very strange water loss probs NOW WITH PRICES advice peeps

[meltonlad]

ive got a very strange water loss problem.. i can fill it up to the max mark then drive 30/40 miles stop and check it and its on the min mark... no signs of water dripping any wear, no mayo on oil cap, runs fine, temp staying on 90, BUT when i stopped to check it i saw steam coming from bottom of expansion bottle so i toped it up left cap off expansion bottle just to see if water level dropping but then after about 10 secs with engine running the water level shot up and pissed all over the bottle. please help, if you can as im going on hols soon with it...

 

[meltonlad]

anyone plz.....

 

[R@B]

BUT when i stopped to check it i saw steam coming from bottom of expansion bottle

Could be a cracked expansion tank.

 

[meltonlad]

i was thinking that but is that poss ?? can i get a new one from seat ? and how much ?

 

[R@B]

Yes they can crack under the pressue in the tank, this happened on my sisters old escort. Yes you can get it from Seat but they might need to get the tank ordered in, sometimes same day/next day.
Sorry no idea on cost.

 

[godber225r]

The only things i can think of are the expansion tank is cracked or a split pipe around the area. It could be the water pump starting to fail or failed?

 

[Fl@pper]

sounds like it had an airlock somewhere

 

[meltonlad]

i did think of water pump but i can drive it and it dont over heat... like today ive driven 86 miles after topping up and the water level stayed at min mark until i stopped let it cool alittle then undid the cap and then the water level dropped to empty.... then i top it up it only tales 1lte to fill... if water pump had gone it would overheat when driving ( I THINK )

 

[LEE69]

sounds like it had an airlock somewhere

As to be really for the water to re-fill the expansion bottle.

 

[R@B]

i did think of water pump but i can drive it and it dont over heat... like today ive driven 86 miles after topping up and the water level stayed at min mark until i stopped let it cool alittle then undid the cap and then the water level dropped to empty.... then i top it up it only tales 1lte to fill... if water pump had gone it would overheat when driving ( I THINK )

I got my water pump done last week and i could drive it normally (changing gear at 2000-2500rpm) without the needle moving of the 90 mark. But when i went over this the needle went up almost instanly. This doesn't explain the loss of water tho. I still think it could be cracked tank or as godber225r says a split pipe.

 

[Jimski]

Im sticking a pint in every 3 weeks or so!

So mine is a very slight leak somewhere, some investigation needed i think!!


Jimski

 

[meltonlad]

if it had got an air lock could that had built up extra presure ?? and may have cracked/split a pipe ? most of the drive today was on the A1 at 70/75mph with revs around 2200-3000 rpm.

 

[Fl@pper]

not usually as the expnasion caps on modern system's are designed to release pressure at a certain point anyway

 

[meltonlad]

Update !!!!!!

now i am confussed.... just spent over 1hr looking over all the pipes and rad finding NO LEAKS. left engine running for half hr temp on 90 fans are kicking in all ok. holding revs at 4500-5000 revs temp stays at 90 but water in expansion tank rise about 50% 3/4 way up tank and also ive no hot air when heater set to hi.... one pipe through firewall is very hot and other is luke warm... i may be wrong but i dont think its the water pump as when i hold the revs at 5k temp dont move. cant see no leaks around expansion tank. but still losing water when i drive it over a few miles.....

 

[Willie]

Try a full drain, new expansion tank and a full re fill keeping note of the coolant removed and filled.
It's 4 1/2 litres to fill (from memory)

 

[meltonlad]

whats the best way to do the full drain ?? undo the bottom hose on rad or is there another way ??

 

[Willie]

Theres a valve on the bottom hose to drain the radiator and you will have to remove the lower most hose from the block (I think it's the one attached to the oil filter housing from memory) to drain it

 

[LEE69]

also ive no hot air when heater set to hi.... one pipe through firewall is very hot and other is luke warm..

There is a flap on the heater box, have a search was covered recently.
Sounds like a blocked heater matrix but tbh i have not heard of one of those for a very long time.

 

[Willie]

If this is blocked perhaps a full system drain will free this blockage off.
I'm finding quite a bit of 'stuff' ending up in my expansion tank. During the winter I'll do a full drain, flush and refill with new coolant.
Hopefully this will help

 

[LEE69]

Used to flush the heater matrix both ways to clear it, sometimes it worked.