Blokko Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 1.8k Rover engine. Round Anglesey last weekend the car would spit out a bit of coolant onto the windscreen once I'd done a few laps. Got back to the garage and I could clearly see that there was a line of coolant splatter from the expansion bottle onto the cambelt cover. I also noticed that the expansion bottle wasn't under much pressure (just a slight hiss when I very slowly and carefully undid the cap). Got a new cap last night, but it seems that the pressurisation problem persists. I haven't yet run the car on the road to see if I can recreate the coolant splatter effect. The (silicone) hoses are quite squishable, so I'm presuming that this means that pressure is low. I do get a rise in water levels in the expansion bottle when the car is up to temperature. I have previously (admittedly, a few months back) taken off the small hose that leads from the expansion bottle to the block to poke the ball bearing of the non-return valve to check it wasn't stuck. So, I'm presuming that my next step is to change the coolant bottle, either the CC Part or something second hand from breakers or t;Internet? I do wonder whether the previous cap was over tightened as once you get to the point where the top becomes tight, you can then keep on tightening. Is there anything else I should try as well / instead? Should I cut to the chase and go for a cylinder pressure test (seem to remember that this doesn't always pick up on issues)? Is it head-off time to take a looksee instead (not to be attempted by me, I hasten to add)? No oil in water or water in oil as far as I can see. No signs of coolant leaking out from the block - I can't see coolant loss from any other source (rad, hoses, pump). From cold there is some 'smoke' out of the exhaust (not blue), but this seems to clear after a short while of running. On the temperature front, if I fire the car up and leave idle, it doesn't even get hot enough to trigger the thermostat or fan (stays below 80). With a bit of blipping I can get the 'stat to open, followed by the fan firing a few mins later. At this point the engine is at 85 ish, maybe a degree or two higher. When the fan kicks in the temp doesn't seem to drop much. Temp never rises above 90, but once the 'stat is open it never drops below low-mid 80's. In normal running the gauge sits in the range 80-85 and I never hear the fan kick in - even if caught at lights / junctions etc. I'm as sure as I can be that there is no air in the system. The bleed tee is full, the rad is full, the bottom hose is toasty and the heater is blowing hot air. Brand new rad (Radtec), new temp sender, new fan switch, new expansion bottle cap, recent thermostat, seals replaced on heater matrix. Can't remember the exact specs of the aforementioned parts - think the 'stat is an 88 (with a small crease in the plate rather than a drilled hole) and the fan switch is 95-87. So, any comments / suggestions most gratefully received. As a slight complication, I need the car for a France trip commencing 27 June, but as of 16th I'm working abroad, so I really need to get cracking this week..... Edited by - Blokko on 8 Jun 2014 10:37:28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blokko Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Picture of the cambelt cover after I just got back from a quick run (cleaner prior to setting out) - And a picture of the expansion bottle. Can't work out whether the coolant is coming out of the thread, or from the blow mould under the thread - Hopefully this points to a problem with the expansion bottle, rather than anything more sinister. Going to have to see how quickly I can procure a replacement part.... Edited by - Blokko on 8 Jun 2014 13:44:02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Are you sure its coolant on the screen and not washer fluid? you should be able to get a new expansion bottle easily form any number of suppliers - Roverlink in Widnes offer mail order and club discount... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Its definitely coolant - it was covering my visor and my video camera lenses when I was following behind Steve at Angelsey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blokko Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Hi Mav Now decided to change the expansion bottle 'just in case'. Given my tight deadlines I'm hoping I can get one off the shelf from somewhere local. Failing that I'll go down the mail order route - but this will put me to Tues or even Weds before I'll get the part. I'd cleaned the expansion bottle and cambelt cover before going out for a spin, so I'm pretty sure that the presence of coolant on both surfaces means that it isn't coming from the washer bottle.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadsport06 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Steve, a long shot, but the small pipe off the expansion bottle (2nd picture - left side of bottle) has a plastic tee piece coming off it. Worth checking if this is splitting. They are a weak point and I changed mine for a metal one from CBS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Steve The expansion tank you have should have this cap fitted. The cap shown in your photo is for the older style 'pastie' shaped expansion tank. I would fit this type of cap and re-test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Mark, not strictly true - the MG we had used the same cap as in the pic and on my car with the 'pastie' header tank, despite the newer rounder tank being fitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Rimmer Bros... Or Caterpiller do the mg x power spares (or they did). Try getting hold of Roger Needham and see he can help... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Mav I have never seen that cap used on one of those expansion tanks and still recommend that Steve starts by fitting the cap in my link as they are far more reliable than the earlier type plus significantly cheaper than a new expansion tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Mmm having thought about it I am not sure the later cap will fit that tank as from memory the diameter is different in which case I would change both. No longer have the R500 K so unable to measure the cap internal diameter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 When this happens to me I usually change the headgasket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Monster Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 FWIW my coolant tank developed a leak around the horizontal joint at the start of this year& I had coolant splatter exactly like you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blokko Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 James, I'll check out the tee in the morning. Mark, Mav - the cap currently on the car matches what was fitted prior to my ownership and is also identical to an old one that I took off my previous 7 (of the same vintage, with the same expansion bottle fitted). Going to try to get a new bottle tomorrow if I can. I'll also ring around some local garages to see if I can get either the hydrocarbon 'sniffer test' or a full compression test. Hopefully I'll have the same problem as experienced by Phil ...... Edited by - Blokko on 8 Jun 2014 21:40:28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blokko Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 So, the saga continues 😔 Replaced the expansion tank and cap. Then drove to a garage for a precautionary hydrocarbon sniffer test and cylinder compression test. Unfortunately on the way I was able to get the splash of liquid on my windscreen (more on that shortly). The good news to come out of today is that neither the sniffer test or the compression test showed up anything to be worried about - but we are still left with the problem of where this liquid is coming from and why the coolant system does not seem to be running under much pressure (I can take the cap off the expansion bottle with only the slightest hiss from the expansion bottle as I do so). I only seem to be able to get the liquid splash on aggressive hard right turns. I'm wondering whether Mav was right all along and I just misunderstood what he was telling me (that liquid is coming out of the windscreen wiper nozzle rather than the bottle in the engine bay, which was my original interpretation of what he said). That said, if the water IS coming from the windscreen washer nozzle, that doesn't explain the lack of pressure in the coolant bottle. Need to crack on with some work now but planning to cover and tape all of the joints in the coolant system with blue garage shop towels and go out for a run tonight to see if I can source where the liquid is coming from...... Where the small hose goes from the expansion bottle back into the block there is a non return valve on a ball bearing / spring arrangement. If this is sticking, could that be responsible for the lack of pressure? Is there any way of lubricating this in situ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blokko Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 Well, not 100% sure but hoping I've got to the bottom of this. To cut a long story short, I now think that the splashes on the windscreen are coming from the screen washer nozzle (as suggested by Mav). The expansion bottle wasn't pressurising correctly originally because of a duff cap. Now that I've fitted the new bottle (and the updated cap as Mark mentioned earlier (which is a different diameter by the way)) AND (crucially) I've freed up the non-return valve between the expansion bottle and the block it now appears that the silicone hoses are 'stiffer', that the water level in the expansion bottle is remaining static and that the hose between the expansion bottle and the block is now warm (where previously I'm sure it wasn't). The main thing is that temperatures are steady / within the expected range and two tests for HGF have come back negative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Over the years I've noticed a definite spray from the washer nozzles when I accelerate hard if the bottle is fairly full so I'd confirm that is a possible source of your splashes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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