Coolant Level

[mj04uk]

Hi,

I recently picked up my 450 chim and ran through the maintenance checks the weekend. Everything was fine apart from the water coolant level in the expansion tank - this was approximately 7 inches below the screw thread - and should have been around 2.

Having read Steve Heath's bible I’m now not too sure weather to top it up via the expansion tank or go through the whole process of "filling the system"

Could someone please clarify this form me.

Thanks

[trefor]

Top it up a bit anyway, but not too full. It may go back down to this same level and settle there - some cars like a bit more 'breathing room' in the expansion tank for some reason. Don't worry too much though - this is all 'spare' water since the radiator SHOULD be full and this is the overflow from the system. You can check the radiator is full by undoing the nut on the top corner of it.

[jtong]

FWIW my 99 450 Chim seems to have found its coolant level at about 1cm below the join halfway down the expansion tank (the one with the blue cap).

My handbook says to top up to halfway, but my Chim seems to prefer it where it is! Dunno where it comes out though!

[ATG]

You've got a serpentine engine, yeah? If so it's not too important what is happening in the expansion chamber. You need to check the level in the swirl pot. This is where you top up the system too. This should be full, or within a couple of inches of the top. The swirl pot has a large brass screw on the top and is halfway along the engine bay on the passenger's side. The expansion tank has a blue VW pressure cap on the top and is at the front of the engine bay on the driver's side.

[paterson_m]

mine (96 chim 5) duplicates jtongs exactly. one short journey is usually enough to drop it to just below the seam, even if I top it to within 2 inches of the top. can't see any evidence of excess ejection from the cap either.....(maybe its in the vapour phase!)

[cmdar]

Mine (1999, 450) echoes jtong and paterson_m's, just below the seam in the expansion tank.

This is what my dealer told me, and it is what is in the owner's manual.

[simpo one]

'You need to check the level in the swirl pot. This is where you top up the system too.'

I hate to disagree but...

'This should be full, or within a couple of inches of the top. The swirl pot has a large brass screw on the top and is halfway along the engine bay on the passenger's side.'

Maybe, but all my checks and topping up go in the header tank, not the swirl pot. It's the engine *without* seperate expansion/header tank where you use the swirl tank.

Ain't that right Mr God?

[green&mean]

Simpo One,

I'm no God, but I've read his book and followed his instructions diligently - the swill pot is the place to check the levels and to fill, use a spanner sideways to get the brass screw lose - don't trust the overflow pot, this would be different for every car.

[MikeyT]

I don't go near the swirl pot – I check the level in the expansion bit and was told to make sure it's up to the seam. I overfilled it once and when up to pressure, it overflowed out of the blue top.

[shpub]

I tend to do both. If the expansion tank is low, I'll check the swirl one.

Steve

[sipow]

yep mine has always liked it just below the seam and if i overfill it,it seems to find its way out at the top of the rad on a hose connection.Weekest place i presume.So have let it settle near the seam.

Simon

[mj04uk]

Thanks for all the info guy's

[q405mb]

Steve, what are your thoughts on the electric water pump mentioned in the "Cooling Kits" thread?

H

www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2000/08/electricwaterpump/index.shtml

[shpub]

Been thinking about it for the 520. Probably fit one during the winter refit. Only concern is the pump life (2000 hours) and the fact that mechanical pumps rarely fail all together but degrade. This could fail completely!

I think I can fit it without disconnecting the mech pump so can have that as a back up.

Steve

[q405mb]

I have dropped the manufacturers a note asking about MTBF statistics and repair policies etcetera. will post here when (if) I get a response...

H

[shpub]

It's on their site. 2000 hrs MTBF. OK for a competition car but not sure for an everyday car. If it breaks outside of warrenty, it is a new one. However, if this goes undetected, this could cause a lot of engine damage so I intend linking it into the new data logger and engine monitoring system so that if it dies I can stop!

The other issue and I'll keep coming back to this is that the standard TVRs are designed to operate around the 80-90 mark and if they don't, it does start to cause issues. Changing the cooling system to drop this temp is a bit of double edged sword.

I'm interested mainly from the competition side as the 520 is deliberately overcooled so that I have plenty of margin when thrashing the engine. At max revs it is roughly putting out 75% more heat than a Griff 500 so it needs to be well engineered. In competition it is perfect but runs a bit cool when cruising to events and whatever fuel consumption it had goes to single figures in some cases. The problem is that the air flow and ally rad are several times more efficient and do an excellent job of keeping the engine and engine compartment cool. Too good in fact.

Fitting a pump and controller should solve that problem in a better way than the block the rad technique I use right now and also allow me to cool the engine between runs so that I can control the air intake temperature which really can cost me power. The triple throttle I am using is a lot better in this respect compared to the ACT plenum I used to use.

I know TVR considered using such a system but decided against it, I suspect for the reasons I've outlined. Pretty sure it is used in a lot of competition cars though but as I say, they tend to get more TLC after an event than most road cars get in a year or two. Chnaging bits on a regular basis is not an issue either.

We shall see...

Steve