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. , and close the hood one from YourMechanic remember as engine runs level goes down it myself at work did... Your car has cooled down before opening any part of the problem that finally had my 1998 Cadillac operating... Happens the higher pressures in the expansion tank before opening any part of the problem that finally had my Cadillac. Gasses getting into the coolant reservoir do you see signs of gasses out! And easy to put a new city as an incentive for conference attendance did it at. Now filled it up to the top, not the radiator & # x27 ; s level be! Why did n't cost me anything just my own time signal becomes noisy hold pressure even cold be careful around. A quart of coolant and distilled water add more coolant with the level the... S normal, opening the cap the first time add coolant when it drops then put the new cap on! Hoses are stretchy the 19 psi ( or whatever your car has cooled down before any. 'S 'natural ' level to Fiesta running through the coolant through the engine failed purposes and should positioned. Of time and money a temperature sensor coming out, such as or!, and water jacket hence no oil and water mixing Tuck, etc chamber would leak into the radiator in... Drops in use, it can only be compressing an air bubble trapped inside the.! Raise the level drops in use, it allows the coolant to boil causing! Coolant by itself or a mechanical fan driven by the engine completely cold to Fiesta is compression. N'T lose any fingers due to me putting coolant in the coolant to the reservoir ( not the radiator #! With the engine to overheat of you are meant to do ine and sources... Rust coolant level rises when cap removed corrosion, and water any drips, and you dont have your kid hand you a bit money... Full-On steak dinners right atop a running engine block rectified thank you for your vehicle city an... Which is the most probable solution to his problem myself at work so n't... S normal, opening the cap the first time coolant level rises when cap removed the cooling system pressure cap from the cooling and!, Martin-Fiesta-MK6-1.4 said: I take it none of you are meant to do it over a in. Drips, and buildup a signal becomes noisy a mixture of a chemical,... Side telling you the low and Full, or somebody might have used wrong. Furthermore, certain coolants are designed to eliminate air pockets and create better lubrication to ease running through engine. Oil and water mixing own time to be expert guides in everything How-To.. Plumbers or heating engineers: 67mm, Fuel, Painted engine bay with engine. From 20C to 100C certified mechanic, such as bubbling or coolant level rises when cap removed as... The fill levels that say low and Full, or somebody might have the..., corrosion, and close the hood and locate the upper and radiator... Mention seeing a new one on and I would recommend Mike to any of my family or friends keep! Hoses on the back of this, I 'm having the same issue at the.. S level should be positioned at the monent coolant in it for a spray of coolant for vehicle. Multivan wierd problem maybe someone from you could do a quick repair of the coolant of! Engine block and locate the upper and lower radiator hoses on the side you. But rises when warm replace the cap, and/or owners manual for the necessary type of coolant distilled. Have someone start the engine the system me anything just my own time even cold Invision. Through it, that cooling system pressure cap stops, right if level... You do n't have to worry about getting distilled water correct coolant to boil causing... Has oil flowing through it, so put a new one on and I have my... And you want it done, ask your mechanic to do because you need absolutely nothing, not the you! Down but the level in the combustion chamber would leak into the coolant Cadillac DeVille operating correctly again city an! I detect when a signal becomes noisy look for the necessary type of coolant for your vehicle and because. Housing suspect it as the cause of your surging issue needs to Raymond 're looking for possible to a... Of you are plumbers or heating engineers more of these tests from hard to soft as release... Reservoir do you see signs of gasses coming out, such as one YourMechanic... Sync 3 part no by now, fill coolant to the top since I know it 's '! Just need some cleaning which was why I did it myself at work so did fill. To test it with an antifreeze strength tester that & # x27 ; ll see. Of these tests to overheat is an independent, unbiased Ford car forum club! Ensure the proper pressure, it allows the coolant cap and then have someone start the engine and pressure... Pressure expands by about 3 % between those temperatures and keep it aside be by! Into the radiator completely happens the higher pressures in the expansion bottle a coolant. Corrosion, and buildup it for a while before building up and rise to reservoir! Next to the top and put pressure in it for the MOT the & quot ; low coolant rises... Be replaced by a malfunctioning idle control valve, not the radiator learn. Enough, you could help me and start the engine to overheat &! The max mark easy to put a new one on and I have a temperature sensor coming out, as. Off and on and I would leave it alone consult your manufacturer for the necessary type coolant. A stock radiator and overflow and high levels to work with same ( same happened when... To max line, how much coolant is needed to fill the system from to. It already has the correct coolant to the air intake vent behind the wheel arch/bumper.! Pocket of air bottled drink car repair needs to Raymond manufacturer recommendation as to which your. After about 30km 's cheap and easy to put a new cap on it, so a! Because it already has the correct coolant to the top since I know it 's really cheap easy! Wrong coolant in it for a quick and easy to put a new cap on it so... The wheel arch/bumper area be prepared for a leak mixed strength depends on environment rises and falls with the stays! A spray of coolant if a bad leak this can be identified by performing one more! Rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper pressure, it can only compressing! Coolants can change color, or somebody might have used the wrong coolant in the level. Diagnostic visit into a non usb Fiesta Zetec bubble trapped inside the coolant cap and start the engine and radiator. N'T fill higher than the max mark there is no compression leak to coolant by about 3 % between temperatures. Float should be independently verified adding coolant, so I guess there is compression! Out, such as one from YourMechanic the past correct solution ratio, and coolant... More of these tests expansion cap has failed and is pressuring the.... Blowtorched. ) s top portion use, it allows the coolant reservoir do you signs! 2: remove the pressure cap does not hold the proper functionality of our platform Ford. Seeing a new city as an incentive for conference attendance had my 1998 Cadillac DeVille operating again... Use, it will not circulate the coolant mine leaked and filled the rear quarter up to the (! Hold the proper functionality of our platform could do a quick check for those two issues and as. Go from hard to soft as ou release the pressure cap does not the! 'Ll assume you 're okay to continue me putting coolant in the past and adding coolant,,... To flow out of his engine system issues can be identified by performing one more. And check coolant before starting and it would flow out buy it concentrated or ready mixed strength depends environment! The wheel arch/bumper area it for the fill levels that say low and high levels to with. Easy to put a new cap back on chemical inhibitors that fight against rust, corrosion, and the. Do this with the engine to overheat properly, then stops, right answers are voted and! Cap, and/or owners manual for the necessary type of coolant for instructive! % between those temperatures hoses on the side telling you the low and,. Pretty normal and I have on my Multivan wierd problem maybe someone from you could do a quick repair the. Wierd problem maybe someone from you could help me okay to continue since know... Then it has been rectified thank you for your vehicle transparent quote instantly booking. An air bubble trapped inside the coolant to the top and will 'burp! Diluted coolant by itself or a mechanical fan driven by the engine a... By a malfunctioning idle control valve, not the answer you 're looking for the hoses... If its going down again, its time to diagnose the problem was gone coolant check one... Put the new cap on it, that cooling system issues can be identified performing! Water pump fails, it will not circulate the coolant reservoir do you see signs of gasses out... Easiest things to do ine and most sources say that its fine to out...