Coolant problem

Nobby · Post by **Nobby** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:00 pm

Hi all, I am having a problem with the sons 1991 liberty wagon.I have replaced the water pump,timing belt & rollers,thermostat and ALOT of gaskets and seals.However the coolant seems to be pressurizing somehow and it pumps out of the radiator into the expansion tank but when it cools down it doesn`t flow back into the radiator?
So we are letting it cool down and transferring the coolant back into the radiator but this is happening every day he drives the car!!
I am over it!!
I have put a new radiator cap on it as well.No change.

Any thoughts??
I am thinking hg?
Regards Robby.

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:56 pm

Sounds like head gaskets pressurising the coolant. Is there any emulsion in the oil or on the oil filler cap? You may not even get any contamination of either oil or water, it may be a leak straight from the coolant channels to the bore & you could lose coolant out the exhaust.

EDIT: How much is going into the expansion tank? This will happen in a healthy engine, but if there is a leak in the little hose that runs to the tank, then it will suck air back into the radiator not coolant. I had that problem & had to make up an adapter with some small diameter hose inside the overflow hose & then using a new clamp tighten it up with the hose hot & supple.

M0rpH · Post by **M0rpH** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 10:03 pm

Did you bleed all the air out of the cooling system after reassembling the motor?

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 10:06 pm

If you didn't do them, I'm thinking head gaskets straight up.

But what Morph said is worth investigating. I find my EJ drinks a bit of coolant for a day or three, depending on how long I've driven for, before the coolant level steadies.

Cheers

Bennie

Nobby · Post by **Nobby** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 8:52 am

I have tried to bleed the system a few times.And I have got it pretty well done,but i will check the hose going into the overflow as my first step.I am hoping that it is not the head gaskets,it was a cheap car to start with but after putting in a new clutch, a belt kit & waterpump,seals etc it is starting to become an expensive and time consuming first car for my son!!

rubisubi · Post by **rubisubi** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 9:05 am

Check its the right radiator cap, wrong one can cause the overflow issue.

Nobby · Post by **Nobby** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 7:15 am

I have been getting about 200mls of coolant pretty much every time the car is driven.I have been waiting for it to cool and then transferring the coolant back.
The radiator cap is new and is stamped the same as the old cap which says 0.6 or 9.0 depending on which way you look!!
The manual i have says 78-98 kPa so I guess this is the right one?

Next step is a check on the head gaskets.Oh dear!

Cheers for the help guys.

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 11:25 am

Before replacing the Head Gaskets, try flushing out the heater core a few times by putting the garden hose back and forth through the heater hoses. 9 times out of 10 this fixes over heating issues in the EJs.

Nobby · Post by **Nobby** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 3:36 pm

I should have said that I have flushed out the radiator and heater core before I refilled the coolant in the car.And the temp on the gauge sits nicely in the middle with no overheating problems.But still with the coolant not returning to the radiator?

Post by **TOONGA** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 5:54 pm

Is the cap you have a return or non return cap?

how much coolant is in the overflow container after you put the coolant back in to the radiator?

is the filler neck of the radiator as full as possible when you put the cap on?

And is the overflow hose a tight fit to the bottle and the radiator?

TOONGA

tambox · Post by **tambox** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 7:34 pm

If there is crap between the metal plate in the centre of the cap, where it touches the rubber, it may not suck back.

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 5:39 pm

My bet is on either wrong type of radiator cap or faulty, or an air leak where the overflow hose attaches to the radiator

Nobby · Post by **Nobby** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 7:30 pm

The cap I have is new (brought from bursons)and it is the same as the old one.I will try swapping back.It doesn`t seem to be using any coolant, and I am putting the 200mls back in pretty much every day.
I don`t know the difference between a non return cap and a standard cap.I assume that the shop would sell me the right one for the car???
I will put on a better hose clamp on the radiator overflow hose as well.

Thanks guys.
I will keep trying.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 10:18 pm

The shop *should* sell you the correct cap.

I'm now going through the pains of repairing a blown head gasket on my EJ22. Some things I've found along the way are coolant leaks on the coolant cross over pipe under the intake manifold, a couple of weeping leaks in the radiator and a good old oil leak from the passenger's bank.

That's it so far.

I'd look closely for leaks as these can contribute to coolant loss without noticing them.

Otherwise I'd still be looking at HGs. Also, the replacement water pump: Did it have a cast impeller or a pressed steel one?

And what sort of condition is the radiator in? The internals could be blocked causing issues, a new radiator is always a good move in a car that you don't know the history of.

Cheers

Bennie

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:36 pm

The coolant return caps have a small dish type piece at the bottom.. see below pic about "vacuum relief valve"