Newby Gazaholic!!

[Kozchik1]

Dear forum members

My name is Arjan i m 45 years old and i am a Gazaholic .
I come from the Netherlands and since yesterday a proud owner of a 1962 69M. After my first test drive yesterday with the outside temperature hitting 30 cels my engine ran a bit hot. The needle hit the stopper. Green light flashes once or twice.
Funny hiw a green light warns for a overheat .
This morning when car was fully cooled down i noticed that the radiator fluid was not visible when opening the cap.
Now i know there is no expansion vessel but can anybody helpme with telling till how far i need to fill fluid?
I have the translated 192 page manual but no where its written how much should be in the radiator.

Thanks for your help and greetings from the netherlands.
Pics are soon to follow

[iannima]

Welcome to this jolly band of brothers

In answer to your question: it depends a bit on whether you have still installed the engine pre-heater thingy which is connected to the coolant system. Also it depends whether your heater matrix is connected and working. I have the engine heater removed so I have to judge by eye and do not go by the manual. I think filling it up, it takes something like 5 litres and a bit. It would be less if your heater matrix has been disconnected.

You have to think that the top of the radiator IS the expansion tank. So as in any other vehicle what you want to see is some coolant in the top. Not too much or it will drip out of the pipe on the side, but some yes.
As you could not see any, you definitely needed more coolant. I suggest you check whether you have any leaks. Top it up. Run the engine and see whether anything is dripping anywhere.

[wyvernfyre]

I top mine to about 20 mm from the top and allow the radiator cap to release the unwanted water. If you have a minor leak there is always the copper rad seal. I run on 50% antifreeze all year around.

[Kozchik1]

Hello All !

Thanks for the very helpfull info.
I topped of till just under the filler cap neck and she runs much better. Last weekend it was about 30 celsius and after a 25 minute drive at abput 50 km p/h i openden up the hood and heard a noise. The Engine was of and cooling fluid temp went straight up against the stopper. Temp needle during running was perfect. I looked in to the carburetor and saw the gasoline bubbling in the inspection glas. It was cooking like mad.
And i could also hear it in the airfilter.
Now as we all know the carburetor sits on top the hottest part of the engine ( maybe gor russian winter?) My engine ran ok with a little chuff and puff here and there.

Does this sound familiar to any one? Should i worry??
O yeah i also have the pre heater installed to answer that question.

Regards
Arjan

[Kozchik1]

Another pic of the goat

[Kozchik1]

What fuel is the best for the 2.4 liter petrol engine?
I know i need to ad lead replacement in it.

Is the rule the higher the octane level the better valid for this engine?

[Kozchik1]

One more

[iannima]

Does this sound familiar to any one? Should i worry??
Arjan

Oh yes it does You diagnosed the problem and its cause straight away. The issue is that the original insulation between manifold and carburettor is totally inadequate. That creates vaporisation of petrol before it enters the manifold, and the well known inability to restart the engine when hot. It was even mentioned as a problem in an Italian test-drive of the vehicle in 1972. The solutions used by various people are:

• fabricating a thicker, better insulating gasket, between manifold and carburettor;
  installing an electric petrol pump, on the assumption that drawing more petrol will eventually provide what is needed

The problem must have been known to the designers too, as some kind of extra heat shield was intended to be mounted on the forward section of the manifold. But that is not necessarily possible without modifications to all manifolds (on mine you cannot). And in any case I personally doubt that it does that much any way, because the heat is transmitted through the studs to the foot of the carburettor, and from there to the float bowl where it will bubble the petrol as you have seen. The shield below cannot prevent that heat exchange...
On the carb gasket/spacer issue we have one thread that has turned into a true classic of the forum... Sit back and enjoy
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5486

[Kozchik1]

Thank you!
That set my mind at ease a bit.

What about octane levels? What do you feed your uszik?
I have a choice in. 95 98 and even 100.

Close to my house is a gas station that serves 100 octane unleaded. Were new cars need re-mapping of the fuel computer they claim it is “ the” fuel for classic cars without any adjustment.

Any idea? i believe octane also is of influence to vaporlocking or perculating

[iannima]

Well you are right that the octane level is an issue. It is also an issue for the timing. The GAZ engine was designed for 70 Octane petrol. So the lower the better. I would not recommend the 100 Octane one. Some people mix in some Kerosene in varying quantities to lower the Octane level and prevent vaporisation. The higher the octane level the easier vaporisation is going to be.
The timing issue is that the higher the octane level the greater the advance should be. The manual talks about 4 degrees advance but that is calculated for 70 Octane petrol. On the German forum there was a rule of thumb, that 90 Octane petrol would require 8 degrees advance and 95 Octane 12 degrees. Then it quickly becomes impossible or difficult to obtain that much advance with the original distributor bracket. Hence the search for lowering the Octane level instead. Some people use contaminated fuel (Diesel mixed in), but my understanding is that would not work.

[Kozchik1]

Thank! I am getting to know more and more .
So i think first thing to do is make a thicker spacer btw the carb and mainfold made out of tufnol.

Another thing i noticed is that some gaz 69m have their cooling fan funneled a bit so there is more of a rearward facing stream of cool air going over the engine.

Tufnol it is than!