Cooling trouble

[smokeandpoke]

First post in a while

Have tried to use search but nothing similar to what i'm experiencing.
My shitbox VTS went for an MOT, and the radiator shit the bed and leaked everywhere, from just inside the rad near the bottom hose.

Changed rad to a spare I had from the old vtr just to get it running (don't think I bled it quite right though), overheats ridiculously to the point the collant gauge light was on and the needle was right at the top. Obviously I pulled over and shut her off immediately, and the car cooled down instantaneously, but I had to get her home and im just praying I haven't warped the head.
That outing ended up with the second rad bursting in the same place as the first.

The hoses are all ok.


I've bought a brand new radiator, although now i'm scared to fit it and break another!
Am I just facing air lock?


I know it should be as simple as fill, bleed the 3 bleed points, run and check for bubbles, but as I say it seems to be really persistent.
I don't quite understand why it blew the first time, it had been off the road for a year but that shouldn't create an air lock in the system?


I've had people say the water pump has given up but I don't think that's true.


Any advice and tips are welcome, really eager to get her back on the road and get her down to paint.

Thanks in advance

[Synister]

Have you tried pulling the thermostat out and running it without one to see if it still overheats? It could be blocked or not functioning and not letting the water circulate.

[stevo67]

Is it misfiring at all?

[smokeandpoke]

Synister,
will be changing thermostat when I put the new rad in, was going to get it all done at once.

[smokeandpoke]

Is it misfiring at all?

Steve

it runs like an absolute dog when cold, total bastard to get running, hunts like anything and will not idle without holding it on the throttle over 1k.
After about a minute it settles down and will sit and idle nicely as it should.


Just doing one thing at a time, haven't checked the plugs yet, I think a lot of it is down to having a disgusting cone filter on it.
Standard VTS box is on the 'to acquire' list!!

[smokeandpoke]

Have you tried pulling the thermostat out and running it without one to see if it still overheats? It could be blocked or not functioning and not letting the water circulate.

As above