Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Technical questions and answers about the Mazda Bongo

Moderators: Doone, westonwarrior

samuel
Bongolier
Posts: 485
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:37 pm
Location: Polgooth, Cornwall

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by samuel » Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:06 pm

Have now bled the system twice and still getting a continuous stream of white foam from the bleed pipe.

With engine running, one fan cut in, then the next fan and the temperature stays steady at one third of the gauge. Obviously there is still an air lock, as the fans wouldn't normally cut in like this.

Will let it all cool down now and try again tomorrow.
"Living the Dream"
User avatar
missfixit70
Supreme Being
Posts: 12431
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:53 pm
Location: weymouth

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by missfixit70 » Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:58 pm

Topic split as it had digressed, hijacking Tim's original post - split topic here - http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=31998
Now back on track.
samuel wrote:Have now bled the system twice and still getting a continuous stream of white foam from the bleed pipe.

With engine running, one fan cut in, then the next fan and the temperature stays steady at one third of the gauge. Obviously there is still an air lock, as the fans wouldn't normally cut in like this.

Will let it all cool down now and try again tomorrow.
Don't go by the gauge if it's unmodified, as it won't move until it's got way too hot.
Did you do an exhaust gas test on the header tank?
You can't polish a turd - but you can roll it in glitter.
samuel
Bongolier
Posts: 485
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:37 pm
Location: Polgooth, Cornwall

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by samuel » Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:33 pm

Hi Kirsty

Have now decided to wait for my new hose to arrive (ordered last Saturday!). Will then drain the lot, flush through before re-filling and bleeding again.

Rooster is on hand and has very kindly offered to pop in and check for exhaust gases in the coolant.

Will be investing in a coolant alarm as soon as i've sorted this little lot out. Or 'BIG' lot out if thats the case.

Will keep you posted on progress and thank you for your support.

Tim
"Living the Dream"
User avatar
mikeonb4c
Supreme Being
Posts: 22877
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:49 pm
Location: Living with Mango Bongo in the North West but with a tendency to roam
Contact:

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by mikeonb4c » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:38 pm

samuel wrote:Hi Kirsty

Have now decided to wait for my new hose to arrive (ordered last Saturday!). Will then drain the lot, flush through before re-filling and bleeding again.

Rooster is on hand and has very kindly offered to pop in and check for exhaust gases in the coolant.

Will be investing in a coolant alarm as soon as i've sorted this little lot out. Or 'BIG' lot out if thats the case.

Will keep you posted on progress and thank you for your support.

Tim
Fingers, and various other bits, crossed for you Tim [-o<
User avatar
The Great Pretender
Supreme Being
Posts: 2671
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:10 pm
Location: Wigan

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by The Great Pretender » Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:01 am

[quote="haydn callow"]0.9 bar is best for the header tank....it really needs to be less than the one on the radiator....
quote]
Why? As they are both in the same pressure region of the system one relief valve would be needed at the highest point wouldn't it?
To infinity and beyond
User avatar
haydn callow
Supreme Being
Posts: 5777
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:50 pm
Location: Somerset
Contact:

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by haydn callow » Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:57 am

I expect this is total tosh...but....as I understand it ....if you had a lower pressure cap on the rad than the expansion tank...in the event of a "event" the rad cap would "blow" first....(would this be a good thing)?

So ..if you had the same pressure cap on both and the one on the rad was a bit "tired" there could be the same dangers.

What is the differance between a red and a yellow cap ? they both have 1.1 bar on them.

So my thoughts are...If it's going to "blow" I want the Ex tank cap to "blow" I can be pretty sure this will happen if I put a slightly lower rated cap on.

There is no reason "I think" for the rad to have a pressure cap at all....a simple blanking cap would do the job.
http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk
Developer of the Mazda Bongo Coolant loss Alarm
Also BMW Clocks
scanner
Supreme Being
Posts: 7247
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:20 pm
Location: Cambs

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by scanner » Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:12 pm

haydn callow wrote:I expect this is total tosh...but....as I understand it ....if you had a lower pressure cap on the rad than the expansion tank...in the event of a "event" the rad cap would "blow" first....(would this be a good thing)?

So ..if you had the same pressure cap on both and the one on the rad was a bit "tired" there could be the same dangers.

What is the differance between a red and a yellow cap ? they both have 1.1 bar on them.

