DAMMIT! Coolant all over the place!

[savage1987]

I've been driving all morning, but there was no hard driving involved . . . this is my "fuel economy" tank . . .

So I was being very careful with the right foot, and just as I'm pulling into the carpark back home I was rewarded with the smell of coolant. 'Oh no,' I thought, parked and popped the bonnet. Sure enough, coolant spray was EVERYWHERE. Looks like it sprayed from the cap of the coolant tank itself.

What I want to know is WHY? Could it be because a blockage developed somewhere? Or that the new radiator isn't as deep (front to rear) as the old one? (although Repco sold it as a VN V6 radiator . . . ) Or maybe it's because I didn't dilute the coolant concentrate enough and it was too thick or something??

The car's never done this to me before, so why would it start now? Is there anything specific I should check?

Any information appreciated . . .

Cheers
Sammy B

[commy92]

ide say get a pressure check. Im having radiator probs at the moment as well.. lol.. Could be that you overfilled the tank as well.

[AirStrike]

How much was the tank filled? If you fill it to much, once the water heats up and expends/vapourises you can put the cap and get it everywhere.
AirStrike

[Garth]

presuse check the system champ, prob find the thermisate isnt opening up enough, as a result the water is heating up quicker than normaly, pressure builds up somewhere, and has to go somewhere, usualy sprayso ut the top of the filler bottle cap if it's a 1, or if it's a 2 it will spray up threw the filler bottle return line. if it's comming out of the radiator just check all hoses are actualy tight and sitting right, if they arnt it will squirt out the side or something.

cheers
garth

[savage1987]

What's involved in a pressure check?

The tank was filled to a bit above the join - my Gregory's manual pointed out that for the Series 1 the cold level was revised to about 25mm above that join, but I wasn't that brave . . .

1989 V6 = Series 1

[fazz1977]

I'd replace the cap. Those are pressure caps on the S1 bottle. Very common issue.

[savage1987]

Consider it done. I just had to replace my power steering reservoir cap, so it wouldn't surprise me if that was the issue here too!

[vn88calais]

could be the Timing Cover, thats wat mine was wen i saw steam comming from under the bonnet one night, popped hood and everything was saturated! so yer timing cover is $500 from Coventry's in Western Aust, from Super Cheap its $484....but if u know someone who works there they will get it cheaper for u, i work for SuperCheap so i got mine for $363...big job as the mechanics will need to pull the whole engine out and take off ur fan belt and pulley etc.

but then again i was giving my car a nail on the way home that night :S hehe...

all the best!!

cheers, Todd

[1991_Vn2nV]

I'd replace the cap. Those are pressure caps on the S1 bottle. Very common issue.

^^^Totally agreed. As for it possibly being too concentrated (the coolant), you dont need to mix the coolant, you can just put it straight in if you like but it just works out more expensive lol.

[savage1987]

I'll replace the cap some day when I have money and see how that works out. Thanks for your help everyone!

[commy92]

do yourself a favour and just take it down to a radiator joint and get them to look at it. Its so much easier. They will look at your cap then pressure test it. If they think the cap is buggered they will tell ya. If ya radiator is buggered they will tell ya. Basically a pressure test is what you need.

A pressure tester is a little guage with a plug on one end that tightens up and a pump on the other. You shove the plug into the radiator and tighten it up. Then you pump the pump a few times. not sure how many but anyway. Then you look at the guage. If its loosing pressure it means that there is a leak somewhere. If there is a leak somewhere it SHOULD be squirting out wherever its leaking because of the pressure. So there you go that is simply how a pressure test works. They shouldnt charge you for this either. You could probably get your mechanic to do it as well. Most good mechanics will have a pressure tester on hand. WELL THEY SHOULD anyway. Thats just my 2cents. But be prepared to fork out some money if something is wrong. i just had to get a new radiator, thermostat, cap, and coolant... all up $300+. and the radiator i had was only 9 months old. Supposibly i did the best job his ever seen at cooking a radiator. lol my bad. shouldnt do 220 on the spot..

Anyway thats my 2 bob and im sticking by it.

[savage1987]

OK Thanks commy92, might do that first.

[commy92]

thats ok.. just got all my car back together.. then it ran out of fuel. lol

[savage1987]

Haha I just got MY car back together . . . WITH CALAIS FRONT SEATS
I'm putting the back seat in tomorrow - should be great. They are so much better than Executive seats!!
Even though I've got a brown interior, the soft grey seats actually fit in pretty well!

[commy92]

hmmm i need new seats.. mine is sorta leaning in towards the passenger seat. the passengers seat isnt much better. lol

[Streetvision]

yeah my dad pressure tested my raidiator the other day, it has a hole

[savage1987]

Hmm that'd suck. Went to the Holden shop today - bought a new surge tank cap because it was only $10.45 (the joys of a series 1 . . . ). If I still have dramas, I'll get it pressure tested.
Calais seats are well worth the money.
Decided I'll get the back seat cleaned before I put it in, so not today . . .