Brumby – Do I blame the radiator cap for loss of coolant?

[Robbo78]

The 1991 brumby I just bought came with a new brand new shiny radiator cap with the words ‘Return System’ and the number 90 stamped into the cap.

That’s all good … but my brumby is NOT fitted with a radiator coolant return system bottle and therefore seems to loose coolant.

I reckon I’ve eliminated all other possible reasons for loosing coolant such a leaks, welsh plugs etc so now I’m blaming the radiator cap.

I went down to the local REPCO store to buy a cap that was designed for a ‘non-return system’ and the rep told me no one makes them and that my brumby should have a ‘coolant return’ system on it.

What do I do …

- Do I try and retro fit my own coolant return system?
- Do I go to the wreckers and track down an old cap
- or am I using the wrong pressure rated cap in the first place?

Robbo

[dwayneb]

I'd retro fit a return line to the radiator. When I first got my Brumby had the same problems. Now with the return one less thing to keep a constant check on.
I have mounted the overflow bottle off of the bracket that used to hold the jack down.
Also don't use tap water, get a full system glycol.

[fredsub]

I bet you still have the side feed that fits a hose to the overflow bottle. If its not fitted to a coolant bottle, you WILL loose coolant, definitely.

...came with a new brand new shiny radiator cap

the cap is important! I hope the radiator was new too .........

Its simple to add the coolant overflow, do it, yep get parts from wrecker if you can.

[Robbo78]

Does any one know if the brumbies came with overflow bottles in the first place? It has the hose hanging down but I can't see anywhere that a bottle would have gone.

... so anyway I reckon its a trip to the wreckers this arvo to find a bottle and some longer rubber hose so that I can fit it somewhere in the engine bay (possibly where the jack sits).

the cap is important! I hope the radiator was new too

The radiator's not new but it has no signs of rot or leaks. I'm no expert but it looks like it has had a re-core not so long ago.

Thanks for the advice guys.

Robbo

[PeeJay]

I had the same trouble in my old car. Refit the coolant bottle and problem goes away.

[tim_81coupe]

I have encountered this in every MY I've ever owned. In fact I'm trying to find a good overflow bottle at the moment that I can fit to my recently acquired sedan.

My work used to stock these really good aftermarket ones, I think they were made by Haigh. Now we stock these crappy Flokleen ones that won't fit in an MY engine bay properly.


I find once you fit the bottle all the coolant loss problems disappear. Makes me wonder how these cars drove for 20-25 years before I got my hands on them!

[BaronVonChickenPants]

First thing I did when I got my MY wagon was fit an overflow bottle, I think it was from a charade or something equally smallish.

Jordan.

[Robbo78]

I went down the wreckers this arvo and pulled a suitably small overflow bottle of a wreck. Sits nicely where the jack used to live and now the jack is under the pass seat.

Fingers crossed my coolant loss problems are over. Thanks again for all the hints guys, they all make owning this little thing a bit easier.

Robbo.

[redskin]

Does any one know if the brumbies came with overflow bottles in the first place? It has the hose hanging down but I can't see anywhere that a bottle would have gone.
Robbo

Robbo, l am on my 3rd Brumby now and none have ever had an overflow bottle, that's not to say they didn't have them, (just quietly though, they didn't), but rather l've never seen one.
By the way the hose hanging down does just that, runs down the side of the radiator as an overflow

[Robbo78]

Thanks Redskin, I suspected as much.

[tassyflyer]

hi the best lil one around is85/89 magna make sure you get the mountin brkt as no need to move jack housin