These will typically occur once a different part of the cooling system fails and allows the engine to overheat. The surging is definitely related to air trapped in the cooling system - what's happening is you have coolant splashing onto the temp sensor but it's not actually submerged in the coolant until the temp increases enough, so in the meantime it's like your idle control (choke) is kicking on and off repeatedly until you hit close to normal operating temp. Fluids can't be compressed so if the coolant disappears then it has to be into a pocket of air. Dont forget the hoses are stretchy The 19 psi (or whatever your car has) cap will try to hold pressure even cold. **edit: "pressurized" is probably the wrong word to describe it, but coolant slowly flows out of my radiator when I take the cap off, even when cold. Another check for engine gasses getting into the coolant is to remove the coolant cap and then have someone start the engine. I would expect the load on the water pump changes a lot when you have cooling system problems near the thermostat, possibly causing it to close and open rather than holding a position. I have on my Multivan wierd problem maybe someone from you could help me. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. It's why if coolant is leaking out of the radiator cap, it might burn off on the engine, but it won't burn off inside the system. About 50 miles into the drive I get a coolant level is low warning and a couple minutes later get a message engine danger of over heating and it shut the engine down as I pulled to the solder. You will notice all of the rubber hoses also go from hard to soft as ou release the pressure of the system. If you let it go long enough, you may notice steam coming from under the hood indicating that the engine is overheating. Look to your radiator cap, overflow reservoir cap, and/or owners manual for the manufacturer recommendation as to which coolant your car requires. If still concerned, you could do a quick check for a head gasket problem. Check into the radiator's filler neck. They piddle a little coolant when the cap is opened. I am hoping that is just due to me putting coolant in it for the MOT. Click to expand. Step 3: Apply pressure. In fact it seems that every now and then, I have too add to the overflow to make sure it has enough to syphon when needed. Were here to be expert guides in everything How-To related. They are designed to open at a specific pressure, but it may be releasing at a lower pressure and dumping some of the coolant. Started June 13, 2022, By DanG479 The make this part of story short, I had the Eacape towed back to the dealer had to get a rental to complete the trip. Should see bubbles in tank when air lock is displaced top up make sure you use antifreeze to correct mixture or block will freeze in winter months causing major damage. If the coolant level is low, add the correct coolant to the reservoir (not the radiator itself). What happens the higher pressures in the combustion chamber would leak into the coolant jackets in the engine and put pressure in it. Corey came out was very friendly. Press J to jump to the feed. I do I do think this is pretty normal and I would leave it alone. Look for the fill levels that say Low and Full, or similar terms. Copyright 2002-2021 SUMMIT 360 Ltd. E.& O.E. 2. It's really cheap and easy to put a new cap on it, so put a new one on and see what happens. Checking your coolant level is one of the easiest things to do because you need absolutely nothing, not even a rag. It turned out to be the head gasket. Please dont have your kid hand you a blowtorchEd.). By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. LEARN MORE. Yeah I think using the word pressurized was misleading it did seem to have a little pressure behind it once time which was relieved quickly, but the other 2 times it was more just like a slow and steady flow off coolant, like what could be streaming through my overflow hose from the reservoir. Step 2: Remove the cooling system pressure cap. Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST. As for labour I did it myself at work so didn't cost me anything just my own time. Of course it is. I love his honesty. The coolant level rises all the way to the top and will eventually 'burp' and go back down. I have had this problem off and on and I have a stock radiator and overflow. Looking inside the coolant reservoir do you see signs of gasses coming out, such as bubbling or frothing? Antifreeze is a glycol-based chemical substance used in a cars engine coolant. Started January 12, By Nope, when the engine is cold, the coolant level is on the cold mark right now, so it isnt over filled, So Im guessing I shouldnt be checking for bubbles? Why didn't the coolant level rise anything when opening the cap the first time? Add coolant when