Cooling system-is this normal ?

[mogv8]

Okay I better own up to not knowing what I am talking about here, but the 6.0 LS2 doesn't seem to have a conventional expansion tank for the coolant, correct ?

My car doesn't get driven at high revs too often, but a few weeks back when the car had been driven quickly on a hot day I parked it up and about 5 minutes later I had coolant leak out on the floor from what looked like the area of the coolant filler on the right of the engine bay. I assume from the overflow. It is difficult to say how much when its on the ground but about a two litres or so maybe, then it stopped. The car didn't register hot on the guage when running, and still not all that high when stopped.

I put this down to being slightly overfilled (just serviced a few days before) plus heat soak after a hard run on a hot day making it spit out the excess.

Checked everything, no air under radiator cap, and came back up to correct water level with a litre or so put in. After that all fine, checked regularly after that with no overheating change of water level or other issues, all as it should be really.

This morning after another quick run, I noticed that 5 minutes after parking up I was getting a 'gurgling' noise from the radiator or piping toward top of the radiator and more particularly the right side (as you face the engine bay). Difficult to tell where from exactly with the plastic cover in place, but I could also feel the vibration feeding through the plastic cover.

My question:-

Is this normal ? Everything seems okay in every other respect, but do I need to go though the pain of shipping it into a Monaro dealer to have it checked out ?

Thanks in advance.........

[SS HSV]

Are you sure it was water from the cooling system? Water often vents from the air-condioning system when you park up. If it were coolant it would be green/blue if its condense it will be clear. As for the bubbling sound, that could just be water settling itself from the rad to the expansion pot.

[mogv8]

Definately coolant on the first occasion, although not sure whether the noise experienced this morning is to do with the aircon. The aircon was off at the time so I am guessing not.

[tzh]

Could it be an air lock? Dont know if air locks are common with these but it seems coincidence that your troubles start after a service? know what you mean about pain of sending it in to a dealer, mines been missing 5 weeks for new discs

[mogv8]

I understand airlocks are very rare, air is obviously being sucked in, expelled, or travelling around somewhere I guess as otherwise there wouldn't be a gurgling sound.

It may be it is just normal and I never noticed it before. Don't normally hang around to long after parking up of course. I am not familiar with how this set up works without a header tank hence my doubts.

5 weeks off the road is a bummer though !!

[mogv8]

Any other comments on this topic still welcome .......

[greens vauxhall]

Does the top heater hose on the left as you look at the engine get hot and feel full when running ?? If not it suggests an air lock, it has and can happen. Gurgling suggests air in the system.

[mogv8]

greens vauxhall said:

Does the top heater hose on the left as you look at the engine get hot and feel full when running ?? If not it suggests an air lock, it has and can happen. Gurgling suggests air in the system.

I will check that out next, must admit seems obvious to check the highest point in the water system now you say it, I was following the noise before which of course doesn't mean that is where the air is !! Thanks for the steer.