Wedge loosing water?
Discussion
Hi all, following my luke warm starting problems the issue does appear to be air getting into the swan neck and top of the engine water ways but I cannot find any leaks. Driving along the car is fine, temperatures all good. The issue is after a spirited drive, when I park up and turn the engine off the radiator/header cap relieves and fills up the overflow bottle. When it cools down it is not pulling the coolant water back in so the swan neck and top of the engine and radiator slowly fills up with air.
The radiator was re-cored last year and there's not obvious signs of any leaks. I've tried two new header tank caps, both 15psi, and this also made no difference.
I'm guessing that there is a small leak somewhere that is maybe letting air in, but not water out. Expansion bottle did previously fill and then empty as coolant was drawn back into a cooling engine. I'm guessing that as the engine cools and a partial vacuum is formed, air is getting in. Next engine run it does the same and more water is forced out and into the expansion bottle, which is now brimmed and over flowing.
Anyone had anything similar? The car did have a new set of silicon hoses also last year. The coolant smells clean, no bubbles obvious and no hydrocarbon smell so I don't think its head gasket related. Cheers.
The radiator was re-cored last year and there's not obvious signs of any leaks. I've tried two new header tank caps, both 15psi, and this also made no difference.
I'm guessing that there is a small leak somewhere that is maybe letting air in, but not water out. Expansion bottle did previously fill and then empty as coolant was drawn back into a cooling engine. I'm guessing that as the engine cools and a partial vacuum is formed, air is getting in. Next engine run it does the same and more water is forced out and into the expansion bottle, which is now brimmed and over flowing.
Anyone had anything similar? The car did have a new set of silicon hoses also last year. The coolant smells clean, no bubbles obvious and no hydrocarbon smell so I don't think its head gasket related. Cheers.
Hi Keith, not to state the obvious is the pipe into the expansion tank below the water level and free from splits etc.
Mine did the same (as you say on spirited driving) and i found i needed to leave the level in the header tank quite low or it would push water out, fine with the level left low.
If you don't top up, does it still happen? have you any over heating?
Mine did the same (as you say on spirited driving) and i found i needed to leave the level in the header tank quite low or it would push water out, fine with the level left low.
If you don't top up, does it still happen? have you any over heating?
stevoj said:
Hi Keith, not to state the obvious is the pipe into the expansion tank below the water level and free from splits etc.
Mine did the same (as you say on spirited driving) and i found i needed to leave the level in the header tank quite low or it would push water out, fine with the level left low.
If you don't top up, does it still happen? have you any over heating?
Hi. Yes pipe is below the water level and no obvious splits but I'm off on Thursday so will spend the day going through each and every hose and jubilee clip. The car has never overheated since I've had it. It started burping water out from the rad cap about 3 weeks ago for no apparent reason, but only when the engine is turned off, rather than when it's running. I'm suspicious of the top radiator hose as the bonnet always rubs on this when it is opened or closed.Mine did the same (as you say on spirited driving) and i found i needed to leave the level in the header tank quite low or it would push water out, fine with the level left low.
If you don't top up, does it still happen? have you any over heating?
The overflow tank has always filled during a spirited run but when left to cool has always returned back to normal level. Something has changed so hopefully it is just a minor leak allowing air to be drawn in?
Get it nice and hot, turn it off and listen for any hissing.
Pull the hoses about too.
Does the top rad hose keep pressure for a good 20 minutes?
Also put a jubilee clip on the expansion tank overflow pipe if it doesn't have one - or air will get in there and not let the vacuum pull the water back in.
Pull the hoses about too.
Does the top rad hose keep pressure for a good 20 minutes?
Also put a jubilee clip on the expansion tank overflow pipe if it doesn't have one - or air will get in there and not let the vacuum pull the water back in.
