Normal water temp or air-lock?
Discussion
Running at 95 - 97 deg once oil temp up at 60+.
In the last 6 months I've topped up the coolant reservoir (up to half way) to the extent that I've now finished a 1l bottle of the blue stuff, having covered about 900 miles.
Can't see any signs of leakage in the garage after a run, no steam during a run, or in the engine bay area yet I need to top-up after every run as the water is scarcely covering the bottom of the reservoir.
Is she running too hot, where the blazes is the coolant going, any maintenance routine I can do to address this?
Any ideas appreciated.
In the last 6 months I've topped up the coolant reservoir (up to half way) to the extent that I've now finished a 1l bottle of the blue stuff, having covered about 900 miles.
Can't see any signs of leakage in the garage after a run, no steam during a run, or in the engine bay area yet I need to top-up after every run as the water is scarcely covering the bottom of the reservoir.
Is she running too hot, where the blazes is the coolant going, any maintenance routine I can do to address this?
Any ideas appreciated.
Should be a small bleed screw on top RHS of radiator (viewed from looking at the bonnet from in front of car). It's a 4mm allen key iirc.
In the past I have ran the engine from cold until it starts to get near normal operating temp (88-90 in my case), with this bleed screw out, adding coolant a cup at a time until it appears to have taken as much as it can (and hopefully moved any air out of the system). Then put the blled screw and the top cap back on nice and tight.
Hope that helps.
In the past I have ran the engine from cold until it starts to get near normal operating temp (88-90 in my case), with this bleed screw out, adding coolant a cup at a time until it appears to have taken as much as it can (and hopefully moved any air out of the system). Then put the blled screw and the top cap back on nice and tight.
Hope that helps.
Maybe your dash temp sensor is reading wrong? Do the fans work? When do they come on according to the dash reading? There could be many reasons for coolant dropping, and it's usually a leaky joint or the radiator seeping at the ends, I'd not worry too much about HGF. Get it checked though.
cinquecento said:
I'm inclined to agree.. my Sag runs 1cm from the bottom of the expansion tank (blue cap) and doesn't like to be filled above that..
This varies per car, also if his T350 doesn't have the additional 'overflow' expansion tank then he'll be topping up the 'central' cooling 'tower' - you don't want the water in this to drop below the height of the engine outlet pipe.dvs_dave said:
Sounds to me like your overfilling the coolant? There should only be about 10mm of coolant visible in the neck of the expansion tank. Any more than this and it'll just overflow out when hot, explaining why you think it's using coolant.
Mine overflows if any coolant is visible. TVR Power reckon the level sort of self adjusts, I thought I had a leakCheers guys - yes perhaps it is just a case of overfilling. Absolutely no signs of seepage around the radiator. 1cm above the base of the expansion tank. Fans kicking in at 92 and 96. Just seems a bit hot and odd that the 'excess' I'm putting in doesn't show itself as it's expelled.
I'll stop worrying quite so much I think as it's sounding like another TADTS.
I'll stop worrying quite so much I think as it's sounding like another TADTS.
jpp said:
Cheers guys - yes perhaps it is just a case of overfilling. Absolutely no signs of seepage around the radiator. 1cm above the base of the expansion tank. Fans kicking in at 92 and 96. Just seems a bit hot and odd that the 'excess' I'm putting in doesn't show itself as it's expelled.
I'll stop worrying quite so much I think as it's sounding like another TADTS.
On mine the excess spills out of the cap, runs down the neck of the expansion tank and evaporates. I only noticed when the car went on the rolling road and there was a wisp of steam. In normal use it just looked bone dryI'll stop worrying quite so much I think as it's sounding like another TADTS.
blueg33 said:
jpp said:
Cheers guys - yes perhaps it is just a case of overfilling. Absolutely no signs of seepage around the radiator. 1cm above the base of the expansion tank. Fans kicking in at 92 and 96. Just seems a bit hot and odd that the 'excess' I'm putting in doesn't show itself as it's expelled.
I'll stop worrying quite so much I think as it's sounding like another TADTS.
On mine the excess spills out of the cap, runs down the neck of the expansion tank and evaporates. I only noticed when the car went on the rolling road and there was a wisp of steam. In normal use it just looked bone dryI'll stop worrying quite so much I think as it's sounding like another TADTS.
One particular evening I heard a hiss as I pulled onto my drive at home. On investigation, (not easy with the Tuscan!! just had the main bonnet propped on some wood)I saw a damp patch around the heater pipes. Aha! I thought - get some new pipe & clips - job done!
Wrong! - later, still having to top up coolant, I repeated the above exercise.....and realised the heater matrix was leaking - and must have been getting progressively worse over a fairly lengthy period. In the early stages the leak was simply being evaporated by the heat off the exhaust manifold/pipes.
None of the usual suppliers could get a replacement. In the end I took the matrix to a local radiator specialist, who recored it for £90 all in. Coolant level now rock steady - joy!
Nick
nawarne said:
I had a similar concern. Was constantly topping up - not much, but enough to cause some head scratching.
One particular evening I heard a hiss as I pulled onto my drive at home. On investigation, (not easy with the Tuscan!! just had the main bonnet propped on some wood)I saw a damp patch around the heater pipes. Aha! I thought - get some new pipe & clips - job done!
Wrong! - later, still having to top up coolant, I repeated the above exercise.....and realised the heater matrix was leaking - and must have been getting progressively worse over a fairly lengthy period. In the early stages the leak was simply being evaporated by the heat off the exhaust manifold/pipes.
None of the usual suppliers could get a replacement. In the end I took the matrix to a local radiator specialist, who recored it for £90 all in. Coolant level now rock steady - joy!
Nick
Happy to say that the level stayed constant at the weekend despite a track day.One particular evening I heard a hiss as I pulled onto my drive at home. On investigation, (not easy with the Tuscan!! just had the main bonnet propped on some wood)I saw a damp patch around the heater pipes. Aha! I thought - get some new pipe & clips - job done!
Wrong! - later, still having to top up coolant, I repeated the above exercise.....and realised the heater matrix was leaking - and must have been getting progressively worse over a fairly lengthy period. In the early stages the leak was simply being evaporated by the heat off the exhaust manifold/pipes.
None of the usual suppliers could get a replacement. In the end I took the matrix to a local radiator specialist, who recored it for £90 all in. Coolant level now rock steady - joy!
Nick
dvs_dave said:
Sounds to me like your overfilling the coolant? There should only be about 10mm of coolant visible in the neck of the expansion tank. Any more than this and it'll just overflow out when hot, explaining why you think it's using coolant.
10 mm on the bottom of expansion tank when cold or 10 mm in the neck when hot ?Gassing Station | Speed Six Engine | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff