Water coolant loss
- Thread starter TwinPlenum3500S
- Start date
ripvanwinkle
New Member
Hi
Rip van winkle has started to lose it's coolant on a regular basis . No obvious leaks after fitting a complete new set of hoses, temperature stays at the bottom of the green mark on the gauge even in heavy hot weather stop and go traffic , car starts and runs well hot or cold . In short no problems , except a baffling loss of coolant . i'm off to the radiator shop for a pressure test , [no rad shop in Montreal has heard of a CO2/CO test for head gasket leaks ]I'm lost on the discusion of sudden coolant level drop when the thermostat opens , where does the coolant go ??
Cheers
RVW
Rip van winkle has started to lose it's coolant on a regular basis . No obvious leaks after fitting a complete new set of hoses, temperature stays at the bottom of the green mark on the gauge even in heavy hot weather stop and go traffic , car starts and runs well hot or cold . In short no problems , except a baffling loss of coolant . i'm off to the radiator shop for a pressure test , [no rad shop in Montreal has heard of a CO2/CO test for head gasket leaks ]I'm lost on the discusion of sudden coolant level drop when the thermostat opens , where does the coolant go ??
Cheers
RVW
ripvanwinkle
New Member
Re: Water coolant loss /continued
Well at least it isn't the head gaskets !!The radiator shop foud a series of tiny leaks in the corner of the header tank , and at several radiator tube to header tank joints near the top of the radiator . These ooze coolant when the engine is really working and close up when it's simply ticking over, or the rad pressure drops off This explains the constant low level in the rad and the lack of obvious signs of coolant dripping .
So it's out with the spanners and off with the rad . Amazingly the work shop manual makes this look like a simple job . Of course I will have to battle the auto transmission cooler hose connections which look as if they are corroded solidly in place. There is nothing simple about any job on any Rover !!
Cheers
RVW
Well at least it isn't the head gaskets !!The radiator shop foud a series of tiny leaks in the corner of the header tank , and at several radiator tube to header tank joints near the top of the radiator . These ooze coolant when the engine is really working and close up when it's simply ticking over, or the rad pressure drops off This explains the constant low level in the rad and the lack of obvious signs of coolant dripping .
So it's out with the spanners and off with the rad . Amazingly the work shop manual makes this look like a simple job . Of course I will have to battle the auto transmission cooler hose connections which look as if they are corroded solidly in place. There is nothing simple about any job on any Rover !!
Cheers
RVW
ripvanwinkle
New Member
Re: Water coolant loss, finale !!
Took out the radiator , manual conveniently forgot to mention the fan shroud and the need for 13 inch long fingers with extra joints . Shop tested the rad and discovered many tiny leaks at the tube to header joints .Pobably caused by the car standing for 20+ years with no inhibitors in the coolant End result a day and a half later , a, recored rad with 50%more heat transfer surface . On to the next problem !!
Cheers
RVW
Took out the radiator , manual conveniently forgot to mention the fan shroud and the need for 13 inch long fingers with extra joints . Shop tested the rad and discovered many tiny leaks at the tube to header joints .Pobably caused by the car standing for 20+ years with no inhibitors in the coolant End result a day and a half later , a, recored rad with 50%more heat transfer surface . On to the next problem !!
Cheers
RVW
ripvanwinkle
New Member
Well Erm Erm etc time
The recored radiator partially solved the problem , but I still lost some coolant over the summer . I fitted a non pressurised expansion tank to the radIator vent .After partially fillng the expansion tank when the cooling system was full and cold , it worked well , collecting the over flow as the coolant expands and replacing it via the vacuum vent in the radiatior cap when the system cools down .I was still losing coolant but the system at least refilled from the fluid in the expansion tank .Just had to keep refilling the expansion tank until I found the fix
My next steps were ; Bypass the heater to check for a leak . replace the water pump and , if all else had failed replace the head gaskets.
The local parts store said "Try replacing the filler cap first " This was the quickest option, and it worked . The Old cap was only a year old but had been on and off many times it must have worn just enough to not seal perfectly .
