replies guys,
I'm having a leather muff made to cover half the radiator so hopefully that will bring temp up but as its stable at 50 when stationary I'm not sure the muff is the total cure?

It does not appear to have a thermostat!

Christopher - I have very little info for the period after it was sold by VDP (apparently it was purchased by them in 1930 to be the demonstrator for the ""Streamlined" body in your picture!) until it showed up in the US after the war. Apparently it was used in the interim (possibly wartime) period as a greengrocer's truck!

I got it from Neil Davies

Ive noted the original engine but not sure how to contact the chap directly via vintagebentleys.org and anyhow am sort of the mind that the engine change is part of the history of the car and should be left alone?

Alan

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2019 5:39 pm Post subject:

Robert Craven · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 3:01 pm Post subject:

Nicholas Simons · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 3:18 pm Post subject:

Why not simply fit the thermostat as originally designed, or maybe someone has redesigned the plumbing and eliminated the thermostat housing? It goes on the nearside of the engine at the front.

John Robins · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 4:11 pm Post subject:

In answer to your first question about medical terms, how about moneypititis?

Cheers and Merry Christmas
John

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2019 5:20 pm Post subject:

I believe that Karen Horney, a Neo-Freudian would term it,

"Dementia Majorbuxo Permamentalis".
Very Happy

Dan Suskin · Joined: 22 Feb 2011 Posts: 298 Location: Georgia, USA

My 3 liter has no thermostat or fan. I installed an electric fan, which helps when hot.

My gauge has 100 on the extreme right. So, the car runs in the last 1/4 of the gauge once fully warmed up. Of course, this is a normal temperature, but because it's so far to the right, t always makes me nervous.

On most my other cars, 100 is closer to about 3/4 way across the gauge, so the cars run about halfway across the gauge. Same temperatures, but it doesn't worry me.

My pre-war Silver Ghosts have no temp gauge at all, and I never give it a second thought.

So I've concluded that the best way to manage coolant temperatures is to remove the gauge.

John Murch · Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 7:08 am Post subject:

Many years ago when I had a very tatty 4.5. I was advised to remove the thermostat as it impeded the water flow, doing this reduced the running temperature by a significant amount.
However I am sure that a 4.5 radiator in good order has more than sufficient cooling capacity to cope, complete with thermostat in place. Although city driving may require the use of an electric fan, I found it sensible to switch this on if the water temperature reached 85° when the fan would hold it there, left any later the temperature would continue to rise.(I still can’t get my head round why that should be!)
Circa 1925 the 3ltr had a slightly larger (higher) rad, this allowed for a bigger header tank and the thermostat. My car has the lower rad, but now with the bigger header tank, but consequently no room for the thermostat.

Paul Spencer · Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:51 pm Post subject:

I also have no thermostat on my 3 litre. But I have a very nice two-part radiator muff made by my wife from a leather jacket bought for £5 from a local charity shop. It even has a set of Bentley wings acquired on a visit to Bentley Motors.

75 degrees is the temperature to aim for. I am happy anywhere between 65 and 85.

I am told there is a modern BMW thermostat that works well, but I don't recall the details.

Paul Spencer · Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:51 pm Post subject:

I also have no thermostat on my 3 litre. But I have a very nice two-part radiator muff made by my wife from a leather jacket bought for £5 from a local charity shop. It even has a set of Bentley wings acquired on a visit to Bentley Motors.

75 degrees is the temperature to aim for. I am happy anywhere between 65 and 85.

I am told there is a modern BMW thermostat that works well, but I don't recall the details.

Alan Trotter · Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:23 am Post subject:

Robert, Yes, maybe gauge is simply under-reading! - I will speak to Neill about that.

Paul, In a traffic jam recently temp crept up to 65 eventually so maybe i'm not too far away.

Everyone else, many thanks for the advices

Happy Christmas,

Alan

Alan Trotter · Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:52 am Post subject:

Whoop! Whoop!

I've had a leather muff made to cover the lower (cooler) third of the radiator and running temperature has increased 20 deg and settled at 70 rising to 75 when stationary for extended period!

The muff fits behind the spotlights and is barely visible and plan is it can be moved higher up the radiator if even lower temps require it! (this bit still untested).

Laughing

John Murch · Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 6:52 am Post subject:

Delighted that you have had success.
I’m surprised that you only get to 75 after extended periods stationary.
My car has a very recent core and runs cold without the muff, but stationary after say 10 minutes it will go to 85 at which point I turn on the electric fan.
It might be wise to check the gauge - infrared thermometers are amazingly cheap! On ebay under £10 just point at the relevant bit and see the digital readout.
Unexpected boiling can be a messy business!