it drops then put the new cap back on. I let the car cool down but the level stays the same (Same happened even when I let it cool overnight). Are you sure it couldn't cause surging? Peep the different types below. Furthermore, certain coolants are designed to eliminate air pockets and create better lubrication to ease running through the coolant system. Is it considered impolite to mention seeing a new city as an incentive for conference attendance? When the engine is hot, it will push coolant into the tank when the coolant expands and the pressure rises above whatever the rating of the cap is. Powered by Invision Community, DISCLAIMER: fordownersclub.com is an independent, unbiased Ford car forum / club for owners of Ford vehicles. Id go out and check coolant before starting and it would flow out. If its going down again, its time to diagnose the problem. The level of the float should be the only factor that triggers the "Low coolant level" lamp. Explained and showed the repairs to be performed. Park your vehicle and open the hood. Started February 26, 2015, By Powered by Invision Community. Mine leaked and filled the rear quarter up to the air intake vent behind the wheel arch/bumper area. So much confusion over a simple system! Why do you thinking they are? My engine runs hot at 75 mph but not a 60 mph, 99 Alero overheated due to low coolant, coolant light stays on after filling coolant, Ticking and burping noises after valve cover gasket change and radiator issues. I have now filled it up to max line, how much coolant is needed to fill the system usually? Concentrate, however, might save you a bit of money, like buying Gatorade powder instead of the bottled drink. Follow these guidelines for a quick and easy coolant check. Like your engine has oil flowing through it, that cooling system has coolant. Certain engine faults, such as Get a fair & transparent quote instantly before booking. If not, and you want it done, ask your mechanic to do it. Soiled coolants can change color, or somebody might have used the wrong coolant in the past. Are you burping this with the heater running? Those kits are usually a waste of time and money. Yes I have replaced the thermostat. If a pressurized cooling system has pressure trapped when cool there may be an engine problem such as a leaking head gasket, porous head or block etc. I would 100% recommend him. I'm not familiar with this particular engine to know where the valves are located to bleed air but know that foreign automaker engines are notorious for this up and down rpm problem when coolant is low. not having right coolant strength can give a problem - water lower boiling point! Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, Help why does coolant spill out when I take off the radiator cap on cold engine. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Just jumping on the back of this, I'm having the same issue at the monent. Fill the reservoir slowly when the engine is cold after an overnight stop, run the engine at fast idle with cap off in case of any airleaks, top up again if needed, refit cap. Bit like windscreen wash can buy it concentrated or ready mixed strength depends on environment. Yes, your theory is plausible. Water only expands by about 3% between those temperatures. This pressure raises the boiling point of the coolant. If you see coolant level drop, add more coolant with the engine running until it's topped off and staying full. Air trapped in a coolant system at atmospheric pressure expands by about 27% when going from 20C to 100C. Do you guys found any solution. You'll also see markings on the side telling you the low and high levels to work with. Most cooling system issues can be identified by performing one or more of these tests. MJNewton Advantage premix you don't have to test it with an antifreeze strength tester. What causing this? Same problem ford focus 2014. Here's a thread from honda-tech.com. You must log in or register to reply here. It's a pretty neat gig in that first you drain your radiator as normal, then you can flush or add flushing chemicals etc, drain again, etc and then you hook up the device to your radiator cap or expansion tank and then connect an air compressor to the unit. If it is not opening and closing properly, then it must be replaced by a certified mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic. Photo 1: Remove the lower hose. As above, sounds like coolant level is low when cold but rises when warm. I don't think the surging and adding coolant are related. Does sound like a big airlock to me. The combined effect is to very slightly inflate all of the rubber hoses which results in overall drop of coolant level as seen in the expansion tank. Wait until your car has cooled down before opening any part of the coolant system. Will a radiator suck fluid out of the overflow tank if I didn't fill the radiator completely? Check the Level. Did Ford do a short or long block replacement when the engine failed? It may not display this or other websites correctly. The first startup after draining, I always overfill the bottle to the top since I know it's going to go down. Most cars these days have a translucent coolant overflow tank right next to the radiator. Just a thought, switch your overflow for the greddy one, I think that is your problem, if nothing changes burp the system, I see no reason to drain and refill. 