You do know that's on the limit of the wt for Otto?

Think @Mark Piercy has something similar.

I was spoiled when young as Dad had a garage with a selection of lifts. I don't have the head height now so have a pit which works well.

J
The P38 weighs in a 2,25 tonnes, I wouldn't fancy using that for lifting my P38's. Mark has a scissor lift.
 
You do know that's on the limit of the wt for Otto?

Think @Mark Piercy has something similar.

I was spoiled when young as Dad had a garage with a selection of lifts. I don't have the head height now so have a pit which works well.

J
We don't intend to lift him completely, only one end at a time, so 2 wheels are still on the ground and taking load.
No such worry with the Ka.
 
If the threads suit, would a cap with a brake fluid level switch work? Or would that not hold the coolant pressure?

Brake reservoir wouldn't hold pressure or fit.

I've been mulling this over. The liquid is likely to slosh around, left to right as you turn and front to rear as you brake / accelerate. Floats can be tempermental. The expansion tank is under pressure and the liquid gets pumped about, albeit ideally not through the expansion tank but who knows when coolant is low?!

A neighbours old VW has a low coolant alarm. It is built into the side of the reservoir and contains a high and low wire, a bit like the 2 screws trick. Now, I don't know what the difference in resistance between air and water / coolant mix is but I am guessing some sort of tuning is required? Either way, first thing is to have a play with a light / sounder, some wires and a battery in the garage and test the principle. After that I'll probably need a relay and maybe a potentiometer.

Moving on, it seems to me the head is the most important thing so bolting a sensor onto that seems like a good idea. That brings me back to the Engine Guard idea. In the end I'll probably end up doing both in some guise of another but I just need to have a think and a play first.

In the meantime the car did about 30 miles today and lost no visible coolant. I'm pretty sure it is losing only a little from where the coolant pipes go on the heater matrix tails. The clips I put on are the worm gear type and I think the heating / cooling cycle loosens them up. I am hoping (constant tension) clips like these with a spring might be an improvement:

 
Brake reservoir wouldn't hold pressure or fit.

I've been mulling this over. The liquid is likely to slosh around, left to right as you turn and front to rear as you brake / accelerate. Floats can be tempermental. The expansion tank is under pressure and the liquid gets pumped about, albeit ideally not through the expansion tank but who knows when coolant is low?!

A neighbours old VW has a low coolant alarm. It is built into the side of the reservoir and contains a high and low wire, a bit like the 2 screws trick. Now, I don't know what the difference in resistance between air and water / coolant mix is but I am guessing some sort of tuning is required? Either way, first thing is to have a play with a light / sounder, some wires and a battery in the garage and test the principle. After that I'll probably need a relay and maybe a potentiometer.

Moving on, it seems to me the head is the most important thing so bolting a sensor onto that seems like a good idea. That brings me back to the Engine Guard idea. In the end I'll probably end up doing both in some guise of another but I just need to have a think and a play first.

In the meantime the car did about 30 miles today and lost no visible coolant. I'm pretty sure it is losing only a little from where the coolant pipes go on the heater matrix tails. The clips I put on are the worm gear type and I think the heating / cooling cycle loosens them up. I am hoping (constant tension) clips like these with a spring might be an improvement:

Two screws, when in the air due to coolant loss there will be an open circuit, when in the coolant there will be a circuit. One screw is placed such that it is always in the coolant and provides the source current, the other just below normal level. Something more sophisticated than a relay is normally used. There are lots of cheap electronic sensors that can be available.
 
Hope you didn't go for the £2.99 ones as the plastic is soft as Sh1t. I've had 2 and the motor gear ripped through the plastic teeth in no time, one on the first wipe.
It was about 8 quid off ebay.
I'll measure and model it before I fit and then I can have a go at printing one
 
Try calling Charles (cn4x4, I think he was on eBay) and see if he has a good lump?
I got my engine from him. The only thing I'll say, at least in my case, he wasn't listing individual items.
Eg, the listing i looked at was an engine with 75000 miles on it. I got the first one off the shelf, l does he really have half a dozen engines all at the same mileage? Or does he grade them by how oily they look? 🤔
 
I got my engine from him. The only thing I'll say, at least in my case, he wasn't listing individual items.
Eg, the listing i looked at was an engine with 75000 miles on it. I got the first one off the shelf, l does he really have half a dozen engines all at the same mileage? Or does he grade them by how oily they look? 🤔

Dunno!
 
1702580564833.jpeg
 
I think the £8 one is more of a grey than white. Mine now has the grey one which seems to be holding up well.
That's the one I bought.
The one in the motor is so trashed there's no chance of copying it.
When I get this one I'll model it up in inventor and have a go at printing it.
I will have to get some abs or a better hotend for my printer as pla will not be strong enough and my hotend won't go hot enough for nylon.
Abs might work so ill try that first.
 

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Brake reservoir wouldn't hold pressure or fit.

I've been mulling this over. The liquid is likely to slosh around, left to right as you turn and front to rear as you brake / accelerate. Floats can be tempermental. The expansion tank is under pressure and the liquid gets pumped about, albeit ideally not through the expansion tank but who knows when coolant is low?!

A neighbours old VW has a low coolant alarm. It is built into the side of the reservoir and contains a high and low wire, a bit like the 2 screws trick. Now, I don't know what the difference in resistance between air and water / coolant mix is but I am guessing some sort of tuning is required? Either way, first thing is to have a play with a light / sounder, some wires and a battery in the garage and test the principle. After that I'll probably need a relay and maybe a potentiometer.

Moving on, it seems to me the head is the most important thing so bolting a sensor onto that seems like a good idea. That brings me back to the Engine Guard idea. In the end I'll probably end up doing both in some guise of another but I just need to have a think and a play first.

In the meantime the car did about 30 miles today and lost no visible coolant. I'm pretty sure it is losing only a little from where the coolant pipes go on the heater matrix tails. The clips I put on are the worm gear type and I think the heating / cooling cycle loosens them up. I am hoping (constant tension) clips like these with a spring might be an improvement:

Electric CHT sensor like on aircraft, with a circuit that triggers a warning buzzer or light when it passes a threshold?
 
I got my engine from him. The only thing I'll say, at least in my case, he wasn't listing individual items.
Eg, the listing i looked at was an engine with 75000 miles on it. I got the first one off the shelf, l does he really have half a dozen engines all at the same mileage? Or does he grade them by how oily they look? 🤔
Best to give him a ring to discuss your options. He is okay to deal with and knows his stuff. He’s got (used to have) so much stuff there is unbelievable. Knew Alan from way back
 
Trailer on, Picked up a Honda crv diesel that broke down with this ongoing issue happening when it feels like it,
And also bought a motd mk3 mondeo st tdci in the st blue off a pal for a 100,
He took subframe and engine and box out, put on a decent front subframe and new clutch and new springs and brakes and can't get it to start again it was a running driving motor i seen it drive into his unit,

Hopefully i can get it going and just use the rangie for work and the mondog to go to the unit and back most of the time save the rangie getting so dirty inside
 

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