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VT commodore not starting and radiator hoses flat

Rhys holden

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HEY so I bought a vt commodore a couple of weeks ago and it **** itself in the top end, so me and my step dad rebuilt the top end, and got it finished today, it was running rough, I went for a drive (only about 4 minutes of driving at max 60kph) as I pulled back into my driveway the engine light came on, I shut the car off and popped the bonnet, all looked fine so I left it to speak to my stepdad when he got home, when he did we popped the bonnet and the top and bottom radiator were flattened basically, he tried to start it and it just wouldn't start no matter what, we have no idea what's going on or what is wrong with it now so just wanting some help from you guys cause this is my only way to get anywhere so it's a bit of a pain in the ass, the car does run really rough at idle and we were just gonna get it re-tuned, but when its driving it is perfectly fine
 

Trevor loves holden.

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If the hoses were sucked in then your radiator cap needs replacing, I think you need to explain in more detail..
 

greenacc

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Check if radiator is blocked, a check for a blown head gasket. Do the spark plugs look normal?
 

Immortality

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Flattened hoses indicated there is a vacuum in the cooling system. I'd pull the plugs and check for water in the cylinders.

Also check the fault codes.

Was the cooling system bleed properly? Did it get hot on the short drive?
 

Rhys holden

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If it's a blown head gasket immature be pissed cause a had only just put a new one in that same day
 

Rhys holden

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Flattened hoses indicated there is a vacuum in the cooling system. I'd pull the plugs and check for water in the cylinders.

Also check the fault codes.

Was the cooling system bleed properly? Did it get hot on the short drive?
Nah mate, it stayed pretty cool, coolant was going through the system
 

Immortality

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Really need to pressure test the cooling system or alternately do a leak down test on the engine.
 

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I say again just in case, this is usually due to air in the system and a faulty cap (and your blocked pipe) preventing coolant draining in from the reservoir. The hoses suck in because there is air in the system and it is trying in vain to syphon coolant in from the tank. Kind of like blocking one end of a straw and sucking in. Keep a good eye on coolant level and temp even after you replace the cap and coolant. Peace.
 

Aussie Trev

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As the water in the engine heats it expands and a small amount is expelled to the reservoir. As it cools it contracts and normally would suck water back in from the reservoir that was displaced initially. If you have the wrong or a faulty cap it cannot suck water back in but it still contracts thus causing the hoses to be squashed flat. If you had a blown head gasket I doubt it would hold the low pressure needed to flatten the hoses. Did you open the bleed on top of the thermostat housing and make sure there was no air in the system when refilling the radiator?
 

Schwarz

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Had the same with my hoses and replaced the radiator cap an bleed the system of air
No problems since then except for a annoying little leak that took me ages to find
 
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