Car Puked Its Overflow Tank

opus10583 · Post by **opus10583** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 1:18 pm

Hi,

Last night, after a highway drive of about an hour at 3,750-4,000 in fifth and a half hour on parkways at 3-4,000 in fourth, I pulled over with the engine running to check my turn signals and WTF?!!! smoke started billowing out from my hood.

I popped the hood fully expecting and prepared for fire to see coolant everywhere as the radiator fan kicked on.

Once the vapor cleared I could find no leak nor damage, but there was coolant all over the exhaust side of the engine compartment and lining the hood. There was also coolant on the top of the overflow tank and a 250ml puddle on the ground.

...The hell?

Thanks,
Mark

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 3:30 pm

overfull reservoir, bad rad cap or both

124JOE · Post by **124JOE** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 10:48 pm

it sounds like when i burnt a hole in my overflow bottle under half way down inside right near the manifold

NJFIAT1981 · Post by **NJFIAT1981** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 5:10 am

Mark,
Check the bottle. If it's bad I have one here for you. Also have a cap if you need it. George

opus10583 · Post by **opus10583** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 7:46 am

Thanks everyone!

The bottle seems fine, it was nearly full and not leaking from anywhere I could see without removing it. Is the cap supposed to vent or seal tight?

What else to check?

I think Mark might have it, nearly full bottle and all.

Thanks,
Mark

AndyS · Post by **AndyS** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 10:34 am

air in the system can trap a bubble in the thermostat, that or a stuck thermostat can cause the symptom you have.

opus10583 · Post by **opus10583** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 12:25 pm

Thanks again everyone.

So, what's my thermostat troubleshooting tree look like?

Thanks again,
Mark

124JOE · Post by **124JOE** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 12:30 pm

just pull it off and drill a 1/8 hole in the disk inside
and when refilling open the heater control
if you have a tee installed top it off there

rlux4 · Post by **rlux4** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:27 pm

I don't understand the term "troubleshooting tree", but if you're asking how do you trouble shoot a thermostat then you'd first check the hose from the bottom of your radiator when the engine is around normal operating temperature, 190° or so. The hose should be hot, if it's hot, your stat is open. If it's not hot the stat isn't open and it could be a bad stat. You'd want to pull it off and check it in boiling water to see if it opens OK. If it opens in boiling water then it's probably a radiator problem. If the radiator is gunked up inside it will inhiblt flow, or if it's got a lot of corrosion you'll get poor heat transfer.
Ron

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:55 pm

a "troubleshooting tree" is a series of tests to perform, in proper sequence to find a fault

rlux4 · Post by **rlux4** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:34 am

Thanks Mark. Funny, I've never heard the term before. Just goes to show you're never too old to learn something new.
The problem then becomes remembering the new stuff.
Ron

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 10:17 am

what were we discussing?

SunnySideUp · Post by **SunnySideUp** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 5:33 pm

what were we discussing?

Wasn't it something about having trouble shooting a tree?

Car Puked Its Overflow Tank

Car Puked Its Overflow Tank

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