Richy P1984

So was driving home from work in stop start traffic - temperature guage almost maxed out, so pulled into bus stop to cool down. Waited an hour, added about a litre of water to the 'coolant' chamber.

After that everything seemed fine, temperature gauge stayed in the usual spot, half way between hot and cold - infact it was registering slightly cooler than usual.

Question is do I have a leak somewhere? or does the car need topping up everynow and again? Was under the impression that it was a sealed system so there shouldnt be any fluids escaping.

I ran my fingures over all the hoses I could see - none of them were wet, all the two hoses I could see connected to the radiator were warm.

My suspition is the fuse on the fan may have blown, because I couldnt here it when sitting in traffic (then again the exhaust is pretty loud).

One thing I did notice however, was on the way to work in the pouring rain - there was steam coming from the grill area, thought nothing of it at the time, just water hitting some hot parts of the engine, but could it be the sign of something else?

Thanks for your help guys

Richard

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

What coolant chamber did you add it to? The expansion tank, or the overflow? It's supposed to go into the expansion, (metal) tank.

The system IS sealed, unless you have either a leak, headgasket failure, or cracked cylinder heads/crankcases, no water should be lost.

You are going to have to monitor very carefully how much water goes, if any, now and try and find out where it's coming from. You could ask a garage to do a sniff test to check for headgasket failure.

Richy P1984

Thanks, planning on keeping an close eye on water level. Didnt have my manual with me, so had to take a guess as to which one it was - used the expantion chamber by mistake (next to battery on 2000 reg classic).

Never had any issues with overheating before in this or my previous scoob. Hopefully nothing too wrong

r1c

iTrader: (9)

have a good check of the radiator mate, common on the classics.

P600wrx

iTrader: (1)

the one by the battery you should not fill, it is the one by the airbox mate, radiators are prone on classics my 95 wagon had 3 in 12 months then blew a head gasket, it now lives in a million pieces on varius cars lol, my current 96 wrx has had 1 since i had in last feb, i check my water level once a week

Richy P1984

Ok lads, keeping my eyes on that radiator. Is there a special part of the radiator it likes to leak from e.g, the the hose and pipe connection?

r1c

iTrader: (9)

mine went where the plastic sides meet the metal veins. possibly a stone gone through the front, worth a check

robin112

iTrader: (2)

Noon question but why shudnt u fill the one next to the battery?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Robin: because it's just an overflow tank. The one whose level you need to check is the metal one on top of the engine.

Leaks: top hose, more visible when engine running so system is pressurised.
Bottom edge of an older rad, it corrodes.
Either of the plastic side pieces, they crack.
Top hose entry, bottom hose entry.
Bottom hose.

Richy P1984

Drove it to work today 26 miles - 12 on the A1 at 60mph and the rest on local roads + hanger lane and the north circular.

Didn't have any overheating problems on the way in, temp guage did seem a little on the low sides once the engine had warmed up and on the motorway, then it picked up and sat in the middle of the gauge. Thought I heard some whistling on the way in, thought it was the coolant escaping, turned out to be the turbo on the HGV I was going past.

Checked the metal reservoir this morning, and the coolant was right up to the cap (probably over filled it slightly via the overflow), so it didnt seem as though any had leaked over night.

Should the classics be running on blue coolant?

Will check it all again this evening before setting off.

N_Scooby

iTrader: (2)

I have heard of the spring on the coolant cap getting tired and the seal failing. Doesn't normally happen during normal driving but under 'spirited' driving or stuck in traffic can release the pressure (steam) through the cap. I've known 2 cars that the owners were convinced the head-gasket had gone but it was actually this. Both solved with new up-rated spring caps.

robin112

iTrader: (2)

this has just happened to me, got a new cap on the way

Richy P1984

Is this the main coolant cap (the one next to the airbox) or the overlfow / expantion cap by the battery. I noticed the spring looked like it could go wrong.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

The main one, the other is plastic, isn't it?

Welcome to the paranoid world of Scooby ownership

Richy P1984

Ive been paranoid since the left rear caliper started rubbing on my 1st Impreza. That was December 2009!

On a side note, does anyone know how to stop the 'lagging' attached to the underside of the bonnet from falling down. Tis a right pain trying to hold it in place whilst closing.

Also why are there plastic covers on the underside of my bonnet vents? seems pointless having vents if they are sealed on the other side.

r1c

iTrader: (9)

They let the heat out and stop the water getting in mate. They shouldn't be sealed just bolt up underneath.