I had a new top tank put on my radiator before Christmas. Car is running fine, well within normal heating range. Have checked coolant weekly since having the repair done, and it was still sitting at full level. Came out of the hairdressers this morning and saw a small pool of green coolant. Drove home carefully, temperature all good. When the car had cooled I checked level again, no obvious drop. Any easy way of finding out where it's coming from! And please don't tell me 'radiator' lol.
theram1,
Feb 23, 12:34pm
check the engine bay for signs of green fluid. The green on the ground may have been from another car.
firemansgirl,
Feb 23, 12:58pm
Yes I did that. When the top tank split before Xmas, there was coolant EVERYWHERE. I have just checked the garage floor too, and not a spot of it anywhere. I was the first car into the place I parked this morning, and was there 90 minutes. So it was my coolant.
bellky,
Feb 23, 1:02pm
In that case it must just be a bit of overflow.
However, keep checking often as you are doing. That's all I can think of :)
intrade,
Feb 23, 1:09pm
dont drive it untill you find the problem Post what car make model and engine petrol diesel etc. some carsdo airlock and blow up if they got coolant leak without showing of getting hot on the dashboard.
unbeatabull,
Feb 23, 1:10pm
What was coolant condition like before it did the top tank!
I'd say the fresh coolant is starting to seep out some old seals when it gets hot. Keep an eye on it, if it continues to do so best idea would be to get it hot then take it to a garage that has a pressure tester that can test it over a couple of hours to trace where it is coming from.
intrade,
Feb 23, 1:11pm
you want it in the garage with newspaper under the engine then see where it drips from, my guesswould be probably the waterpump= most common after radiator leaks. or a busted hose or corroded conection.
therafter1,
Feb 23, 1:12pm
Which sounds probable, as it was a bit cooler before xmas, but has really heated up now. If the overflow bottle was over filled to start with to compensate for any additional air that could have still been in the cooling system then it is possibly pushing higher in the overflow bottle now. So as Bellky say??
firemansgirl,
Feb 23, 1:41pm
To bellky : overflow from where! Coolant level is within the correct range.
To intrade: It's a 1995 Honda Integra Gsi 1.8 Auto. Petrol. Radiator guy checked everything else before Xmas as I had to drive from Auckland to Wairarapa and didn't want to end up stranded. I've done a LOT of kms since then.
To therafter1: You're right about the weather. I will check it again in the morning.
To unbeatabull: The coolant was fine before. It never ran low. Idiot (sorry, employee) on service station forecourt didn't replace radiator cap properly after checking oil and water.
theram1,
Feb 23, 1:47pm
I was going to say "never let the forecourt monkeyscheck you fluids". Having second thoughts now. How accurate will an oil level be when run!.
unbeatabull,
Feb 23, 2:26pm
It may never have ran low, but what was the condition of it!
I'd still bet on it being a seal or gasket somewhere leaking when getting hot.
bellky,
Feb 23, 2:54pm
Overflow from expansion tank. Any one of the following can cause overflow from expansion tank: - Level in tank too high. - Faulty radiator cap. - Air in system.
therafter1,
Feb 23, 3:45pm
How much coolant did the radiator require after the idiot on the forecourt didn??
monsieurl,
Feb 23, 3:57pm
This ^^ is what's going to be wrong with it guaranteed!
firemansgirl,
Feb 23, 5:43pm
To: therafter1, after the service station jobsworth, I put 3 litres of water in but I don't know how much a radiator & the overflow hold. The radiator tank was taken out and dropped off to the repairer, who told me that had I been traveling at motorway speed and not stop starting in suburbia I would not have seen the steam from the coolant on the engine, therefore would most likely have driven it until the temperature gauge raced into the red, quite possibly causing a blown head gasket.
The removal and replacement of the radiator were done by one of the mechanics where I work (bit of a change from working on a digger lol) who checked all the hoses etc, and 'burped' it after filling with coolant. I've done some 3,000km since then. which is why I was surprised to see coolant under it today.
firemansgirl,
Feb 24, 7:35am
Ok. so I just went and checked the levels again. Undid the radiator cap carefully, there was a fizzing sound, pressure like when you open a Coke bottle. I cannot see any coolant in the radiator. Stuck my finger in, and felt the metal about 2cm down but it's dry. The coolant level in the reservoir is still sitting on full.
splinter67,
Feb 24, 7:39am
If no coolant on the ground you have an airlock
firemansgirl,
Feb 24, 7:54am
To splinter67 : see above posts, there was a small coolant puddle yesterday but nothing on my garage floor at all. How do I fix an airlock, or should i take it back to the radiator shop!
firemansgirl,
Feb 24, 7:56am
Or has removing the radiator cap (above) sorted the airlock!
splinter67,
Feb 24, 7:57am
The air needs to be bleed out probably best to take it back to the radiator shop or whoever fitted it and no taking the cap off wont fix it
therafter1,
Feb 24, 8:02am
3 litres is a large coolant loss. I don??
budgel,
Feb 24, 8:02am
Did you get a new radiator cap when the work was done on the cooling system! If not, top up the coolant and replace it. Relatively cheap and one more thing eliminated.
firemansgirl,
Feb 24, 8:03am
Thanks splinter67. Just one more question, As the car is running totally within normal temperature range, and coolant reservoir is full, (that is on the maximum line, not overfilled) should I top up the radiator!
firemansgirl,
Feb 24, 8:04am
To budgel: No I didn't, so I'll go get one today.
splinter67,
Feb 24, 8:04am
Yes fill it up
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