Please Help

[rx7-mark]

Hi, its mrs mark
i\'m home alone (mark at work)  i was going to take the rex out for a spin as it doesnt get used alot in this weather, its been run every few days but not driven for 2 weeks. Ive started it and let my turbos warm up got in started going down the rd and this alarm sounds (add coolant,) now i\'m really worried ive broke something or worse still something major is wrong. i know the rexs can sometimes do funny things when they havent been used much.
There no leaks that i can see, (will look more when marks home)
Do any of you know what could be wrong? has it happened to any of you, or should i just take it to the garage asap?
Thanks
very worried wifey

[Jono FD3]

First thing is to do is do as the car has said: Check the coolant.

Pop the bonnet, and behind the drivers side headlight you will find the expantion tank. take the top off that and you will find a long plastic thing attached, pull it all the way out and at the bottom you will find some slots, hold this section up to the light and you should see the water level (as the water sits in the slots). if there is no sign of any water top it up so it sits one slot below the full mark. Think there is a float sensor in here that activates the alarm on the dash??!

then take the coolant cap off the radiator (Just infront of the aulternator and the air pump) and check the level here aswel, you may find this is OK, if not top this up aswel and keep an eye on the water level over the next few days or when you run the car next.

Hope this helps,
Jono

[ZAB]

hi mate
i\'v had this problem before aswell, would go on for 10min n go off then it would come on wen eva it wantd to!!!!!!
could b faulty then my water pump was need to b change as it was rustin n had a leak as i got told got it changd n it ok now.
i still have a leak sumwer tink its a pipe this time just keep toppin it up every few days intill i get around to gettin it sortd!

[GeckoGareth]

Don\'t drive it for the time being Mrs Mark as if it overheats you could run into trouble.

Personally I\'d top up the coolant level to see if it goes off, although be careful as you don\'t want diluted coolant with the cold snaps we\'ve been having recently.

cheers

G

[rx7-mark]

Hiya mrs mark again. ive found the problem, its the white plastic water bottle, the one thats to the rad, its leaking where its been joined together, you know now i know what the problem is, i dont know how long its been like that, so what other damage could i have done? i\'m worried sick now and running around trying to find a water bottle.

ps

you guys are great, thanks so so much for your help xx

[rx7-mark]

oh i forgot to say.......... i pour water in and its like a tap being switched on

[Kieron]

When I did the water seals in the \'loan car\' this happened, think the pressure built up so much that it broke at the weakest link (expantion bottle)

Hopefully this isnt the case.

Good luck.

[rx7-mark]

Hi again
right just rang jimmy, bottle on its way, i think thats the only prob ive got, this might sound daft but our car was only shipped in oct, and none of the parts on it have ever seen frost could this have cracked the bottle? it was fine before the cold weather hit, it must have been because its like turning a tap on when the engine stops, mark or i would have noticed this.
worse thing is we dong have a garage, a drive but no room for a garage so the poor cars out in all weather, marks thinking of moving just to garage the car, now thats love for you.
Thanks for Your help, youve been wonderful

[Jono FD3]

You\'ve cracked it then :Thumbs-up  No pun intended!! Easy fix that one, just go in the wanted section and put an add there, or find some one who is dismanteling a rex (dandan or bin_liner should have one)!

As long as the water level in the rad is OK you\'ll be fine. what hapens it the white tank you were filling up is called an expantion tank: basicaly when the engine warms up the water expands and the expantion tank stores the water untill the engine coolant reduces temp then it is drawn back into the engine. maintaining the optimam amount of coolant in the engine block. both should be cheked when cold!!!

Good to see you\'ve found the problem before Mr Mark gets home!!

All the best,
Jono

[allstaruk]

I\'m sure I read that you should only ever top up the coolant from the filler neck infront of the alternator not the expansion tank.

[RobbieRX-7]

hello. I think you will find that your expansion tank behind the headlight is just fine. Any chance of posting a pic??It is not a crack but just a join where the nozzle connects to the bottle. mine is the same. If the car has been standing then i would prob bet that there was not enough antifreze in the water causing it to freeze. i would reccommend getting an antifreeze tester from halfords or your local motor factors. If the water has froze then you will need to replace the core plugs. Im not sure wether the engine will need to be took out.These are safety pop out plugs and come on most cars as a safety measure from the water thoring out after freezing. Also only fill the engine with mixed 50/50 green antifreeze and distilled/rain water into the middle cap on the engine. The level will always sit about 2 inch below the top.

[rx7-mark]

Hi all. Well the bottle has come and i have changed it for the old one. It has been running fine for 2 days so touch wood thats it.
thanks for all your help.