Tank is filled and ballcock working, I cleaned it out whilst I was there so I didn't drag any more gunk through whilst trying to fix original problem which was cold radiators downstairs but hot upstairs.
I drained a downstairs radiator to see if it was sludgy and the water drained out clear. (all downstairs rads are fed from the ceiling btw). went to check F&E tank at that time, could feel air venting from the overflow that hangs over the top of tank and could feel water sucking into cold water feed. but I disturbed the gunk whist I was fishing about in the tank so cleaned it out. (it was full of soft orange jelly like gunk)
So then went round to bleed upstairs. They would bleed for maybe 20 seconds then stop with no water coming out, closed the bleed waited 30 minutes the could bleed a bit more air, about 5 tries and they are fully blead. (I have a vague memory of it being the same about 10 years ago when we had rads off etc for DIY, so not sure slow bleeding is a new thing)
I thought the original problem of cold downstairs rads, was likely the pump on its last legs, and guessed a lack of pressure might account for the slow bleeding too.
Plumber visited for a quick look, decided it was an air lock, said they were a pain to fix, but said he would fit me a combi boiler for £3000 if I wanted, but didn't offer to fix the airlock, said my boiler had asbestos in and no one would ever fix it anyway.
Tempted to run a hose from one of the downstairs drain points and open it up to see if water runs through and F&E tank keeps up refilling, would that prove anything?
I don't want to go crazy and spend days trying to diagnose stuff for the sake of a £120 pump, but happy to try simple obvious things first. (was curious if the original poster had changed the pump and solved it, seeing as he didn't follow up his last post and it sounded like he was about to try that)
I drained a downstairs radiator to see if it was sludgy and the water drained out clear. (all downstairs rads are fed from the ceiling btw). went to check F&E tank at that time, could feel air venting from the overflow that hangs over the top of tank and could feel water sucking into cold water feed. but I disturbed the gunk whist I was fishing about in the tank so cleaned it out. (it was full of soft orange jelly like gunk)
So then went round to bleed upstairs. They would bleed for maybe 20 seconds then stop with no water coming out, closed the bleed waited 30 minutes the could bleed a bit more air, about 5 tries and they are fully blead. (I have a vague memory of it being the same about 10 years ago when we had rads off etc for DIY, so not sure slow bleeding is a new thing)
I thought the original problem of cold downstairs rads, was likely the pump on its last legs, and guessed a lack of pressure might account for the slow bleeding too.
Plumber visited for a quick look, decided it was an air lock, said they were a pain to fix, but said he would fit me a combi boiler for £3000 if I wanted, but didn't offer to fix the airlock, said my boiler had asbestos in and no one would ever fix it anyway.
Tempted to run a hose from one of the downstairs drain points and open it up to see if water runs through and F&E tank keeps up refilling, would that prove anything?
I don't want to go crazy and spend days trying to diagnose stuff for the sake of a £120 pump, but happy to try simple obvious things first. (was curious if the original poster had changed the pump and solved it, seeing as he didn't follow up his last post and it sounded like he was about to try that)