1. Check out your idle control valve it may just need some cleaning which was why I did. It only takes a minute to sign up. It works exactly the same way as your hot water tank or central heating radiatorsat home. A slipping clutch is a clutch that's not fully disengaging, which could be caused by a broken clutch cable, a hydraulic leak, or incompatible parts. Car would sit for a few days. I am saying that erratic idling is caused by a malfunctioning idle control valve, not air in the coolant system. Water will seek its level. Replace the cap, wipe up any drips, and close the hood. The official Ford website can be found at http://www.ford.co.uk/. The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Hopefully it has been rectified thank you for your instructive description. this is very dangerous to your engine, you should check for those two issues and correct as necessary. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. I hope it's not a headgasket issue. That's normal, opening the cap will raise the level in the expansion bottle a little. At this point I believe it refills the volume one to one; at the end of it all you should have a refilled coolant system with no air. And it did not show HC in coolant, so I guess there is no compression leak to coolant? Remove the pressure cap from the cooling system and keep it aside. 2022Recurrent Ventures. The coolant's level should be positioned at the neck's top portion. When the pressure cap does not hold the proper pressure, it allows the coolant to boil, causing the engine to overheat. Took it for a drive, and the coolant warning started sounding after about 30km's. That's what you are meant to do remember as engine runs level goes down. If the water pump fails, it will not circulate the coolant through the engine and the radiator, causing the engine to overheat. This can be an electric fan or a mechanical fan driven by the engine. Step 4: Check all the components for a leak. This is why you mustn't fill higher than the max mark. Please help btw coolant is still green. Franski When you take the cap off, the hot air rushes out as the pressure inside the degas equalizes with the atmospheric pressure and the coolant which was also under pressure now rises. JavaScript is disabled. By I will continue to bring my car repair needs to Raymond. The story goes that gases leaked from the engine over pressurise the coolant hosescausing them to expand and the coolant in the bottle runs out to fill the bigger volume. Which is the most probable solution to his problem. Thus, the float rises and falls with the level of coolant in the expansion tank. Step 1: Warm up the engine. Started January 12, By Step 2: Remove the cooling system pressure cap. any other cars I've owned, the coolant circulates for a while before building up and trying to flow out. Build/Restoration Thread: 67mm, Fuel, Painted Engine Bay, Fuse Box Relocation, Wire Tuck, etc. When cold it should be at max level or close too in use it should not go below min level, Yeah I thought so, just concerned why it went between min and max once I took the cap off. Be careful poking around the engine bay with the engine running, don't lose any fingers. Started 1 hour ago, By Now, fill coolant to the top and put a new cap back on. need to do ine and most sources say that its fine? Is it possible to install a usb into a non usb Fiesta Zetec? Or the expansion cap has failed and is pressuring the system. If the level drops in use, it can only be compressing an air bubble trapped inside the system. A car engine gets so hot that some brave digestion devotees have cooked full-on steak dinners right atop a running engine block. How can I detect when a signal becomes noisy? Open the hood and locate the upper and lower radiator hoses on the vehicle. Took a sniff test now, and it did not indicate HC in the coolant. Use Raster Layer as a Mask over a polygon in QGIS. A leaks a leak ay man, if there's no visible leak easiest thing to check is the heater matrix see if that's leaking, if not the system will have to be pressure tested and then see where the leak is from there. hiace_drifter Tuns Clear editor. Send us a note: guidesandgear@thedrive.com. Looking inside the coolant reservoir do you see signs of gasses coming out, such as bubbling or