Airlock - Monaro
Discussion
After vxr2010's warning about airlocks I think I have managed to create an airlock. I had a Mishimoto rad fitted recently and fitted a water pump on Sunday. Added coolant, ran system with rad cap off/heater on full etc. Topped up about 3 times, the third time I put too much in and it went over the overflow pipe and nearly to the top (over the rim). I soaked some up but I think it was 'too late'! I only needed to top up by a half inch but got excited.
In any case, I monitor my temp using torque and it runs fine at early 90s on a run and creeps into the 100s in heavy traffic, always dropping off by fan or getting out of the traffic - all seems fine. Today, got home and heard a boiling sound, like air moving round the system - the overflow pipe is hot as though it's overflowing to the expansion. There is no visible leak anywhere.
Any top tips? Is this just the system working the air out?
In any case, I monitor my temp using torque and it runs fine at early 90s on a run and creeps into the 100s in heavy traffic, always dropping off by fan or getting out of the traffic - all seems fine. Today, got home and heard a boiling sound, like air moving round the system - the overflow pipe is hot as though it's overflowing to the expansion. There is no visible leak anywhere.
Any top tips? Is this just the system working the air out?
Ok so I ran it as you described, and the coolant started to rise out of the filler hole, the temp was 90 Deg (measured on Torque). The top hose is hot, the hose to the thermostat housing is not as hot and the heater valve moves when I change the temp on the control.
I've parked the car nose up my drive, going to let it cool a bit then try again. Just concerned why the coolant is rising out of the rad filler area - no bubbles.
I've parked the car nose up my drive, going to let it cool a bit then try again. Just concerned why the coolant is rising out of the rad filler area - no bubbles.
Ok, so I ran it up to heat on the hill....no bubbles and level rose. Cap on, drove it slowly, temp went up as expected, fans came on and temp went down - all exactly as the cycle expected. Gurgle/bubbling when I switch off
have gone though.
I'll monitor it. The car never overheats though and operates in the mid-90s during normal driving.
have gone though.
I'll monitor it. The car never overheats though and operates in the mid-90s during normal driving.
mfp4073 said:
Sorry, the faulty rad cap is for a stock one only. I think it's safe to say yours will be fine.
I have 3 X the OE caps sat in boxes due to the old rad playing up! If only it was that!In all seriousness, I think it should be ok now I've prayed to the God of overfilling, I'm hoping any air has bled out. No gurgling is a good sign.
THUNDER STORM said:
If you have prayed to God, then it will get sorted, dont forget to thank God when all is running OK. Just a point when I put on my new rad as the engine was running from cold and rad top off just squeeze bottom rad hose which I find helps and then top up to level and replace rad top..
Ade
Cheers Ade....I think my mistake was being overzealous with the top up! Airlock city!Ade
Still gurgling/bubbling when I arrived at work this morning. I'll check the coolant level when I get back to the car but I am not losing coolant, I think the airlock is still present. I was reading about allowing the air to bleed out of the bleed/steam line that runs from the rad (below the expansion tank line by the filler cap) to the head. from what I read the air can be bled out from there and reconnected when the coolant runs out of it; any clues?
vxr2010 said:
Give it a go it makes sense , i also found topping it up when cold added a bit more coolant to it , i would have thought that the combination of driving plus what you have done would have sorted it , try it on a steep slope it may help
Cheers. I checked after two drives with engine temperature up to where it should be and there was no gurgle. I'll keep checking levels and listen for the sounds over the next few weeks. Better to be safe than sorry, even though the car runs nicely in the early 90s on a drive.vxr2010 said:
http://www.ls1gto.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1621...
this may help if the link works , one says it’s normal the other said rad cap can be at fault , rad caps are a common failure on the ls2 from memory
This is a Mishimoto rad cap. I got home and no bubbling at all. My parking spot is pointing uphill at work so I wonder if the rad being uppermost there is helping the air out of the expansion tank. My drive at home is flat as a pancake and I haven't heard the bubbling/gurgling there for a few days.this may help if the link works , one says it’s normal the other said rad cap can be at fault , rad caps are a common failure on the ls2 from memory
I reckon we are getting there!
mfp4073 said:
selym said:
This is a Mishimoto rad cap. I got home and no bubbling at all. My parking spot is pointing uphill at work so I wonder if the rad being uppermost there is helping the air out of the expansion tank. My drive at home is flat as a pancake and I haven't heard the bubbling/gurgling there for a few days.
I reckon we are getting there!
Thank the Lord !!!!!!!!I reckon we are getting there!
So, after a little education from Araf I may have rectified the gurgling issue. The major changes to my 'technique' were to ensure the expansion tank was topped before, during and after and to be brave about letting the coolant heat right up and overflow, bringing the air with it. Let's see what comes over the next few days, but big thanks to Ian for all his help; if it happens again I know what to do.
Now to clean up the coolant that overflowed.
Now to clean up the coolant that overflowed.
Just to draw a line under this one and to advise any future sufferers of the 'airlock' as I thought it was, I was still suffering from the bubbling noise on shutoff. So after a few bleeds of the coolant I contacted Topcats. I saw one of the guys there, Brian (who knows his onions!) who told me it wasn't an airlock, to let it cool down and we would check the cap and neck of the new Mishimoto rad they had fitted previously. it turns out that the cap had a tiny bit of limescale under the small metal valve on the bottom side of the cap which was keeping it open and allowing air in, thus boiling the system when the engine was turned off.
So, two tips - always check your cap and trust in Topcats! Cheers Brian!
So, two tips - always check your cap and trust in Topcats! Cheers Brian!
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