not too sure what it is?

gibby250983 · February 21, 2008, 02:55:55 PM

there is a cap at the front of the engine with i distick kind of thing on it! not too sure what it is for! anyone help!?

Also the radiator cap how can i tell with out how much is in there with out a messuring stick!?

Kevin · February 21, 2008, 03:08:24 PM

1.) Coolant expansion tank on the left hand side of the engine bay, Wash wiper bottle of the right hand side of the engine bay.

2.) Take cap off, look down hole, if empty fill

gibby250983 · February 21, 2008, 03:35:09 PM

thanks a bunch!

Whats the best type of coolant to use for the radiator and the expantion tank and the best powersteering fuid! running a bit low me thinks!

D2BBA · February 21, 2008, 04:01:28 PM

Just a heads up, these are three main filling points the FD coolant system. The expansion tank, coolant filler neck and the AST cap.

Dont fill the coolant system by the expansion tank. Only fill by the coolant filler neck (the cap in the middle).

Good luck, oh and there is planty info in the guides on this very forum

Chris

gibby250983 · February 21, 2008, 04:39:59 PM

had a look inside the filler neck and it is about 1 inch from the top!

But the expansion tank dipstick is saying that it is well below the low level!

No too sure what one to go by!

Plus it was leaking coolant the other day pitty bad but now it has stopped! and when driving it have no problems with the temp!

Now im confused!!! aaaaarrrrrrrrrr!

Aikio · February 21, 2008, 05:07:44 PM

Quote from: gibby250983had a look inside the filler neck and it is about 1 inch from the top!

But the expansion tank dipstick is saying that it is well below the low level!

No too sure what one to go by!

Plus it was leaking coolant the other day pitty bad but now it has stopped! and when driving it have no problems with the temp!

Now im confused!!! aaaaarrrrrrrrrr!

Sounds like you have the same problem as me... first the car started leaking a little bit, but it stopped, so I didn\'t think about it any more...

Then I was crusing on the motorway after I\'d just filled it up and the water coolant light turned on. This was about 10 minutes after I\'d just filled it up... So I turned the engine off, called a rotary guy in norway, and he said to fill it up, and get to the nearest petrol station so I could load up on water and get home safely, all the while keeping a close watch on the temp..

I found out it was the AST thet had started cracking, so I got lucky since it didn\'t just flush the coolant out all at once..

Then I changed all the coolant lines, or atleast the ones most likely to break, like the ones to the turbo, and bought a alu AST, but mine is still leaking a bit now and then, but it doesn\'t seem to be affected by my driving style, It doesn\'t leak any more it I drive it hard, or if I never cross the 3000 rpm mark... so the next thing for me to do is a new radiator..

I took the champagnetest or what it\'s called, and it seems like the engine is still allright, no smoke or anything... and it was rebuilt about 10000 miles ago...

gibby250983 · February 21, 2008, 05:23:20 PM

the funny thing about it though is that i took it to my mate to see what he thought.

He thought it was the water pump that was leaking coz it only leaked when cold but when warm it stopped!

my temp gauge hasnt rised to past the haf way mark and that was when i was driving it for about 3hours solid!!!!

So either the coolant fairies have nicked all the cooland or its off somewhere else!!!!

plus not too sure which go by either the filler neck or the expansion test dip stick just above the passenger head light! that is what is confusing the living FÂ£$@ out of me!

So i dont even know if it needs coolant!

Kevin · February 21, 2008, 09:49:19 PM

The level in the expansion tank means nothing mate, ignore it. If your filler neck (and by filler neck were talking about the central one attached to the engine block) is nearly full then that is fine.

Strange one about the use of water if it\'s only on cold? Could your mate actually see any leaks? If there is no obvious leaks from anywhere, then it maybe excess coolant from the overflow dump pipe. Which again if the car isnt using any water then that is fine. Again if the car is operating at the right temperature and the coolant buzzer isnt going off every 5 minutes then I wouldnt be too overally concerned yet. Just as a matter of interest, has it had a rebuild, if not what is the mileage of it?

Any way the best way to fill the car up is:

1.) Take the cap off the central filler neck
2.) Take the cap off the AST and let the water level settle. The water in the AST should be up about half way or so.
3.) Then put the cap back on the AST and secure correctly
4.) Then fill up the central filler neck until happy with the level
5.) Then secure the filler neck cap properly

Hope that helps abit.

DC-TYPER · February 21, 2008, 10:50:52 PM

the filler on the off side always adjust itself, it will never be the same level from one day to the next

gibby250983 · February 22, 2008, 12:27:59 AM

Quote from: KevinThe level in the expansion tank means nothing mate, ignore it. If your filler neck (and by filler neck were talking about the central one attached to the engine block) is nearly full then that is fine.

Strange one about the use of water if it\'s only on cold? Could your mate actually see any leaks? If there is no obvious leaks from anywhere, then it maybe excess coolant from the overflow dump pipe. Which again if the car isnt using any water then that is fine. Again if the car is operating at the right temperature and the coolant buzzer isnt going off every 5 minutes then I wouldnt be too overally concerned yet. Just as a matter of interest, has it had a rebuild, if not what is the mileage of it?

Any way the best way to fill the car up is:

1.) Take the cap off the central filler neck
2.) Take the cap off the AST and let the water level settle. The water in the AST should be up about half way or so.
3.) Then put the cap back on the AST and secure correctly
4.) Then fill up the central filler neck until happy with the level
5.) Then secure the filler neck cap properly

Hope that helps abit.

i coud see the leak with my own very eyes! when i stated her up i looked down in the engine bay and coud see the cooand spurting out every so oftern!
it was imported in november and the garage that i bought it from said that it has had an engine rebuid but i dont believe them! there is 67400k on the clock!