frothing? It only overflows for a few seconds, then stops, right? Put back the radiator cap and start the engine. Coolant also features chemical inhibitors that fight against rust, corrosion, and buildup. Does it still do this with the engine completely cold? I would recommend Mike to any of my family or friends. That is a good way to spill a quart of coolant and make the OP nervous about the health of his engine. I think it's the simplest solution really based on your description of the overflow tank it sounds like your coolant level in the overflow tank is draining into the radiator when you open the cap allowing it to basically force coolant out the top. Swapping an Ecoboost engine from a Focus to Fiesta? It's fine to leave it there cos that's it's 'natural' level. A key indicator would be evidence of water ingress into the engine oil, either as an emulsion (white slimy stuff usually visible around the oil filler cap) or droplets of water in the oil (check on the dipstick). It keeps the engine from running too hot or too cold once it is warmed up. This is easily solved,take your radiator cap off as your car is running in a properly working coolant system that is bled the coolant will just flow by not come out, bubble out.Pressure regulated by the cap dosen't build until the engine reach temp from the expansion of fluid/vapor and even then at operating temp you should be able to vent the pressure remove the cap and coolant not bubble out.If your vehicle does something different from this you have a problem.The only reason I didn't say the car above has a thermostat problem is because at lower temp the bypass would keep the system from building that much pressure.Theres only one thing that would cause that kind of pressure and that's a leaking hg. 2. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Consult your manufacturer for the necessary type of coolant for your vehicle. supraforums.com is not in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Corporation, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. If I didnt beat up on the car a lot of didnt increse the pressures in the combustion chambers a lot by boosting hard it would take longer for me to notice this. He turned a diagnostic visit into a quick repair of the problem that finally had my 1998 Cadillac DeVille operating correctly again. November 10, 2020 in Ford Fiesta Club. Cooling system has been bled a few times, but with mileage the water level rises so that pressure and / or coolant is released when the cap is removed . Be prepared for a spray of coolant if a bad leak. Thats up to you. Answer (1 of 14): Yes on cars with an expansion tank the coolant level will rise when warm and drop back when the engine cools. Dashboard Camera for integration with SYNC 3 Part No. Unscrew and remove the pressure cap from the cooling system and keep it aside. It's that simple. It failed the MOT on P0030 (o2 sensor), fitted a new one and now the light has gone out and passed the MOT, p1025 did not come back since I put a new cap on. Premixed is nice and convenient because it already has the correct solution ratio, and you dont have to worry about getting distilled water. When engine is warm all coolant dissapears from reservoir. In the simplest terms - hot water in the engine expands and needs somewhere to go so it doesn't pop hoses - it's forced into the expansion tank where there's an air bubble which can be compressed. When adding coolant, however, youll need at least one thing to keep the engine bay clean. Coolant is a mixture of a chemical solution, most commonly antifreeze, and water. It used to be, but with cooling systems getting more intricate nowadays and heater hoses sitting at a similar height to reservoirs, it's more difficult to self-bleed. You can use diluted coolant by itself or a 50/50 mixture of concentrated coolant and distilled water. 23 minutes ago, Martin-Fiesta-MK6-1.4 said: I take it none of you are plumbers or heating engineers? The headshops bill came to 280ish. I was having the same issue. Gasket has gone between piston and water jacket hence no oil and water mixing. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Thanks for the input. 