Cheers
RVW
The recored radiator partially solved the problem , but I still lost some coolant over the summer . I fitted a non pressurised expansion tank to the radIator vent .After partially fillng the expansion tank when the cooling system was full and cold , it worked well , collecting the over flow as the coolant expands and replacing it via the vacuum vent in the radiatior cap when the system cools down .I was still losing coolant but the system at least refilled from the fluid in the expansion tank .Just had to keep refilling the expansion tank until I found the fix
My next steps were ; Bypass the heater to check for a leak . replace the water pump and , if all else had failed replace the head gaskets.
The local parts store said "Try replacing the filler cap first " This was the quickest option, and it worked . The Old cap was only a year old but had been on and off many times it must have worn just enough to not seal perfectly .
Cheers
RVW
Dave3066
Well-Known Member
Gents
Sorry to hijack your thread but this is (vaguely) relevant 8) I'm looking to fit a coolant expansion tank to my '72 3500S and wondered what you all thought of this one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200379605574&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
cheers
Dave
Sorry to hijack your thread but this is (vaguely) relevant 8) I'm looking to fit a coolant expansion tank to my '72 3500S and wondered what you all thought of this one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200379605574&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
cheers
Dave
The Rovering Member
Well-Known Member
I've got one of these fitted to our 110 & another to the Bruiser. The one on the 110 is superfluous really but the one on Bruiser works well. Being brass you can also polish them up if you like though I haven't as yet. There should be a mounting bracket with it too.
ripvanwinkle
New Member
Hi . It looks like a remote header tank , installed as the high point of the cooling system , allowing the system to " burp" and clear air locks .
My Federal P6B has no where to install an elevated header and little space for an overflow tank . I found a neat unpressurised plastic coolant bottle with a long dip pipe in my local scrap yard . This tucks behind the radiator , and is plumbed to the radiator filler vent connection . It collects any over flow from the cooling system as the engine heats up , and returns it via the vacuum relief built into the radiator filler cap, when the engine cools down .
After checking the radiator was full when cold I half filled the new overflow bottle and took off on a 150 mile proving run
. The level increased as the engine reached operating temperature and the radiator cap vented , remained constant at the new level with the engine running and went back to the original level as the engine cooled down. I now have a completely closed cooling system , which does not leak[ at least today !!] ; with an additional amount of reserve coolant available to make up for any small leaks which may occur in the future .
Hope this helps and shows there's no need to go looking for pressurised over flow tanks
Cheers
RVW
My Federal P6B has no where to install an elevated header and little space for an overflow tank . I found a neat unpressurised plastic coolant bottle with a long dip pipe in my local scrap yard . This tucks behind the radiator , and is plumbed to the radiator filler vent connection . It collects any over flow from the cooling system as the engine heats up , and returns it via the vacuum relief built into the radiator filler cap, when the engine cools down .
After checking the radiator was full when cold I half filled the new overflow bottle and took off on a 150 mile proving run
. The level increased as the engine reached operating temperature and the radiator cap vented , remained constant at the new level with the engine running and went back to the original level as the engine cooled down. I now have a completely closed cooling system , which does not leak[ at least today !!] ; with an additional amount of reserve coolant available to make up for any small leaks which may occur in the future .
Hope this helps and shows there's no need to go looking for pressurised over flow tanks
Cheers
RVW
Whilst it is obviously better to install it above the radiator filler if you can, it will work OK at any level. Your location depends on what accesories you have ftted. RPW has power steering A/C and twin servos (?) so his engine bay is very full! If you have none of these then you have more choice. MIne is down the front nearside near the coil, other possible locations are up near the intake elbows.
Chris
Chris
TwinPlenum3500S
New Member
Ive got my washer bottle there, as afm and air filter taken original space. I really am stuck for space under there.
I am going to have a custom 3 core ally rad made up and hopefully with the bigger capacity and better colling it will eliminate this slightly. If not ill find a space somewhere and have a stainless one made --- or an alternative washer bottle.
I am going to have a custom 3 core ally rad made up and hopefully with the bigger capacity and better colling it will eliminate this slightly. If not ill find a space somewhere and have a stainless one made --- or an alternative washer bottle.