is there such thing as coolant consumption? sometimes, perhaps 2x a year i need to add coolant as it is on 'L'. i use regular green supertech and oreilly stuff. thoughts?
coolant level lowers itself
- Thread starter zerosoma
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Evaporation, if your overflow reservoir is not pressurized?
it is possible if the radiator cap is not sealing properly and coolant is evaporating due to a lowering of its boiling point. there could be seepage around improperly sealing hoses, or at the water pump. seepage would cause a crusty whitish build-up but no visible drips anywhere.
not all your coolant is "coolant"
there is always water mix and that will evaporate eventually , specially with life of coolant.
there is always water mix and that will evaporate eventually , specially with life of coolant.
+1 Voltmaster
A lot of cars have a surge tank that isn't pressurized.
Just top it up with 50-50 mix and don't worry if you check your oil often and if the oil looks normal you're fine.
A lot of cars have a surge tank that isn't pressurized.
Just top it up with 50-50 mix and don't worry if you check your oil often and if the oil looks normal you're fine.
A small leak that will at a later time cause havoc! Sorry to say, keep an eye on it.
Almost every Taxi of every model and engine type uses a bit of water.
TX4 is well known for it as it has been in production the longest of any Taxi currently on the streets of London.
One thought is that the hose clamps used at the factory are partly to blame, they are the kind that can't be tightened up, but quick to fit in a factory setting as hey just clip in place with the right tool.
Don't know what they are cAlled but I replace them with good old fashioned ones as soon as i have reason to touch them.
And when you do replace them you get to add some "shiny" to the under inner area!
TX4 is well known for it as it has been in production the longest of any Taxi currently on the streets of London.
One thought is that the hose clamps used at the factory are partly to blame, they are the kind that can't be tightened up, but quick to fit in a factory setting as hey just clip in place with the right tool.
Don't know what they are cAlled but I replace them with good old fashioned ones as soon as i have reason to touch them.
And when you do replace them you get to add some "shiny" to the under inner area!
Originally Posted By: bigjl
Almost every Taxi of every model and engine type uses a bit of water.
TX4 is well known for it as it has been in production the longest of any Taxi currently on the streets of London.
One thought is that the hose clamps used at the factory are partly to blame, they are the kind that can't be tightened up, but quick to fit in a factory setting as hey just clip in place with the right tool.
Don't know what they are cAlled but I replace them with good old fashioned ones as soon as i have reason to touch them.
And when you do replace them you get to add some "shiny" to the under inner area!
Worm or screw clamps over here... Zeppo Marx of the Marx brothers started a business to make them for aviation purposes at the start of WWII. Gotta be careful with plastic radiator fittings, though.
Almost every Taxi of every model and engine type uses a bit of water.
TX4 is well known for it as it has been in production the longest of any Taxi currently on the streets of London.
One thought is that the hose clamps used at the factory are partly to blame, they are the kind that can't be tightened up, but quick to fit in a factory setting as hey just clip in place with the right tool.
Don't know what they are cAlled but I replace them with good old fashioned ones as soon as i have reason to touch them.
And when you do replace them you get to add some "shiny" to the under inner area!
Worm or screw clamps over here... Zeppo Marx of the Marx brothers started a business to make them for aviation purposes at the start of WWII. Gotta be careful with plastic radiator fittings, though.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
is there such thing as coolant consumption? sometimes, perhaps 2x a year i need to add coolant as it is on 'L'. i use regular green supertech and oreilly stuff. thoughts?
Wildly platform dependent. Even if you have coolant in a non-pressurized tank there still should not be any losses in most cases.
Note we run GMC Savana Vans in a severe duty cycle and many have non-pressurized overflows and use zero coolant. Most have completely intact as delivered cooling systems, cheepie clamps and all. I check them every day but almost never add anything.
If you add coolant regularly you likely have a problem you just don't know about yet.
is there such thing as coolant consumption? sometimes, perhaps 2x a year i need to add coolant as it is on 'L'. i use regular green supertech and oreilly stuff. thoughts?
Wildly platform dependent. Even if you have coolant in a non-pressurized tank there still should not be any losses in most cases.
Note we run GMC Savana Vans in a severe duty cycle and many have non-pressurized overflows and use zero coolant. Most have completely intact as delivered cooling systems, cheepie clamps and all. I check them every day but almost never add anything.
If you add coolant regularly you likely have a problem you just don't know about yet.
Most likely evaporation. Although a system may be pressurized, it will burp when pressure is exceeded and release steam and vapors into the atmosphere.
I've always ran my cooling systems unpressurized and basically exposed to the atmosphere and never experienced any significant loss over time. I add perhaps less than 8 ounces twice a year. Not significant at all....
I've always ran my cooling systems unpressurized and basically exposed to the atmosphere and never experienced any significant loss over time. I add perhaps less than 8 ounces twice a year. Not significant at all....
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Wildly platform dependent. Even if you have coolant in a non-pressurized tank there still should not be any losses in most cases.
The Chev taxis in the day with non-pressurized tanks very rarely had to be topped up. My Ford with non-pressurized tanks over the years - totally different story, and definitely platform dependent.
Wildly platform dependent. Even if you have coolant in a non-pressurized tank there still should not be any losses in most cases.
The Chev taxis in the day with non-pressurized tanks very rarely had to be topped up. My Ford with non-pressurized tanks over the years - totally different story, and definitely platform dependent.
If it were at my shop I would recommend that we pressure test it overnight and then look for any seepage or drips on the ground. It most likely will show pressure loss as I have never seeen a pressure tester not loose pressure after a few hours.
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