XR8 220 Cooling system

[SSD-85]

Good evening all,

Theres just one question id like to ask, how do I tell if my thermostat or water pump are on their way out?

And is there any reason why my coolant would overflow out of my reservoir to the point of being too low? And it's not impossible because i witnessed it today, I had to top it up after flushing it only 3 weeks ago. There is absolutely no leaking of any kind.

[Whoosha]

If your car is not over heating it would be a fair chance that the radiator cap is faulty on the other hand if it is over heating it could be head gasket / thermostat ext.

[SSD-85]

The car is not overheating, not even battering an eyelid. But the coolant was flowing out the overflow pipe, not the cap (unless that's what youre talking about hehe). I took the cap off the reservoir and observed the coolant for at least 10mins while the car was running, the most it did was vibrate from the engine, is that normal? I was expecting it to rise up out of the top....

Funnily enough after topping it up the temp gauge does not move between the N and the O as often...

[jeffb]

The coolant has to squeeze past the cap to get out the overflow, sounds like a faulty radiator cap - thats the first thing to change anyway.

[blownv8au]

try a new radiator cap. had the same problem, old cap can't hold pressure water bypasses out of overflow hose. cap under $20 give it a try cheap place to start eliminating things.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Scotty85

The car is not overheating, not even battering an eyelid. But the coolant was flowing out the overflow pipe, not the cap (unless that's what youre talking about hehe). I took the cap off the reservoir and observed the coolant for at least 10mins while the car was running, the most it did was vibrate from the engine, is that normal? I was expecting it to rise up out of the top....

Funnily enough after topping it up the temp gauge does not move between the N and the O as often...

Whoosha meant that if the cap is buggered the fluid will flow out of the overflow pipe (not enough cap pressure to keep it in)

Other than that it could be an air lock in the system after you flushed it.

[SSD-85]

Okey dokey, first order of business tomorrow will be a new cap . I'm just glad it's not something disastrous like the T/stat or the pump. The reason this brought on concern was that I just changed the coolant myself, as it had an abysmal 4L of muddy (rusty) water in it. I thought I screwed up or was too late, interestingly it never overheated whilst in that state either...

Which reminds me, the bottom radiator hose has an odd hose clamp that seems to be some sort of Ford specific clamp, will I have to chop up the old hose to get it off or is there a another way?

[blownv8au]

i think i have run into that clamp, find the start or somewhere where you can get a flat screwdriver in between clamp itself and pry it apart if you can.

[jeffb]

if it still has a factory clamp on it, then there will be a "cap" on the part where you would normaly undo it with a screw driver. You will need to get a pair of pliers/multigraps, grab hold of the small cap and pull it off, then you can undo it like you normally would with a screwdriver or small socket.

[SSD-85]

Ah ok, now if I could get my hands down there....haha. But seriously, these hoses are getting old, so I should consider replacing them soon. I suppose this is all expected of a car thats done over 170k

[SSD-85]

Just so I'm not going around the bend thinking about it, 3 things:

1: Signs of T/stat going

2: Signs of Pump going

3: Signs of air pocket

[amiers]

if you have rusty water be very careful its not the auto cooler inside the radiator. i had that and she went and it cost me 2 grand for a new gearbox.

DO NOT TAKE A RISK WITH THIS.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. i have been bitten

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by amiers

if you have rusty water be very careful its not the auto cooler inside the radiator. i had that and she went and it cost me 2 grand for a new gearbox.

DO NOT TAKE A RISK WITH THIS.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. i have been bitten

I've got cast iron heads, it's normal. Just this case was to an extent indicating it hadnt been changed for a long time.

[Whoosha]

Trust me rusty water in a late model car is not NORMAL more like a sign that the cooling system is neglected as it should have a coolant /additive in the water to prevent it, I would start again with a good flush out, a new radiator cap and refill with the correct coolant, then if your still havening problems move on to the next step, thermostat water pump ext.

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by Whoosha

Trust me rusty water in a late model car is not NORMAL more like a sign that the cooling system is neglected as it should have a coolant /additive in the water to prevent it, I would start again with a good flush out, a new radiator cap and refill with the correct coolant, then if your still havening problems move on to the next step, thermostat water pump ext.

I agree it's not normal to have rusty water BUT it is normal for the water to get rusty if it has not been maintained. It was a company car previous to me buying it and it was simply sent to a mechanic for its services, it was just unfortunate that the mechanic was, well, incompetent to say the least. It no longer has rusty water in it after i have changed it, and has not ever since. Also I drove it all day today without a problem, it seems apparent that I simply did not put the cap on properly the last time i checked it. :

[Andy XR8]

my brother and i have both had the same problem, but its only happened when we've dropped the coolant then topped it back up again, start the car and cooling system doesn't build pressure and the temp gauge doesn't move at all, (it happened to me first then my brother had the same problem), i thought i'd done something wrong so i turned the car off and as soon as it stopped coolant came pooring out the over flow and that really worried me and i didn't know what to do so i just topped it back up again and started the car again and it built pressure and it was fine, for some reason the coolant didn't go through the system the first time not sure why and my brother's a mechanic and it had him stuffed as well.
i don't know if it's something to do with the self bleeding system on them or something.

[David Hough]

I have the same experience as you described with an AU II XR8 220kw motor.
Fitted a Parnell duel fuel system 12 months ago and had no problems until recently when the engine overheats on a hot day with A/C on. Only way to get temp down again is to turn A/C off. Have replaced thermostat. About to have a look at the water pump. New radiator fitted two years ago. Anyone got any ideas where to next. Thermal fans seem perfect and airflow paths are all clear.

[urbancowboy]

If your car is missing the lower deflector it will run hotter, mine doesnt have one i noticed last week when i serviced it, and im getting one in the next few weeks,
the deflector forces the air to flow properly through the front bumper and go through the radiator before diverting under the car, thus improving airflow through the radiator, helping cooling, and it cant do anyharm for reducing front end lift either!