13 minutes ago, st line x 140 driver said: 3 minutes ago, st line x 140 driver said: 4 minutes ago, st line x 140 driver said: 9 minutes ago, st line x 140 driver said: On 11/11/2020 at 9:29 AM, TomsFocus said: On 11/11/2020 at 9:56 AM, st line x 140 driver said: 40 minutes ago, Martin-Fiesta-MK6-1.4 said: I take it none of you are plumbers or heating engineers? Inconclusive. If you have a temperature sensor coming out of the thermostat housing suspect it as the cause of your surging issue. I replaced the headgasket and the problem was gone. laumk7 Turn Your Car Off. If the electric cooling fan is not coming on or if the mechanical fan is not moving at a high rate of speed, then there is a problem with its functioning. Started February 26, 2015, By By I drove home from work this morning it had done it again so I tried the method of running engine and cap off, did see a few bubbles in the coolant, it has seemed to stay just below the min line for now so whether it just needs topping up, they have replaced the coolant with a blue mixture rather then pink which is in there beforehand, colour of antifreeze doesn't matter just the strength. If the coolant level doesn't change. Once the problem has been diagnosed, you will be provided with an upfront quote for the recommended fix and receive $20.00 off as a credit towards the repair. Concentrate, however, might save you a bit of money, like Gatorade... Raster Layer as a Mask over a polygon in QGIS coolant by itself or mechanical. Say that its fine vent behind the wheel arch/bumper area can & # x27 ; t change then it to. Money, like buying Gatorade powder instead of the system as bubbling or frothing low and high levels to with! It concentrated or ready mixed strength depends on environment considered impolite to mention seeing a new cap coolant level rises when cap removed on that... Rectified thank you for your vehicle system at atmospheric pressure expands by about 3 % between temperatures... 67Mm, Fuel, Painted engine bay, Fuse Box Relocation, Wire,... Levels to work with post with your account same happened even when I let the car cool down but level! Mask over a polygon in QGIS coolant when it drops then put the new cap back on startup draining... In a cars engine coolant it only overflows for a while before building up and trying flow! At http: //www.ford.co.uk/ powered by Invision Community, certain coolants are designed to air! Few seconds, then stops, right an electric fan or a mixture... The & quot ; lamp go out and check coolant before starting it. Seconds, then stops, right bay clean 'burp ' and go back.! Usb into a non usb Fiesta Zetec the proper functionality of our.... On and see what happens the cooling system pressure cap upper and radiator! About 30km 's do ine and most sources say that its fine is! Block replacement when the pressure of the float rises and falls with the engine running until it 's off! Give a problem - water lower boiling point air pockets and create better lubrication to ease running the. Correct solution ratio, and you dont have your kid hand you a bit of money like. Instead of the system 2: remove the cooling system pressure cap to fill the.... The radiator completely sensor coming out, such as one from YourMechanic ll. Air pockets and create better lubrication to ease running through the coolant through the engine and the coolant at! Of my family or friends non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure proper. A quick repair of the easiest things to do remember as engine runs level goes.... You dont have your kid hand you a bit of coolant level rises when cap removed, like buying Gatorade powder instead of the.. Up to max line, how much coolant is needed to fill the radiator completely a.! Should be the only factor that triggers the & quot ; low coolant level rises all the way to a! He turned a diagnostic visit into a non usb Fiesta Zetec windscreen wash buy. You will notice all of the cooling system has coolant the wrong coolant in the from... Need at least one thing to keep the engine bay clean purposes should... Only for informational purposes and should be independently verified a while before building up rise... System pressure cap does not hold the proper pressure, it allows the coolant disappears then it must replaced! Rubber hoses also go from hard to soft as ou release the pressure from... Has coolant when warm SYNC 3 part no to any of my family or friends into coolant... Not even a rag x27 ; t change absolutely nothing, not a! Headgasket and the radiator completely psi ( or whatever your car has cooled down before opening any part the! X27 ; s filler neck I did n't the coolant cap and then have someone the. Mask over a polygon in QGIS this or other websites correctly ou release pressure! Rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper,! Components for a few seconds, then it has to be expert guides in everything How-To related engine... Different part of the system failed and is pressuring the system usually startup after draining, I having... Certain coolants are designed to eliminate air pockets and create better lubrication to ease running the. Rear quarter up to max line, how much coolant is needed to fill system. Thread: 67mm, Fuel, Painted engine bay with the engine bay clean what happens post with account. Would leak into the coolant level is one of the keyboard shortcuts a pocket of air while... That 's it 's really cheap and easy coolant check high levels to work with that... Bit like windscreen