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    Coolant help needed

    A few nights ago two coolant hoses gave out. Lost a lot if not all my coolant. Replaced #1 and #18 hose in the picture. I was ready to fill coolant and did the following.

    Raised front end up a couple feet, put the temp setting to high, open the bleeder screw, poured coolant in the expansion tank while squeezing the hoses. I poured in about a quarter of the gallon jug before it wouldn't take anymore which I thought was odd.

    I then tightened the bleeder screw, started the car with high fan setting and hot temp setting and waited for the car to get warmed up. While I waited i tried to squeeze the various coolant hoses to get the coolant flowing. Eventually the coolant from the expansion tank started to bubble and overflow instead of going down so I opened up the bleeder valve and hot steam was coming out and no coolant. Too much coolant was overflowing even when i tried to gas it, so i shut it down.

    The level obviously dropped to near empty so I refilled again, closed the bleeder valve, and started the car. Same thing happened. After a few times I shut it down for the day frustrated. This morning I tried the same process and when I open up the bleeder valve/screw, coolant is flowing out but the expansion tank keeps overflowing. I can't imagine that i have the right amount of coolant in bc when I squeeze the hoses I can't feel the coolant running through, especially the bottom hose that connects to the radiator.

    I've had a oil leak in the head gasket for a while now but the motor is going to be swapped within the month but I'd like to have it running for a couple more weeks. Btw I see oil in the coolant expansion tank and when I changed out the hoses I saw some milkshake. Any help would be appreciated. I just want to diagnose whether there's just an extreme amount of air due to the changing of the two hoses or if something is clogged. Thank you


    ps my temp gauge never went past halfway
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    #2
    Originally posted by joonsup View Post
    A few nights ago two coolant hoses gave out. Lost a lot if not all my coolant. Replaced #1 and #18 hose in the picture. I was ready to fill coolant and did the following.

    Raised front end up a couple feet, put the temp setting to high, open the bleeder screw, poured coolant in the expansion tank while squeezing the hoses. I poured in about a quarter of the gallon jug before it wouldn't take anymore which I thought was odd.

    I then tightened the bleeder screw, started the car with high fan setting and hot temp setting and waited for the car to get warmed up. While I waited i tried to squeeze the various coolant hoses to get the coolant flowing. Eventually the coolant from the expansion tank started to bubble and overflow instead of going down so I opened up the bleeder valve and hot steam was coming out and no coolant. Too much coolant was overflowing even when i tried to gas it, so i shut it down.

    The level obviously dropped to near empty so I refilled again, closed the bleeder valve, and started the car. Same thing happened. After a few times I shut it down for the day frustrated. This morning I tried the same process and when I open up the bleeder valve/screw, coolant is flowing out but the expansion tank keeps overflowing. I can't imagine that i have the right amount of coolant in bc when I squeeze the hoses I can't feel the coolant running through, especially the bottom hose that connects to the radiator.

    I've had a oil leak in the head gasket for a while now but the motor is going to be swapped within the month but I'd like to have it running for a couple more weeks. Btw I see oil in the coolant expansion tank and when I changed out the hoses I saw some milkshake. Any help would be appreciated. I just want to diagnose whether there's just an extreme amount of air due to the changing of the two hoses or if something is clogged. Thank you


    ps my temp gauge never went past halfway
    There should be two bleeder screws, one by the expansion tank and on the thermostat housing. Try opening both and pour coolant in again, all that air has to go somewhere.

    Comment


      #3
      It sounds to me like the overheat that occurred when you lost coolant pushed the head gasket over the edge and now air is being pumped into the cooling system when the engine is running. Time for the head to come off and visit a machine shop for a check for cracks & warp.
      The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
      Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

      Comment


        #4
        Overflow at the expansion tank with no air at the bleeder indicates a large air pocket in the system. When this happens let it cool down and then try again.

        Let the car warm up with the bleeder closed.

        Comment


          #5
          Get a small oil bottle pump and conect the out to the hose going to the radiator from the expantion tank. Stick the bottom into the expanntion tank crack the bleeder skrew on the thermo housing and pump till there is a steady stream comming out on the bleeder with the car off. Close the bleeder and pump for another 5 mins to curculate any more air out. Thhen start the car and bleed conventionoly. That's the only thing that worked for me after changing water pump it was doing the same thing your is

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by hamilton325i View Post
            Overflow at the expansion tank with no air at the bleeder indicates a large air pocket in the system. When this happens let it cool down and then try again.

            Let the car warm up with the bleeder closed.
            there was overflow and steam coming out of the bleeder. Now I have a stream of coolant coming out of the bleeder but still I get overflow. At first I thought maybe I have enough coolant but it doesn't feel like I put enough coolant in. I put about 2.5 gallons in and not sure how much came out with the overflow but it was alot. the hoses dont feel like there's the full amount of coolant running through them.

            As I indicted in the picture which hoses i replaced...I am assuming that I lost most of my coolant no?

            Comment


              #7
              If you were able to put in 2.5gal of coolant, the engine had lost all coolant as that is approximately the capacity of the system.

              With what you have done to bleed the system it should be pretty much free of air. Continued loss of coolant from the overflow strongly suggests air being pumped into the cooling system. Meaning a failed head gasket. Proof positive of this would be had by pressuring each cylinder with 150-175psi for a minute or two and watching for bubbles in the expansion tank.
              The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
              Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by jlevie View Post
                If you were able to put in 2.5gal of coolant, the engine had lost all coolant as that is approximately the capacity of the system.

                With what you have done to bleed the system it should be pretty much free of air. Continued loss of coolant from the overflow strongly suggests air being pumped into the cooling system. Meaning a failed head gasket. Proof positive of this would be had by pressuring each cylinder with 150-175psi for a minute or two and watching for bubbles in the expansion tank.
                What type of equipment would I need to do that? I do have a leak in head gasket which I have known. I used to lose about a quarter of oil every 2-3 weeks and the past few weeks I've been losing a quarter per week.

                The top coolant hose felt like it was going to burst while the bottom coolant hose was cold and had no pressure, so I'm going to take out the radiator this weekend to see if there's a clog somehwere there. Or maybe a faulty thermostat is contributing to this?

                Comment


                  #9
                  A faulty thermostat would cause the engine to run hot, but that alone won't cause an overflow unless the coolant has reached the boiling point. If the coolant is reaching the boiling point there is almost no chance that the head gasket is still good. And it is possible that such an overheat has cracked the head.

                  Stop messing around and pull the head. Take it to a machine shop and have it checked for warp and get it pressure tested.
                  The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
                  Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by joonsup View Post
                    What type of equipment would I need to do that? I do have a leak in head gasket which I have known. I used to lose about a quarter of oil every 2-3 weeks and the past few weeks I've been losing a quarter per week.

                    The top coolant hose felt like it was going to burst while the bottom coolant hose was cold and had no pressure, so I'm going to take out the radiator this weekend to see if there's a clog somehwere there. Or maybe a faulty thermostat is contributing to this?
                    You don't need to remove the radiator to check for the type of clog you suspect. Your radiator should have a little bleeder screw on the bottom of the passenger side. Back that out and see if you get coolant or sludge.
                    Das ist nicht nur nicht richtig, es ist nicht einmal falsch!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Thanks for all the help guys. Looks like I'll be shutting it down till I put in the fresh m20 motor in within the next month.

                      Comment

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