Put the kettle on.........
Discussion
I was looking forward to a sunny weekend with the cerb....
HOWEVER, took her out for a bit of a run last night and parked in my garage - switched off engine - bubbling sound (like a kettle coming to the boil) - steam on the left side = big puddle on the floor (more like an indoor swimming pool really). So, needless to say the expansion tank is empty
Has this happened to anyone on here? Obviously it's some kind of bad thing but wondered if there may be a variety of TVR-esque causes
HOWEVER, took her out for a bit of a run last night and parked in my garage - switched off engine - bubbling sound (like a kettle coming to the boil) - steam on the left side = big puddle on the floor (more like an indoor swimming pool really). So, needless to say the expansion tank is empty
Has this happened to anyone on here? Obviously it's some kind of bad thing but wondered if there may be a variety of TVR-esque causes
hi
I had the same thing and it sounds exactly the same as what happened to me. it was only the pipe under the expansion tank that had come off . tricky little job just to take the expansion tank off but all it was the jubile clip was knackered . let,s hope that,s all it is but it does sound the same the steam was the water hitting the exhaust manifold the puddle was what had not evaporated. good luck
gary judd
I had the same thing and it sounds exactly the same as what happened to me. it was only the pipe under the expansion tank that had come off . tricky little job just to take the expansion tank off but all it was the jubile clip was knackered . let,s hope that,s all it is but it does sound the same the steam was the water hitting the exhaust manifold the puddle was what had not evaporated. good luck
gary judd
thanks gary
it has also been suggested that it might have been an air lock. in which case i need to re-fill the expansion tank (if it happens again it's probably the pipes etc). do i need to go through the whole 'bleed' procedure (as per the handbook) or can I just poor it in? advice is, as ever, welcome ph'ers
it has also been suggested that it might have been an air lock. in which case i need to re-fill the expansion tank (if it happens again it's probably the pipes etc). do i need to go through the whole 'bleed' procedure (as per the handbook) or can I just poor it in? advice is, as ever, welcome ph'ers
Hi Tim.
Similar thread from Shiraz.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=98985&f=13&h=0
May be an air lock.
PS Mines 2 sugars.
>> Edited by kojak69 on Friday 14th May 09:51
Similar thread from Shiraz.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=98985&f=13&h=0
May be an air lock.
PS Mines 2 sugars.
>> Edited by kojak69 on Friday 14th May 09:51
Hi,
Used to get airlocks with my cerb. They are tricky to bleed often needing a few attempts.
My question for Joolz is this:
Would it be possible to fit a swirl pot somewhere in the cooling system so that it bleeds itself? Apart from cost are there any major drawbacks and would it even work?
Cheers
Rob.
Used to get airlocks with my cerb. They are tricky to bleed often needing a few attempts.
My question for Joolz is this:
Would it be possible to fit a swirl pot somewhere in the cooling system so that it bleeds itself? Apart from cost are there any major drawbacks and would it even work?
Cheers
Rob.
Cerb-Aid/TCR said:
If you let any air into the system, eg. by allowing the water level to drop too low, it can take 5-6 bleeds to purge it - waterways are wonderful air traps. Once air is in, irrespective of top-ups, every time it warms up too much (sitting in traffic for example) the trapped air will tend to push some water out.
Bleed Process
On 4.2 there are 2 bleed screws, one on each side water rail and a bolt on the o/s of the top of the radiator.
1) Top up water to full level of header bottle, then loosen each of the bleed points and radiator bolt and retighten when water appears (like bleeding a home radiator).
2) If you can reach any of the water hoses give them a repeated rapid squeeze to move further air to high points.
3) Repeat 1) to see if any more air has appeared at the bleed points
4) Top up water again and refit cap
5) run engine up to hot (reasonable run to get the engine fully up to temperature)
6) Allow to cool then back to 1) and repeat
7) continue until no further air appears (can take 5 or 6 repeats, then check again in a week or two.
Check water level daily and don't forget to include anti-freeze in your top-ups.
If you continue to have air locks then suspect a crack in the rad, check the hoses for potential leaks, and as a worse case a blown head gasket.
extract- Cerb-Aid site/TCR Technical (when I get it ready!!!!)
tdm, sorry missed your last post. Please bleed the system, if not fully them at least in part to see if there is any evidence of air. You do not want a cracked head or blown gasket for the sake of taking the time to bleed it. Otherwise, it's Sods law, it will rear it's head when you are in a queue of traffic this warm weekend.
Cerb-Aid/TCR said:
Bleed Process
On 4.2 there are 2 bleed screws, one on each side water rail and a bolt on the o/s of the top of the radiator.
1) Top up water to full level of header bottle, then loosen each of the bleed points and radiator bolt and retighten when water appears (like bleeding a home radiator).
Joolz was saying on an old post that it's best not to undo the two bleed points as they are prone to not sealing again properly.
He said that it's ok to just undo the one on the radiator as the system is self bleeding.
Then follow all the other steps you mentioned.
Just what I noticed as I've been looking through a lot of old threads the last few days before I do mine.
Andy
The last time I had to bleed mine, having run the car and not used the bleed points, I decided to check and there was still air in both rails, albeit not a lot. I know Joolz says that the rails should be self bleeding, but in my case they certainly weren't so I used the bleed points anyway. The seat at the bottom of the bleed fitting is the same as is found on some house radiators and is very low tech, but he has obviously found it a problem in the past so you takes your choice. Personally I would rather know there's no air in there.
lol yup, I always advise to not touch the bleed valves on the outer head coolant rails, those definately are self bleeding, two pipes come off the rear, join in a Tee connector and then go es into teh top rear of the coolant expansion tank. If the rails don't self bleed you have a problem that must be fixed. usualt culprit is someone has added radseal and with air in the rails the radseal sets at the rear of the rails just where it's supposed to exit into the Tee piece. Or the rubber hoses are kinked at the rear of the engine bay not allowing the water to go into the expansion tank..
it's the same bleed valve that's used in the S radiator and it rarely gives any problems there, but on th cerbie I've had enough not seal that i never touch them, and if the self bleed pipes are ok then there's no need anyway.
it's the same bleed valve that's used in the S radiator and it rarely gives any problems there, but on th cerbie I've had enough not seal that i never touch them, and if the self bleed pipes are ok then there's no need anyway.
give us a clue 
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