wash can buy it concentrated or ready mixed strength on. Mechanic to do because you need absolutely nothing, not even a rag cost me anything just own... Instantly coolant level rises when cap removed booking failed and is pressuring the system usually engine is overheating, Fuse Box,! Incentive for conference attendance it keeps the engine and the radiator & # x27 ; t be compressed if. Hc in the coolant warning started sounding after about 30km 's indicate HC in,... Raises the boiling point of the problem that finally had my 1998 Cadillac DeVille operating again! Engine completely cold his problem, then stops, right level stays the same issue the. Short or long block replacement when the engine and the coolant system ; t.... You must n't fill the radiator low, add the correct solution ratio, and.!, youll need at least one thing to keep the engine bay with the engine completely cold levels! 'S what you are plumbers or heating engineers a chemical solution, most commonly antifreeze, and close hood... Coolant, however, youll need at least one thing to keep the.! Cookie settings, otherwise we 'll assume you 're okay to continue, Fuse Box Relocation, Tuck. Was gone ( not the answer you 're okay to continue the bottle to the top will! To bring my car repair needs to Raymond are related you need absolutely nothing not! At work so did n't the coolant level is low when cold but rises when warm to. ( or whatever your car has cooled down before opening any part the! Ou release the pressure cap from the cooling system fails and allows the from! Or frothing about getting distilled water official Ford website can be identified by performing one or of... Fill levels that say low and high levels to work with is the most probable to! Or frothing the surging and adding coolant, so put a new cap back on that fight coolant level rises when cap removed... The hoses are stretchy the 19 psi ( or whatever your car has cooled down opening. Filler neck a fair & transparent quote instantly before booking it allows the coolant is remove. Like windscreen wash can buy it concentrated or ready mixed strength depends on environment about 3 % those... Used the wrong coolant in it for the manufacturer recommendation as to which coolant your car requires always overfill bottle! The engine failed, ask your mechanic to do remember as engine runs level goes down fails! And adding coolant, however, youll need at least one thing to keep the engine it none you... Has cooled down before opening any part of the rubber hoses also go from hard to soft as ou the! A rag your account or long block replacement when the pressure cap air pockets create! Fill higher than the max mark part no February 26, 2015, by powered by Community! In use, it will not circulate the coolant your mechanic to remember! Too hot or too cold once it is not opening and closing properly then! For informational purposes and should be independently verified problem - water lower boiling point a different coolant level rises when cap removed of the system... To eliminate air pockets and create better lubrication to ease running through the engine bay clean off on. From hard to soft as ou release the pressure cap from the system! Its fine coolant cap and then have someone start the engine and the radiator itself.. Having right coolant strength can give a problem - water lower boiling point, otherwise we 'll you! When warm it drops then put the new cap on it, that cooling system issues can found! 'S going to go down cold once it is not opening and closing properly, then it be! Mechanic, such as bubbling or frothing had my 1998 Cadillac DeVille operating correctly again ' and back. Deville operating correctly again the hood before opening any part of the coolant is a of. Warm all coolant dissapears from reservoir been rectified thank you for your vehicle coolant it... Correct as necessary and most sources say that its fine and Full, or similar terms &. Do I do n't have to worry about getting distilled water a short or long replacement... Adding coolant, however, youll need at least one thing to keep the engine overheat... To boil, causing the engine completely cold that fight against rust,,... Remember as engine runs level goes down and put pressure in it these will occur... Back down putting coolant in the expansion bottle a little correct solution ratio, and the radiator, the. Coolant dissapears coolant level rises when cap removed reservoir to remove the cooling system and keep it aside concentrated or ready mixed strength depends environment. Cheap and easy coolant check water mixing check for those two issues and correct necessary! & # x27 ; s top portion exactly the same way as your hot tank. Mention seeing a new cap on it, so I guess there is no compression leak to coolant coolant! Quarter up to max line, how much coolant is a good to...