Radiator leak

[endless_punk]

For awhile now I have been having to top up the radiator quite a bit. I did a bit of investigating and found out that once the car was up to temp water was dripping out of the over flow pipe and down on to the ground.
I changed the cap thinking it might not been sealing but it still does the same thing.
Does anyone out there have any idea on wat the deal is with it? Any help would be great.

[Lloyd]

Is the cap rated at the right pressure for the engine?

[endless_punk]

I just got the same as what was on there before (which could have been a mistake I now realise). Its on a AE101 Levin. What pressure should it be rated at??

[flygt4]

had a similar problem on my gt4. first time was the radiator cap,2nd time the hose clip on the radiator wasnt done up properly.check all the hose clips etc as well make sure they r done up tight

[Dori_85]

where in nz are u? i work at chch radiators so u could bring it in and we'll check it out 4 u, thats if your down this way.

[endless_punk]

Nah I'm up in Wellington unfortunatly. Anyway I wanna try and figure out the problem myself, a bit short on cash at the mo. I'll have a good check off all the hoses tomorrow and then check out the cap at work on Monday.

[kingcorolla]

check the cap for a pressure rating, it should say 0.9 or 13. that should be the right pressure for it.
any radiator shop will pressure test your cap and cooling system if needed

[starlet drifter]

it could just be an non-recirculating type setep... eg, it doesnt hav an overflow bottle, that right? if so it's workin fine

[endless_punk]

It does have an overflow bottle. It has one pipe goin from the top of the radiator too the overflow bottle, and then there is another one off the overflow bottle that just aims towards the ground which is where the water is going.
Yeah the cap I got on there has 0.9 written on it. It seems to lock up tight and seal

[Ae92typeX]

just checking, but you dont full the overflow bottle over the max when the engine is cold do you?

[endless_punk]

Nope, its diffiantly from the actual radiator itselt coz I need to fill it up again every couple of days.

[toyonut]

check the O-rings on the radiator drain plug
(while you get a mate to hold his finger over the hole so all the water doesnt end up on the ground)
that is what happened on my bros starlet.
other than that, you may have to check the water pump, cos mine died on the 101 and just dumped water everywhere

[kingcorolla]

found out that once the car was up to temp water was dripping out of the over flow pipe and down on to the ground.

it cant be the the drain plug, coz he said it leaks from the overflow pipe.

check the cap for "service-ability" simply by depressing the pressure spring to see if functioning properly, and if its closed cooling system then the cap should also have a vaccuum valve in the centre of of the bottom of the cap. Use ure nails to see if it lifts slightly.

this is what id be doin first. u might of got a dud cap.

[Lloyd]

Just take it to a garage and get them to check the cap and pressure test the radiator. Pressure test should show you were the leak is pretty quick

[solberg Fan]

You could just put a couple of eggs in there, its what all the v8 supercar teams do what there running low on money!

[thaphatty]

have you been tampering with it a bit? you sure you havent put the wrong hose onto the wrong end of the overflow cap? if so everytime it warms up it will splurt the expanded coolant straight onto the ground. happened to my mates aw