... my car doesn't leak water no matter how hard you thrash it, but let it cool down and the thermostat housing flange drips water onto the valley gasket 
Number 7 said:
Keith, what level are you filling the header tank to? There is a marker inside to indicate the level and I only ever fill to just below the top of that. Don't have any problems with coolant being pushed out as the coolant doesn't then reach the overflow when hot.
Ah, good point. I think it was filled about 1" above the marker last time I looked. I'll get the levels right tonight and run it up to see what happens. Cheers.Ideally there is a level that the header tank is happy at, you can keep filling it up but when it expands it will drop it into the catch tank every time.
On cooling the coolant should be drawn back in to replace any drop in the level...You can battle against it for ages until the penny drops...
However the reason I said..."Do your gauges steam up" is that mine leaks a tiny amount of steam...No coolant.....I know it is controversial but the fact is if its leaking steam or water.."ITS LEAKING"..the car will run hotter due to the non-pressurisation of the coolant.
My expansion tank boils when I turn the engine off so I need to sort the heater matrix connection...Or simply by-pass it.....
On cooling the coolant should be drawn back in to replace any drop in the level...You can battle against it for ages until the penny drops...
However the reason I said..."Do your gauges steam up" is that mine leaks a tiny amount of steam...No coolant.....I know it is controversial but the fact is if its leaking steam or water.."ITS LEAKING"..the car will run hotter due to the non-pressurisation of the coolant.
My expansion tank boils when I turn the engine off so I need to sort the heater matrix connection...Or simply by-pass it.....
mrzigazaga said:
Ideally there is a level that the header tank is happy at, you can keep filling it up but when it expands it will drop it into the catch tank every time.
On cooling the coolant should be drawn back in to replace any drop in the level...You can battle against it for ages until the penny drops...
However the reason I said..."Do your gauges steam up" is that mine leaks a tiny amount of steam...No coolant.....I know it is controversial but the fact is if its leaking steam or water.."ITS LEAKING"..the car will run hotter due to the non-pressurisation of the coolant.
My expansion tank boils when I turn the engine off so I need to sort the heater matrix connection...Or simply by-pass it.....
Hi Mark, yes the gauges always steam a little unless used a lot in the summer but they always have done and this issue is a new one. Usually (as in for the last 3 years) it's not lost a drop. I'm still suspicious that there's a small hose leak allowing air in when it cools. I will get a new cap for the swan neck also but it looks in perfect condition with no marks on the rubber seal. The joys of Wedge ownership.... Cheers.On cooling the coolant should be drawn back in to replace any drop in the level...You can battle against it for ages until the penny drops...
However the reason I said..."Do your gauges steam up" is that mine leaks a tiny amount of steam...No coolant.....I know it is controversial but the fact is if its leaking steam or water.."ITS LEAKING"..the car will run hotter due to the non-pressurisation of the coolant.
My expansion tank boils when I turn the engine off so I need to sort the heater matrix connection...Or simply by-pass it.....
Hi
My wedge has a non standard cooling system - no expansion tank - before starting for the first time my coolant level is.very low ( just about an inch in the bottom of the coolant tank, once warm this rises to half way between them in and max lines on the side of the tank.once cool it drops down again.
If i add more coolant to the tank when cold to bring it to the min level , once warm the extra I've added gets expelled out. Its always been like this and it doesn't overheat in fact it runs a bit on the cool side (85 deg). Its got an 82deg stat. It did worry me at first with such a low amount in the tank at cold but I guess its just found its own level.
My wedge has a non standard cooling system - no expansion tank - before starting for the first time my coolant level is.very low ( just about an inch in the bottom of the coolant tank, once warm this rises to half way between them in and max lines on the side of the tank.once cool it drops down again.
If i add more coolant to the tank when cold to bring it to the min level , once warm the extra I've added gets expelled out. Its always been like this and it doesn't overheat in fact it runs a bit on the cool side (85 deg). Its got an 82deg stat. It did worry me at first with such a low amount in the tank at cold but I guess its just found its own level.
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