Coolant problems

[vz-r_dave]

A couple of months back my radiator split due to some kind of pressure build up in the system. I replaced the radiator and still got a small leek from the top pipe on the water pump. This was slightly worn so i thought it would be best to replace the pipe (with the help of trex). I finaly got round to fitting this yesterday. Took the car for a drive and made sure it got up to temp. The replacment pipe seemed to have worked but unfortunaly after chaning this there is no pressure on the top pipe or the bottom pipe. When the engine is up warm the pipes should be quite hard but for some reason they where soft? I originaly thought that it could be the engine pressurising the system. It just doesnt make sense now. The overflow is fine. the car starts first time after its been driven and is hot. the only thing i can think of now is that there could be some kind of blockage in the housing?

PLEASE HELP. its been off the road for 2 months and it will be to cold to drive it soon lol

Thanks in advance

[FD3SNuttah]

it didnt overheat? temps normal? maybe you might have a little air lock in the system?

[vz-r_dave]

it didnt overheat but then ive been told that the stock temp dial is ****. What do you mean when you say airlock? shall i just flush the system again and see what happens?

Thanks

[FD3SNuttah]

sometimes a bit of air gets stuck in the system, i think it might have happened when you changed the hose. Its a real pain in the ass to get rid of an air lock sometimes!

try taking the cap off while it on idle usually it will bubble out of the radiator, but might spill a bit of water when you do it tho. im no expert but this is how i solved it on a passat tdi once, im not sure if the same is going to work on a rotor.

[Grizzly]

Check your rad cap and Thermostat. (usal stuff Rad cap, is tested by pulling the over flow pipe off the collecter tank whilst running and checking there is no water coming out. The Thermostat needs to be removed and put in a pan of water, then boiled whilst you watch the center open or not if it don\'t work)


The next step must be done Cold!! Water expands and it also burns fingures

How i bleed it usealy when its had no water in is remove the highest hose you can (i found the one on the drivers side of the upper inlet manifold works best) then get a 2lt coke bottle and rap tape round the neck of it until it fits tightly in the rad filler then cut the bottom of the Bottle off. Now if you put that in the rad filler and pour water into it you will find it will have rased the water level much higher than the engine so what will happen, the water will push 99% of the air out of the engine through the little hose you have disconected. When there is a staedy streem of water coming out of the small hose conect it back up.

O yeh you want to turn ING on and put the heater on hot (don\'t matter about the blower) before you fill it up realy.

This is the best way i\'ve found for bleading the Rad. you may find once its been run up to temp and all the little air pockets have gone it will need toping up. This may sound ovious but you must do it ither on the Flat or with the nose of the car going up hill, dont check the water with the nose going down hill becouse the air will go to the highest point (heater matrix).

But saying all this, if you can run your car upto temp and there is no pools of water under the car it won\'t be a leak to loose that much water would be ovious.

I would lay money on the Rad cap. if its had the sort of presure that would blow the rad against it it wants changing.

[sadgoth]

I had a similar problem with mine last year but it was caused by a very small split at the top of the rad, no water under the car but the coolant system wouldn\'t pressurise. As you have replaced the rad, can\'t see it being that, but if you aren\'t sure, I have a spare good rad as I\'ve just upgraded mine to a Fluidyne unit.

[antnicuk]

Check your rad cap and Thermostat. (usal stuff Rad cap, is tested by pulling the over flow pipe off the collecter tank whilst running and checking there is no water coming out. The Thermostat needs to be removed and put in a pan of water, then boiled whilst you watch the center open or not if it don\'t work)


The next step must be done Cold!! Water expands and it also burns fingures

How i bleed it usealy when its had no water in is remove the highest hose you can (i found the one on the drivers side of the upper inlet manifold works best) then get a 2lt coke bottle and rap tape round the neck of it until it fits tightly in the rad filler then cut the bottom of the Bottle off. Now if you put that in the rad filler and pour water into it you will find it will have rased the water level much higher than the engine so what will happen, the water will push 99% of the air out of the engine through the little hose you have disconected. When there is a staedy streem of water coming out of the small hose conect it back up.

O yeh you want to turn ING on and put the heater on hot (don\'t matter about the blower) before you fill it up realy.

This is the best way i\'ve found for bleading the Rad. you may find once its been run up to temp and all the little air pockets have gone it will need toping up. This may sound ovious but you must do it ither on the Flat or with the nose of the car going up hill, dont check the water with the nose going down hill becouse the air will go to the highest point (heater matrix).

But saying all this, if you can run your car upto temp and there is no pools of water under the car it won\'t be a leak to loose that much water would be ovious.

I would lay money on the Rad cap. if its had the sort of presure that would blow the rad against it it wants changing.

Thats just what i was going to say,  but Grizzly does it with more finesses,  if you dont know when the rad cap or the thermostat was changed, it would be worth replaceing them regardless as contrary to belief, they are parts that wear out, but mostly overlooked until there is a problem.  Most motor factors places will be able to order them.

[vz-r_dave]

I had a similar problem with mine last year but it was caused by a very small split at the top of the rad, no water under the car but the coolant system wouldn\'t pressurise. As you have replaced the rad, can\'t see it being that, but if you aren\'t sure, I have a spare good rad as I\'ve just upgraded mine to a Fluidyne unit.

its a used known good radioator that i got from jimmy\'s

i have driven the car with this radiator and the old pipe and the system was pressurised. It was then that i spoted that there was a problem with the top pipe. So i have now replaced that and its not pressurising.

The problem i had with the last rad was the same as yours. It split at the top next to a plastic moulded badge.

Im gona give the above a go to see if it resolves the problem.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[vz-r_dave]

grizzly have you got a mobile number i can contact you on? Im going to try to this tonight and i might run into some problems. Pretty please, i wont keep you on the phone for long lol

[vz-r_dave]

problem solved, pretty strange tho. Ran the car for a couple of mins with the rad cap off and then put it back on (my bro didnt want to risk it overflowing)

Slowly but surely the pipes started getting pressure and the system pressurised. Took if for a drive and no leeks so it looks like everything is ok now.

thanks again for the help.

[Grizzly]

grizzly have you got a mobile number i can contact you on? Im going to try to this tonight and i might run into some problems. Pretty please, i wont keep you on the phone for long lol

Sorry mate, i\'ve been watching the game.

Glad you\'ve sorted it

Chris