Add coolant alert

[Oedipus Rex]

well here\'s a funny tale.

Just bought my first rex last Friday and have been loving every minute of it. A little less refined than I foolishly expected it to be but what it lacks in refinement in makes up for in fire spitting, popping raw evil.

Anyhow back to my point. Yesterday, while reversing it into my garage, I got a add coolant warning, as soon as I switched it on and it didn\'t go off. HMmmmmm I thought, switched it off and went for a bite to eat. Came back an hour later, same problem. Got a little worried now, checked the coolant level, seemed ok. Added some more, burped it, added some more burped it.... and so on. Managed to get about 2/12 litres down it.

Thought it must be ok, switched it back on. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

still wouldn;t stop. So I am really getting worried now, some kind of major problem with the beast within a week of buying it. Pop the bonnet back up, just for interests sake, notice there\'s an unconnected orange wire, by the main filler point in the centre of the engine bay. Hmmmmmmm, sure I didn;t notice that when I first inspected it. looked around, oh look, theres an unconnected orange female too. Bang them back together, fire her up and as if by magic. SILENCE.

anyhow what is that wire? thermostat  or something? I\'m guessing it must be.

[Oedipus Rex]

hmm.....


this has suddenly become less amusing.

Just took it out for a spin, within 1 minute the alert came on again and then stopped.

Parked it up and went to the shop. Came back 15 mins later and there was a stream running from underneath my car.

Checked underneath and could just see it dripping from underneath the shields, couldn\'t see where. Radiator split? pipie split?


anyone got any advice?

[Big Stu]

AST??

[Oedipus Rex]

Originally posted by Big Stu
AST??

where exactly?

don\'t know my way around the rex that well yet

[Big Stu]

Check your  Air Seperator tank just behind the radiator. I know these have tendency to split and leak coolant.

Stu

[Oedipus Rex]

Ok, just checked the dipstick. Seems to still be a good level in there, although residue of somekind on the stick.

Took the main cap off, in the centre of the bay and quite a lot of steam coming out. Smelled the steam and it wasn;t at all exhaust like, just smelled of coolant.


Help,

[iaint]

Keep an eye on it - make sure it\'s topped up before using it.

If you can rule out split hoses or the AST (front passenger side of engine bay) it would be worth having it looked at by a specialist.  The symptoms do sound suspiciously like the coolant system is being pressurised due to water seal failure...

You should fill the coolant system from the centre cap - not the plastic tank behind the driver\'s side headlight or the ast.

The level in the filler neck should be rock solid - I check mine regularly and it\'s not moved in the last 10k miles (i.e. since rebuild due to water seal failure!).

Iain

[Oedipus Rex]

well I just bought it, had a rebuild in 2002 so I\'m hoping it\'s not a water seal failure. AST isn\'t leaking, just checked and rad seems dry. It looks like the water is coming out of the overflow behind the headlight. Stuck a little more in and it went quiet again.


getting a bit vexed now.

[Oedipus Rex]

ok slight update.

when I fill with coolant from the engine cap, it starts leaking from the overflow, even with the engine stone cold and off.


Proper confused now.

[Oedipus Rex]

can anyone tell me an easy way to find out is it is a water seal failure?

[clive]

Hiya,

When you fill it with water are you only filling the one one the engine?.

If you are filling all three fillers you see this will make the car dump water from the tank overflow on the O/S wing and the buzzer come on.

Only fill the system via the one on the engine, this is because the car will find its own system level because as the car gets hot it pushes water into the AST then the wing tank due to expansion, then upon cooling it sucks it back again.

If you have too much water in the system they allways dump more than just the bit you put in.

Over a few runs and the car being allowed to cool fully the system should settle.

If you have water seals starting to go you offen get lots of gurgaling that you can hear from inside the car when you turn the car off after a run.

Hope this helps.

[Oedipus Rex]

cheers clive, appreciate the feedback. Vexing me quite a bit this, being as it\'s my first rex and I only just bought the bugger.

Yeah I\'m only filling from the main engine cap, although when the light first came on I did foolishly start to fill from the overflow before I used my brain. The AST is about half full when I looked at it. Not heard any gurgling when I switch off. I can hear a bit of crackling coming from the (I assume)  heat shields, which I\'m guessing is because they have got red liquid on them as they cool down.

It seems to be running fine otherwise, idle starts at about 2k, quickly drops to 1500 and settles to 800 after warming up. Slightly shaky on exactly where it wants to  settle but nothing excessive.

The engine diesn\'t seem to be overheating but I\'ve been very nervous about opening it up since this problem started.


You reckon I should take it out for a few runs and see if the warning just settles?

[J.j.]

can anyone tell me an easy way to find out is it is a water seal failure?

Hope this helps..
You can always take it to a specialist.  They\'ll be able to check the CO2 level in the coolant.

[Oedipus Rex]

cheers J.J

was hoping to do a test myself reallym however will take it to a specialist if needed

[Oedipus Rex]

also should mention


dipstick is stained a little brown.