Coolant question
07 July 2017, 07:50 PM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Coolant question
Dear all,
2006 Blobeye STI, I recently had a leak from where the top radiator hose connected to the engine block, so got the coolant flushed and new hose clamps put on, ever since then I've noticed the coolant level in the expansion tank has dropped, so when the engine is cool the level is below the min mark on the tank, I have topped up the level in the expansion tank and it seems to drop after the car is used, there is no visible leaks, and the header tank along with the radiator is full with coolant at all times, so does anyone have any ideas at all as to the loss?
Cheers
2006 Blobeye STI, I recently had a leak from where the top radiator hose connected to the engine block, so got the coolant flushed and new hose clamps put on, ever since then I've noticed the coolant level in the expansion tank has dropped, so when the engine is cool the level is below the min mark on the tank, I have topped up the level in the expansion tank and it seems to drop after the car is used, there is no visible leaks, and the header tank along with the radiator is full with coolant at all times, so does anyone have any ideas at all as to the loss?
Cheers
07 July 2017, 08:56 PM
#2
Quick check would be to see if the header tank cap and radiator cap have not been swapped over by mistake - header tank cap should have a vacuum valve on the bottom of the cap and the rad cap does not.
Other things could be :
Air lock after refilling settling down and dropping the level.
Coolant leak from elsewhere.
Onset of head gasket failure - have a sniff test done on the cooling system to see if combustion gases are present in the cooling system.
Idle speed control valve rubber seal failing allowing coolant ingress into the throttle body.
Can you hear a water rushing noise from behind the glove box when starting up from cold ??
Hope this helps
Other things could be :
Air lock after refilling settling down and dropping the level.
Coolant leak from elsewhere.
Onset of head gasket failure - have a sniff test done on the cooling system to see if combustion gases are present in the cooling system.
Idle speed control valve rubber seal failing allowing coolant ingress into the throttle body.
Can you hear a water rushing noise from behind the glove box when starting up from cold ??
Hope this helps
07 July 2017, 08:56 PM
#3
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If you've drained and re filled the coolant it will take a while to find its level in the expansion bottle as little air pockets are expelled and you may have to top up. My car when stone cold has settled just below the mark in the expansion bottle.
The level will drop and raise with normal use and can take a while for it to go back to the level. Only check/top up when it is stone cold.
The level will drop and raise with normal use and can take a while for it to go back to the level. Only check/top up when it is stone cold.
07 July 2017, 11:06 PM
#4
Ecu Specialist
You should never add anything to the expansion tank, by description thats all that it is ...
coolant gets hot and expands and enters the tank via the pressure cap, coolant cools and is sucked back into the header tank ..
there is nothing wrong !
coolant gets hot and expands and enters the tank via the pressure cap, coolant cools and is sucked back into the header tank ..
there is nothing wrong !
08 July 2017, 08:24 AM
#5
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
many thanks to you all for your replies, and thanks Bob for your reply, I will check it when cold and not top up in the expansion tank. I've got a long journey coming up so it could do with a good run, it doesn't get used very much.