Aaarg! Coolant loss, and now steam from engine!!
Discussion
Hi peeps...
Not had a good day today - have been noticing recently that my expansion tank is always empty despite me filling it up repeatedly. Squeezing top hoses to and from the swirl tank made gurgling sounds, so I'm suspecting (hoping) an airlock in there might be pushing coolant out of the expansion tank.
Car has never overheated with this, but today after a five minute trip that I hoped I'd get away with (risky, as it turns out...) found steam coming from under the bonnet
Couldn't see any obvious source, except that it wasn't from the expansion tank cap. If anything, looked like it was coming from the cylinder head (offside)
Had just switched on the air con briefly for the first time in a while, but can't see how that could have done it.
Temp guage was reading normal throughout...
Anyone had similar problems/got any ideas? I fear another trip to the garage that I can't afford may be looming...
Thanks
Andrew
Not had a good day today - have been noticing recently that my expansion tank is always empty despite me filling it up repeatedly. Squeezing top hoses to and from the swirl tank made gurgling sounds, so I'm suspecting (hoping) an airlock in there might be pushing coolant out of the expansion tank.
Car has never overheated with this, but today after a five minute trip that I hoped I'd get away with (risky, as it turns out...) found steam coming from under the bonnet
Couldn't see any obvious source, except that it wasn't from the expansion tank cap. If anything, looked like it was coming from the cylinder head (offside)
Had just switched on the air con briefly for the first time in a while, but can't see how that could have done it.
Temp guage was reading normal throughout...
Anyone had similar problems/got any ideas? I fear another trip to the garage that I can't afford may be looming...
Thanks
Andrew
Can't answer why your useing so much coolant,however when I turned on the aircon after not useing it for a while had the steam treatmeant too!
The temperature was ok though and has been fine since.
I can only assume turning the aircon on created back pressure which needed venting.
I'm sure the techie's will know why.
The temperature was ok though and has been fine since.
I can only assume turning the aircon on created back pressure which needed venting.
I'm sure the techie's will know why.
H'mmm... Thanks
That makes me slightly happier. The steam did look like it was coming from the A/C pipework, but I figured that ought to contain CFCs that would evaporate invisibly and pretty quickly if they got out...
Will be opening my swirl pot and refilling just as soon as I can get enough antifreeze and a strong enough lever to undo the brass screw, so will have to do a cautious run up to temp with the bonnet open and my magnifying glass out...
That makes me slightly happier. The steam did look like it was coming from the A/C pipework, but I figured that ought to contain CFCs that would evaporate invisibly and pretty quickly if they got out...
Will be opening my swirl pot and refilling just as soon as I can get enough antifreeze and a strong enough lever to undo the brass screw, so will have to do a cautious run up to temp with the bonnet open and my magnifying glass out...
Is there any steam (looking stuff) comming out of the cabin air vents... I have had this a lot on cars with AC.
Apparently it is fairly common (I paniced when I first saw it and assumed something was wrong).
Having to keep topping up the water is a bit worrying... I would get it checked ASAP.
>> Edited by chimyellow on Thursday 2nd December 18:43
Apparently it is fairly common (I paniced when I first saw it and assumed something was wrong).
Having to keep topping up the water is a bit worrying... I would get it checked ASAP.
>> Edited by chimyellow on Thursday 2nd December 18:43
Thanks for replies
In answer to ian, I initially thought the leak was from the heater matrix, so topped up and ran for a while with vents switched to hot - no leaking apparent there but level low again.
Looked at all hose attachments I could, and around rad, for leaks but again nothing obvious, so topped up again and ran up to temp and found water expelled from the expansion tank.
Haven't had a lot of time so this was a few weeks apart... Then noticed top hoses to swirl tank had air in them (by feel) so figure I have an air lock there. Unfortunately my tools are 2 1/2 hours of driving away, which I don't fancy doing with dodgy cooling, so am just waiting to get hold of something to open the brass screw in the swirl tank. Another PHer had mentioned that his chim was losing coolant because an air lock like this was repeatedly expanding and forcing it out. So I'm hoping that's the problem, and'll see what happens when I properly bleed the system and then run the engine again...
If still no joy, then it's gonna be a trip to the garage. My wallet prays fervently for joy.
Andrew
In answer to ian, I initially thought the leak was from the heater matrix, so topped up and ran for a while with vents switched to hot - no leaking apparent there but level low again.
Looked at all hose attachments I could, and around rad, for leaks but again nothing obvious, so topped up again and ran up to temp and found water expelled from the expansion tank.
Haven't had a lot of time so this was a few weeks apart... Then noticed top hoses to swirl tank had air in them (by feel) so figure I have an air lock there. Unfortunately my tools are 2 1/2 hours of driving away, which I don't fancy doing with dodgy cooling, so am just waiting to get hold of something to open the brass screw in the swirl tank. Another PHer had mentioned that his chim was losing coolant because an air lock like this was repeatedly expanding and forcing it out. So I'm hoping that's the problem, and'll see what happens when I properly bleed the system and then run the engine again...
If still no joy, then it's gonna be a trip to the garage. My wallet prays fervently for joy.
Andrew
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