ScoobySTI Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 6 weeks ago I had a new aluminium radiator from japspeed.i got some good Shell coolant as recommended and gave it to a garage to fit the radiator,empty all the old fluid and put the new stuff in. So yesterday and today I noticed the temp gauge getting hotter and today the same,so I looked today in the radiator filler tank ( as yesterday it was dark ) and its pretty much empty , now bare in mind it had nearly 5 litres of Shell BLUE/ green coolant and now their is eff all, I have a suggestion but I would like to see if you guys come up with the same . Would the water just evaporate if their was no coolant put in it??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4 UEH Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 No, because its a sealed system it prevents the water from turning to steam once it rises above 100 degrees. The addition of coolent/antifreeze increases the heat managing properties of water and stops in freezing in winter. Are you sure theres not just a leak somewhere? or could be a head gasket. hows the car running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobySTI Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 My thinking is this guy seen what coolant i gave him and decided to keep it for himself.maybe added a little bit to the water to add a little die and kept the rest for himself. or he has not fitted it properly and theirs a leak but i havent seen any green die anywhere. where would a rad be prone to leak? I will have a little look later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Pete Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Sounds like an Air lock. Scoobs are notoriuos for these. Switch the car on and then switch the heater in the cabin on. Check heater is air is warm/hot? If not its more than likley ann airlock. To clear this, when the car is cold, remove the top radiator hose and fill the system from here rather than the header tank as this is where the air lock is generated. fill up till the water is at the top of the hose. With the top hose loose, run the car up to temp and the thermostat will open and water will start to flow out the top hose. At this point reconnect the top hose and now top the engine up through the header tank. Bear in mind this is an EXPANSION tank and will only be full of water when the car is up to temp. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 I agree either have a leak but with no signs of one, would make me think Like Pete said an airlock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobySTI Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 How would an air lock explain the complete loss of 4l of coolant. Just been out and my heaters blow warm/hot their must be either loose hose or was never put in to begin with, but strange how i am.loosing a litre of water everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Pete Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 it looks like youve lost water because its trapped in the system and not circulating. If you heater is blowing warm then the airlock is after the heater matrix.], the warn air is being generated by the engine warming the trapped water in the matrix. There will be no water entering your radiator as it all trapped between the top of the rad and a point after the heater matrix. I have spent countless afternoons trying to solve airlocks on my classic, I was topping it up every day and the water was just disappearing. You've got nothing to loose except an cpl of hours draining it and refilling it yourself via the top hose and then topping up the header tank. I think you need 5 1/2 ltrs of coolant Pink stuff I belive. Bad news is if that doesn't fix it then there is a chance your head gasket may have gone. Any Mayonaise on the dip stick or in the oil? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobySTI Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Cheers Pete. No mayonnaise in the oil or on dip stick so for now that's ok I guess. NOW maybe I have something that might shed a bit more light on this CONUNDRUM . I turned the car on from cold after I checked the oil and heater temp and took the car out for a mile run, just slow nothing above 3 thousand revs for a mile just to let the car get up to temp,when I got back and flipped the bonnet I had a look around for any leaks I touched the top left ( as you view the pic ) where the top hose connects and another thinner hose the square part if you like and my god it is Too hot to touch just the top corner, but the rest of the rad is cold/normal like all other radiators you could touch. Could it be a faulty radiator, it is only 3 months old but these things happen,well to me at least if not it must be an air lock, I just thought I would share the latest bit of info. Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Pete Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 deff an Airlock if the rad is cold. No water is circulating. Just drain and refill as described above. every single sympton you've described is exactly what I had with an airlock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobySTI Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Pete you are a legend, thank you for your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 2nd that airlocked for sure mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tlag Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Sounds just like an air lock. When you fill her up again, try to get the nose of the car higher than the back if you can. They can be a pita to bleed and making the fill point the highest point will help. The above description of how to bleed it is spot on, but I would just add that when the engine is running, put the heater vents towards the windscreen and turn the heater on full. (only reason to put the vents towards the screen, is so you can feel the warm air through an open drivers window, if that makes sense). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Pete Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 The above description of how to bleed it is spot on, but I would just add that when the engine is running, put the heater vents towards the windscreen and turn the heater on full. (only reason to put the vents towards the screen, is so you can feel the warm air through an open drivers window, if that makes sense). Cheers Tlag, great point that I missed to put the heater of full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobySTI Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Cheers boys, still finding it hard to sort, done the all the above rad is warm as apposed to cold but temp goes up when I drive fast,then settles and finally slower i the needle rises again.confused. Think its a job for the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Might be best least they can do pressure tests and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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