Cold radiators and a baxi solo 3 pfl 60 that can't decide whether it's on or off...

[TwoMinutesTurkish]

As the title says, i have a few cold rads (upstairs all hot, downstairs all cold - all bled etc, i can make the downstairs ones a little warm by limiting the TRV's on the upstairs rads). My boiler, a baxi solo 3 pfl 60, looks like its older than I. The boiler is firing up and then cutting out, firing up, cutting out, it'll do this for a while and when it does run it'll run for about 5 mins before going back round again. No idea what this is.

Someone said to repressurise the boiler after bleeding etc and i can't find anything relating to pressure on the boiler, i've watched so many videos and all the videos show a lovely little dial but this boiler doesnt have an indicator dial, so i can't see what the pressure is at. Videos also show some fill loop valves, again, no idea where these are, nothing under the boiler and nothing in the airing cupboard where all the heating system controls are etc.

Thermostat on the wall doesn't seem to do anything, turning the dial makes the 'click' but doesn't seem to actually regulate any temperature in the house, feels like the heating is either on or off.

Before i end up forking out what feels like is going to be this years christmas budget, any idea? Could it be pressure? Does the system need refilling? Does it need a replacement of all the abbreviations i keep reading about on these forums etc. No idea, hope someone can help.

Thanks
TMT

 

[terryplumb]

Is your boiler fed from a small tank in the loft ?
Show us some pics of hot water cylinder and pipework around it.
Is your pump running ?

 

[TwoMinutesTurkish]

Is your boiler fed from a small tank in the loft ?
Show us some pics of hot water cylinder and pipework around it.
Is your pump running ?

Thanks for the reply. I think it is fed from the loft yes.
Pump is running (hot to touch and i can feel the motion of it running when i place my hand on it)
Pictures below

 

[terryplumb]

If the pump is excessively hot it may be full of air/ lack of water in it.
Try bleeding the pump.
If your system is fed from a small loft tank ,there should also be a large tank in the loft that feeds the hot water cylinder. Do you have two such loft tanks ?
If so ,check the water level in the smaller one.

 

[TwoMinutesTurkish]

If the pump is excessively hot it may be full of air/ lack of water in it.
Try bleeding the pump.
If your system is fed from a small loft tank ,there should also be a large tank in the loft that feeds the hot water cylinder. Do you have two such loft tanks ?
If so ,check the water level in the smaller one.

The pump is burning hot, can't touch it for more than a split second. So i'll give the bleed a shot first as i'm reading online it should be a 'tad' warm...

 

[TwoMinutesTurkish]

So, whilst waiting for the heating to cool down, i'm looking at the pump and it looks different to what i'm seeing around online. Where do i bleed on this? Not wanting to mess around with something i havent touched before, this plastic cap on the front, do i just pull this off? ASsuming the screw i need to turn is under that?

 

[TwoMinutesTurkish]

So, whilst waiting for the heating to cool down, i'm looking at the pump and it looks different to what i'm seeing around online. Where do i bleed on this? Not wanting to mess around with something i havent touched before, this plastic cap on the front, do i just pull this off? ASsuming the screw i need to turn is under that?

Turns out i just need to turn the plastic screw, did so, nothing for a few seconds and then some water started to drip out. Sealed it again, turned the heating on and so far the boiler hasn't cut out... happy days, just waiting now for all the rads to warm up and see if that was the issue.