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Lucky I checked

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:08 pm
by Nippon Tuck
I had the core plug, Thermostat and water pump replaced yesterday, decided to have the coolant system flushed and coolant replaced while he was at it. He assured me he knew how to bleed the system.

I got it back and checked his handy work only to find that the metal engine cover was hotter than usual. There was also what seemed like coolant coming out of the expansion cap and a fizzing sound from the pipes on idle.

I immediately got out my funnel and began to bleed the system. It was full of air. And to top it off the new red coolant was mixed with old green coolant.
AND I removed about a litre of coolant, which may explain the coolant coming out of the cap.

What a lucky escape!

I will be flushing this again myself and having a word with the mechanic about his poor understanding of the system and how close I came to a costly disaster.

Re: Lucky I checked

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 4:47 am
by Northern Bongolow
not a lot we can say really apart from good job YOU knew what to check. :roll: :roll: . hope every things ok.

Re: Lucky I checked

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 11:57 am
by Nippon Tuck
Is it normal for some settlement of coolant after bleeding the system? I ask because my coolant alarm was beeping thismorning and the tanks was low. It was fine when I finished the job last night.

Re: Lucky I checked

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 2:12 pm
by tonnee
Last time the garage bled mine after a heater matrix replacement I was given 2 litres of coolant 50/50 mix to take away with me and told to check the level the next day as it may require topping up slightly once it had cooled down, got about half a litre in it the morning after

Re: Lucky I checked

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 2:57 pm
by Nippon Tuck
Thank you. That's about what it needed. I assume this is something to do with the thermostat closing.

Re: Lucky I checked

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 3:09 pm
by Northern Bongolow
coolant when warm is larger in volume than cold coolant.
always check the coolant level when cold, for your safety, and to get acurate readings,first thing in the morning is good.
the difference between the hot pressurised level and the cold unpressurised level can be about 10-20 mm.
if it is bled correctly no coolant should need to be added later.