Sti Addict

I have bought one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNIVERSAL-...item1e740ad106

Should I use it on the expansion tank or overflow bottle?

Thanks

gw88

expansion tank i would use it mate

Turbotits

iTrader: (2)

Expainsion tank. You may want to suck an inch or so out if its full to the brim. The coolant shouldnt come into contact with the sniffer at all.

Sti Addict

Cheers guys, the engine should be up running temp first, is that correct?

gw88

yeh she's got to be warm for it to work.

chopperman

Expansion tank or rad cap.

Sti Addict

This might sound really stupid, the sticker on the cap on other cars I have seen usually says not to open when hot, am I right in thinking I could open it slowly to release the pressure with just a folded over cloth, or would it be better to take the cap off, then start the car?

Thanks again guys

gw88

You can open it when its running if you do it slowly but for safety your better off warming it up with the cap off.
When its warm just leave the tester on for a few mins and suck the air through the tester, but make sure you don't get the coolant in it.

Gethin

Drewrayner1

Just did the test on my bugeye this week. I started and run car up to temp with cap off until the thermostat was open then did the test twice just to make sure. I emptied about a half litre of coolant out of the header tank to make sure no coolant was sucked into tester.

Sti Addict

Thanks guys, will lt you know how I get on.

speedking

Coolant level should be very low in the header tank compared to the volume of the tank. If it is nearly full of black water then you have a big clue right there. The header tank cap can't resist pressure. I wouldn't remove the rad cap of a hot engine.

Be warned, I had a sniff test conducted by the main dealer and they couldn't detect anything despite a blown HG. Apparently some times the gas only shows up under load, so the results are not 100% reliable.