Think i have an airlock, as coolant keeps bubbling up from the plastic thingy near the battery and my heaters are cold also i keep putting coolant (water) in the other water thingy near the turbo as that just disappears any help much appriciated

 

More info is needed if you want the guys to help you...!!

MY.. Engine.. Spec.. Mods...etc etc...

 

its a 2000 turbo no mods, be gentle im a girl.

 

sounds like head gasket problems

 

why? why isnt it an air lock as cant find any leaks and temp gauge stays half way and no smoke

 

Has the coolant just been changed ? Just wondering if it was running ok before and how it developed this airlock.... ?

Have you checked for any leaks and is car overheating....

 

and no loss of power

 

cant find any leaks but the coolant has been changed recently, does tend to get a lil hot thou and theres a hissing sound coming from the tank near the turbo

 

also soon as you take both caps off it settles pretty much instantly

 

There have been a few very detailed threads on filling the Scooby with coolant

To avoid air locks (if it is an air locks)

I seem to remember the America site had a very detailed one

 

There's one on here: I posted it myself.

Basically, you drain it all.

Then refill by removing the rearmost pipe from the coolant reservoir on top of the engine, stuff a funnel down it and pour in the rquired amount of anti-freeze at the correct dilution S L O W L Y.

Don't let it gurgle or gulp.

Once you see coolant in the reservoir on top of the engine, remove funnel, refit hose and fill.

Now start the engine, filler cap still off. Let it run until the fans kick in, mopping up, or topping up as necessary.

Once the fans kick in, switch off, replace cap and drive it round the block as normal...no mucking about

When you get back, allow to cool and check level at that same reservoir, top up if necessary again. Replace cap. Job's a good 'un.

Be aware: THERE IS NO KNOWN WAY TO PROPERLY ELIMINATE AN AIRLOCK, BURP THE SYSTEM ETC. Just do the above.

And whoever did it last time: don't use him again.

 

Thankyou very much i will give that a go myself! just 1 thing whats the plastic reservoir near the battery then, is that the overflow tank?

 

didnt work, water is still bubbling up the plastic tank and no hot air unless put foot down

 

might be header tank cap as hear a hissing?

 

Head gasket..

 

At this point, I'd get a sniff test done just to eliminate the worst case scenario.

Then we can go from there.

How'd you drain it?

And how long to refill?

 

took bout an hour but think its header tank cap as when squeeze pipe can hear air escaping from there

 

ok am stumped! aint headgasket as had it checked, aint rad cap, drained the radiator 2 so now have no idea!!

 

When you refilled it did you have the heater on hot with the fan running? The heater matrix is probably where the air lock is if its blowing out cold.
Try running the engine with the expansion tank cap off and the heater and blower on. Squeeze the pipes while its running and look for bubbles.

 

How do you know it's not the rad cap? It sounds as if it's not pressurised.

Could be water pump too.......the impeller comes loose on it's shaft, so the pump goes round but the water doesn't. that will overheat what's close to the engine.

 

This. Very common for the spring to erode and not hold pressure as before. Happened on 3 out of 4 of my previous Impreza's.

 

got a new rad cap, seems like when fill up the top tank near the turbo it drains into the plastic 1 as filled plastic 1 to minimal level, went for a drive had a look and was above max

 

Water pump not working?
the little impeller comes off it's shaft. the pump turns but the water doesn't get pumped.

 

get this, drained rad again, filled up metal tank near turbo, put nothing in plastic one near battery, went for spin, hardly any in metal tank but plastic one was full and bubbling

 

again head gasket, its pressurising and throwing the water out

 

not head gasket had sniff test

 

I put my money on HG, Block related issue

I had a RR that constantly pressurised the cooling system, and nothing showed on a sniff test - Block failure

 

have no leak, no gunk in coolant, oil is fine, no smoke, heater working fine now, just the bubbles and overflow in the expansion tank

 

Do the bubbles increase with revs

Where are the bubbles coming from? can't be the airlock, can it?

 

no seem to start bubbling when turn engine off plus engine seems hot after short journey