So my thoughts are...If it's going to "blow" I want the Ex tank cap to "blow" I can be pretty sure this will happen if I put a slightly lower rated cap on.

There is no reason "I think" for the rad to have a pressure cap at all....a simple blanking cap would do the job.
That is certainly the case on other systems I've seen - only ever one pressure cap.

I would want the higher of the 2 pressure caps to blow first as well. The tank cap is (or should be) above the highest level of the coolant, but, so far as I can see, the rad cap is well below minimum level, so if that blows first the pressure above it is going to blow a lot of coolant out of the system quite quickly.

Not, (I would humbly suggest), a good idea.
User avatar
patnben
Bongolier
Posts: 166
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 12:06 pm
Location: Essex.

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by patnben » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:00 pm

I seem to remember some time ago I had a look at the radiator cap and the outlet
was blocked off so it would do nothing if it lifted. Maybe it's only there so you can
have a look at the top of the radiator core or something equally obscure. I think
dandywarhol knows more about this than I do !!!.
samuel
Bongolier
Posts: 485
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:37 pm
Location: Polgooth, Cornwall

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by samuel » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:10 pm

The hose i have ordered still hasn't arrived. Ordered Saturday!

Not happy!! :evil:

Interesting note on the rad cap. I guess the cap is there whether its pressure relieving or not just to make it easier to bleed to the top of the rad level.

Never know may get a delivery by the end of the day. Ho Hum!!
"Living the Dream"
francophile1947
Supreme Being
Posts: 11354
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:15 pm
Location: Norwich

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by francophile1947 » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:14 pm

samuel wrote:Interesting note on the rad cap. I guess the cap is there whether its pressure relieving or not just to make it easier to bleed to the top of the rad level.
Probably so but, as scanner says, why have 2 pressure caps :? I have only ever seen one on the cars I've had - puzzling ain't it? :lol:
John
(Evidence that intelligent life exists in the universe, is that it hasn't tried to contact us)
User avatar
mikeonb4c
Supreme Being
Posts: 22877
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:49 pm
Location: Living with Mango Bongo in the North West but with a tendency to roam
Contact:

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by mikeonb4c » Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:21 pm

Is there any circumstance under which excess pressure could not find its way through to the branch line that the header tank is on in order to relieve itself? That might explain it I suppose. Certainly the Bongo cooling system (as pointed out many times!) is a convoluted thing :roll:
kelv

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by kelv » Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:31 pm

mikeonb4c wrote:Is there any circumstance under which excess pressure could not find its way through to the branch line that the header tank is on in order to relieve itself? That might explain it I suppose. Certainly the Bongo cooling system (as pointed out many times!) is a convoluted thing :roll:
The man with the answer is saying :wink: nothing

Nothing kills germs faster than Domestos...................Domestos kills 99% of germs, dead............... Whatever.
I'll have a bottle of Nothing then, please
User avatar
dandywarhol
Supreme Being
Posts: 5446
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:18 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by dandywarhol » Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:56 pm

A pressure cap on the radiator does NOTHING! There's nowhere for the pressure to go even if the valve opened.......................
Whale oil beef hooked
Renault Lunar Telstar
Yamaha TD1C 250, Merc SLK200, KTM Duke 690
User avatar
mikeonb4c
Supreme Being
Posts: 22877
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:49 pm
Location: Living with Mango Bongo in the North West but with a tendency to roam
Contact:

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by mikeonb4c » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:17 pm

dandywarhol wrote:A pressure cap on the radiator does NOTHING! There's nowhere for the pressure to go even if the valve opened.......................
Now I AM confused. Do you mean it does nothing because there is already a pressure cap on the header tank that should let go first? :?
francophile1947
Supreme Being
Posts: 11354
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:15 pm
Location: Norwich

Re: Overheated and coolant spewed out of header tank

Post by francophile1947 » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:20 pm

mikeonb4c wrote:
dandywarhol wrote:A pressure cap on the radiator does NOTHING! There's nowhere for the pressure to go even if the valve opened.......................
Now I AM confused. Do you mean it does nothing because there is already a pressure cap on the header tank that should let go first? :?
No Mike - he means that, on the normal Bongo radiator, there isn't an overflow pipe, so the coolant can't go anywhere even if the pressure cap releases.
John
(Evidence that intelligent life exists in the universe, is that it hasn't tried to contact us)
Locked

Return to “Techie Stuff”