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by **FST4RD** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 9:29 pm

Hi all, I'm pretty clued up with cars, however I'm not so flash with cooling systems
Today I drove my little Alto from Christchurch to Dunedin. When I got to Dunedin after going up to big hills I could slightly smell real hot radiator water. The temperature gauge was still sitting in middle so I didn't think about it. When I got to my destination and stopped there was steam coming out from under the bonnet. I opened the bonnet to find some browny colored water in a small patch and steam. I let everything cool down, overflow bottle was full to the top and radiator wasn't full, so I filled it up

Can someone tell me what this all means?
Would I have done damage?
Why didn't the gauge go up?
Should I leave the water in the overflow bottle?
Is there anything I should do?

by **mcfatty1000** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:15 pm

Was it a top up in the radiator or a fill up? Does the reservoir bottle have a blockage in it to the radiator itself?

Not sure about damage etc, maybe the car didn't actually get too hot, it was just the coolant mix not being right?

by **FST4RD** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:25 pm

When I left the overflow bottle was on low, now full so it seems I had to top up the radiator with what went into the overflow bottle.
Is the water meant to return into the radiator?
I'll have to check for any blockages tomorrow.

OMG so shiny! · by **Dell'Orto** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:30 pm

It's pushing coolant out, so check the radiator cap isn't stuffed.
/BHG :lol:

by **FST4RD** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:01 am

The radiator cap is looking a bit naff. I'll go get a new one today.
Blown head gasket would normally have milky froth under the oil cap?

by **GDII** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:33 am

It seems a lot of engines don't mix coolant and oil when the HG lets go. Just exhaust gases straight into the coolant.

by **Mr Ree** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:42 am

As suggested, replace the cap if its looking old.

Its possible that while climbing the big hills, the temps rose and the cap has lost some of its spring pressure so it allowed water to escape into the overflow reservoir.

If you had of left it to cool, it should have sucked back the water into the radiator eventually.

You said browny water, which doesnt sound like a good mix of clean water and antifreeze.

I would do a really good flush, than refil with distilled water and the correct ratio of antifreeze, bleed it, and then whack on a new cap.

by **85AW20v** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:37 pm

Could also be the radiator starting to get blocked going by what you said about the coolant(?) colour. Might pay to get the tanks taken off and the core cleaned out, especially if the issue only occurs when the engine is/has been under load like going up the hills etc. Had the same sort of thing on a Mitsi I had. It was fine on the flats but got hot on the hills.

by **Lloyd** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:44 pm

As above, could be blocked radiator, blown head gasket, worn out waterpump, stuffed radiator cap etc.

That hill does kill a few cars. If you cooling system was below average in the first place then that will be hill that will show it up. You may find once you fill the car up again it's still fine once you're over the hill. I'd be giving it a flush, some clean antifreeze and a new cap at the least.

by **holden_fan2005** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 2:36 pm

Whats the year, make, model and kms? If the cooling system/car is on its last legs putting a new radiator cap on may start to kill other things.

by **FST4RD** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:36 pm

It's a 98 alto, done about 150k
The radiator cap is stuffed. The seal is poked and the spring and what not is all loose and the spring is pretty soft.

Got some radiator flush, anti freeze and a new cap. Will sort it all tonight. At least it's mostly downhill to Christchurch lol

by **92mr2paddy** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:49 pm

it will be the cap for sure had the same on my daily, it just pumped all into the bottle, replaced it and refilled rad and its been sweet since, (cap rubber was completely perished)

by **FST4RD** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 6:43 pm

So I found another issue.
Radiator has a small split/hole near the top where the plastic top and and core meet.
It's not huge and it only leaks when I top the radiator right to the top when the car is stationary.

Do I get some of that leak fix stuff and hope I get back to Christchurch where I can source code new radiator, leave it, or try find another radiator?

by **KwS** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:10 pm

could you use something like knead-it to plug the hole?

by **FST4RD** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:19 pm

I thought plugging it from the outside wouldn't work so well?

by **rollaholic** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 5:05 pm

i'd prefer knead it or similar over something you pour into a radiator if you are after a temp fix to try and get you home.

its not ideal but those radiator pellets get into everything in your cooling system, which replacing the tank / radiator wont get rid of.

by **gt4dude** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:51 pm

too right on the pellets

by **gt4dude** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 7:53 pm

ive been collecting sand in my header tank from the rebuild

by **FST4RD** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:03 pm

I didn't use the pellets, I used some sort of liquid aluminum I think. The guy recommended it to me. It slowed down the leak, but not completely, so think the split must have been a shade to big.
Bonus is this stuff says it also keeps the water temp down and can be flushed out
I'm going to go tomorrow to get the kneed it stuff, use that. I'll make sure I carry plenty of water, keep an eye on the temp the whole way and run the heater to make sure the overall temp stays down, and I guess if the heater starts getting colder it means it's time to pull over and add more water.

by **Stott69** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:34 pm

Yea if your losing water your gauge will end up being wrong soon enough. Heater idea will be an interesting idea if its a hot day tomorrow

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