hubble, bubble etc........

[mikeo]

Help! The sun's shining so the S3 got a good clean and polish and a good few runs over the weekend - no problem. Took her into work today and all was well till a colleague asked what the puddle was under my car. The puddle turned out to be a mixture of water and anti-freeze and had come from the expansion tank overflow. Everything is fine driving along - temperature gauge reads normal - even sitting in traffic jams, no problem. It's only when I switch off the engine that it decides to syphon out approx 2 pints of liquid.

I have a plain cap on the expansion tank and a 13lb cap (fitted by Leebee at the last service) on the swirl tank - Any suggestions please?

[Roy C]

Are you over-filling the expansion tank?
Don't rely on the Ford markings on the side.

Some 2.9 S's run with almost no water in the expansion tank, but mine has about an inch in the bottom when cold. If I fill it up to the (Ford) level, it will chuck the rest out on expansion!

[shnozz]

mine used to run with no water at all in the expansion tank. If I tried filling the swirl tank to the "inch from the top" thats recommended it would only spew it out and found its natural level about 4 inches from the top. Noticed this is also the same level of a couple of other S's that I have poked around.

[WildfireS3]

Mine did this a while back. Make sure the pipe that connects the expansion tank to the swirl tank is not blocked.

Mine was actually blocked in the bottom of the expansion tank. Roughly the same situation. Dirving, car gets hot and when I stop big puddle under the car.

[M@H]

shnozz said:

mine used to run with no water at all in the expansion tank. If I tried filling the swirl tank to the "inch from the top" thats recommended it would only spew it out and found its natural level about 4 inches from the top. Noticed this is also the same level of a couple of other S's that I have poked around.

..seem to remember my old S was the same... about 4-5" down..?

[mikeo]

Thanks guys. Just dont understand why it's suddenly just started doing it as I hadn't topped it up or anything. Nice to know it's not just me though.

[tubbystu]

mikeo said:

Thanks guys. Just dont understand why it's suddenly just started doing it as I hadn't topped it up or anything. Nice to know it's not just me though.

My V8S used to do similiar, but since my radiator was re-cored it hasn't done it once. Expansion tank still runs nearly empty though.

It COULD be your rad is starting to go. Mine ran for a couple of years dumping some fluid if it got warm after a run. Regularly check your water levels and carry a gallon of water just in case - particularly if you get stuck in a jam this time of year. I learnt the hard way Until some kind bloke in a sierra pulled over, complimented on the car and gave me a gallon of water he just happened to have in his boot because his water pump was leaking kind bloke

Just a word of warning, it might not be rad based but ...........

Stuart

[bridgdav]

Quite amusing last night....

Went to the Berkshire region meet - Website photocall...

All the cars nicely polished....I waited for some other photo's to be taken - engine getting warmer...


My turn...



Expansion tank decided to blow coolant all over the floor...

Now what is it I do...?

[Podie]

M@H said:

shnozz said: mine used to run with no water at all in the expansion tank. If I tried filling the swirl tank to the "inch from the top" thats recommended it would only spew it out and found its natural level about 4 inches from the top. Noticed this is also the same level of a couple of other S's that I have poked around. ..seem to remember my old S was the same... about 4-5" down..?

Mine does this...

[mikeo]

Trouble is, I haven't filled it up for 3 days now and it's still spewing water out. A bit worried there wont be any left

[Le TVR]

For those with pressure cap on swirl tank:


Never completely understood what was happening but I think it was sediment from the expansion tank being sucked back into the swirl tank and getting trapped in the reverse valve in the pressure cap.

Whenever this has happened I've disconnected the swirl - expansion tank tube and washed all the cr@p out. Then clean out between the reverse valve and rubber seal on the pressure cap. Refill swirl tank to MAX. You can check if the cap is now sealing by squeezing one of the larger hoses to see if the system pressurises (or just leaks straight back in the expansion tank).

After said treatment the problem disappears (for several months.....)

[B16 RFF]

mikeo said:

Trouble is, I haven't filled it up for 3 days now and it's still spewing water out. A bit worried there wont be any left

Mike, Did you ever get to the bottom of this?
Memory is fading, but I think the hoses are configured so that the plain cap goes on the swirl tank, and the pressure cap goes on the plastic tank.
Had a long (and sometimes heated) discussion on the yahoo egroup about this very subject a couple of years ago.
Anyway, try swapping the caps over and see what happens. (Unless of course Leebee has changed the hoses as well).

Paul. (Previous owner of Mike's car)

>> Edited by B16 RFF on Friday 2nd July 19:06