Coolant loss and mayo on oil filler cap

[chrissyboy]

Originally Posted by Steve916

I have also checked oil level. Hasn't risen. Normal colour. The smell when I open the oil filler cap is of hot oil, not coolant.

i would drain the coolant and refill and bleed checkall clips to hoses make sure there isnt a tiny split near the clip that opens when car is running. i would then check level on with engine cold so that you will then get the right reading .it may be that you got alittle too much in there that is getting puhed out through the cap and to get the right level ad your just topping it back up (too much) every couple of weeks .your car sounds like it is running as it should temp wise .no signs of hgf no overhearting ,no running on of the fan when the car is turned off,no oil/ water mixing .when driving the temp is being kept in the lower 90`s and when in traffic it is rising to the higher end ,all of which is what would be expected to happen .
forgot to mention the noise at start up .properly a tappet taking its time to fill with oil .you could add some lubicant flush and run car for a while and drian out and refill with new oil and a new oil filter .

[Parker]

Sounds good . Paranoia now though as you look for every degree rise in the coolant temp and every little loss of coolant, but heh that's the joy of 1.8 ownership, we've all been there

Relax and enjoy I say

[chrissyboy]

Originally Posted by Parker

Sounds good . Paranoia now though as you look for every degree rise in the coolant temp and every little loss of coolant, but heh that's the joy of 1.8 ownership, we've all been there

Relax and enjoy I say

i got mine with coolant system problems was a nightmare as one by one the hoses went , after they was all replaced and good jubilee clips in place of the old ones never lost a drop of coolant in 3 years .

[Parker]

I was OCD in checking my 1.8 and replaced and serviced all areas of concern but one day out of the blue on a trip to Weston it happened, the temp shot up to 105 degrees and my Hans gauge went into overdrive

[Steve916]

I guess I went into panic mode a bit, when I saw mayo on the cap. I'll check over every hose and clip. It's not going to beat me.
When I first got the car a year ago, I was overfilling the coolant. I learned on here the correct level. When I look in the coolant tank now, there will be no visible coolant. I top up to the correct level, at the bottom of the fins, and then a few drives later, I have to top up again. I think I will take off the inlet manifold again and make sure everything is tight around there too.

[Parker]

Makes sense and fingers crossed, at least if it does fail it's not the end of the world provided you have someone who knows what they are doing carry out the repair with the correct kit, but you are not there yet and hopefully won't be

[pab]

Originally Posted by Parker

I was OCD in checking my 1.8 and replaced and serviced all areas of concern but one day out of the blue on a trip to Weston it happened, the temp shot up to 105 degrees and my Hans gauge went into overdrive

105 degrees is only the first speed of the fan territory. The IPK gauge will move up when 115 is achieved, but the second speed of the fan should have kicked in by then. At these temperatures the head is then toast.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by Steve916

When I look in the coolant tank now, there will be no visible coolant. I top up to the correct level, at the bottom of the fins, and then a few drives later, I have to top up again.

Steve,

Just a quick comment on this. My car has the original black expansion tank with two tabs mounted horizontally inside it, towards the bottom. They read 'Max' and 'Min'. They are invisible if the coolant level covers them. As you say that you can sometimes see no coolant in the tank at all, do you not have these? What does your owner's handbook say about expansion tank level?

Simon

[Steve916]

Originally Posted by SD1too

Steve,

Just a quick comment on this. My car has the original black expansion tank with two tabs mounted horizontally inside it, towards the bottom. They read 'Max' and 'Min'. They are invisible if the coolant level covers them. As you say that you can sometimes see no coolant in the tank at all, do you not have these? What does your owner's handbook say about expansion tank level?

Simon

I have the tan coloured opaque tank with the level markers at the bottom, and a coolant level sensor fitted. When the coolant disappears, I can see no coolant in tank when I view straight in the top. I can see the min and max level markers, but no coolant. It takes a coffee cup amount to bring it back to correct level.

[kaiser]

Originally Posted by pab

105 degrees is only the first speed of the fan territory. The IPK gauge will move up when 115 is achieved, but the second speed of the fan should have kicked in by then. At these temperatures the head is then toast.

No it ain't, but getting there. Otherwise all that have seen the red overheat light ever, would need new heads, and that is not the case.

Always be careful with sweeping statements, (unless you sell brooms!)

Below a link to what happened when I had water under the oil filler cap:

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...T+engine+cured

And an indication of where the water can go.

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...T+engine+cured

But in any case check the inlet manifold gasket first!