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"HELP" Using coolant !!!!

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ross.johnson

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My s15 spec- R seams to be using coolant alot. I filled up the overflow tank behind the passenger headlight on saturday and now (on Monday) It is boan dry!! Can anyone help with what could be the problem please :thumbs:
 

craig8585

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Have you got an aftermarket rad? If so this could be the reason why it's empty. Theres no need to worry as long as your rad is still full (when you take the rad cap off it should be brimming).
 
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ross.johnson

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No i have standard rad! I have a uprated bigger turbo (380 BHP turbo) standard engine not been mapped yet. I have a big front mount intercooler as well. My car has never used water like this befor so why now???
 
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ross.johnson

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Well i have noticed drop marks on the road where i park but they look like dark patches on the floor. if i'm leaking coolant will it mark the floor?
 

craig8585

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You'll have to get your head under and have a look where it's coming from. It's likely to be a split in one of the coolant lines for the turbo.
 

LuPix_S15

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Yep I never touch the overflow tank... it's a friggin' mystery to me as I've topped up coolant full and the overflow can be down to MIN by the next day after a drive :wack:

Get the rad cap off and fill it up to the brim. Then double check to see if it's doing it again after a few drives etc.


If you're seeing a puddle under the car esp after leaving it a few hours it means it's been dripping constantly so you deffo have a leak and as Craig says most like somewhere on the turbo/block coolant lines which are rubbish as they're solid and prone to cracking :( You should see lots of coloured stains around the leak as long as you have proper premix (which from Halfords is pink lol)...
 
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If you find no leaks also check to make sure that you have bled your cooling system properly via the bleed screw on the water neck to the passenger side of the car. Top up the radiator with the coolant until all the bubles are out the bleed hole and a constant flow of coolant is coming out. At that point cover the bleed hole and top up and leave the rad cover off and startup. Allow for the car to warm up and top up when necessary and once up to operating temperature cover the radiator. Same time ensure you are seeing water swirling in the radiator indicating that the water pump too is functioning properly. Remember air left in the cooling system can cause an engine to overheat very easily and warp a once proper aluminum head.
 

craig8585

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Yep I never touch the overflow tank... it's a friggin' mystery to me as I've topped up coolant full and the overflow can be down to MIN by the next day after a drive :wack:
I think this is because the aftermarket rads have a greater capacity than the OEM one, so when it all gets hot there is a lot more expansion, so the water leaks out of the overflow on the expansion tank. When it all cools down the tank appears empty due to it's minute capacity in comparison to your aftermarket rad. Solution to this would be a larger capacity expansion tank. :)
 

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Thanks for clearing that up Craig :)

I love bleeding the system... my technique is to take out the bleed screw, fill up full with coolant via the rad, then proceed to blow as much constant air as I can via the rad opening - yes get your lips nice and sealed inside the filler neck (prefably with someone pinching the overflow tube)... once coolant starts coming out of the bleed screw then quickly thread it back on.

Best bit is if you blow too hard once the bleed screw is back on you get a mouth full of coolant... oh yes I've done that :wack:
 
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ross.johnson

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Ok thanks guy's. One thing though i don't have an aftermarket rad. It's the standard rad! :thumbs:
 
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ross.johnson

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I have taken a look at the floor outside my house where i park my car. It's more like little patches of something dripping. But as i said i'm going through coolant!! Dose coolant make a mark on the floor? I'f any of my coolant lines/ Hoses are cracked and i need new ones, can i get uprated ones? Braded etc.... Anyone?? :thumbs:
 

DeanS15

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you can get a full set of braided turbo lines if its these that are cracked.....it's a turbo off job though so you'll need genuine turbo gaskets too.
you need one of each coolant lines and the oil line while you are there. see here or alternatives can be bought from hose solutions/hel performance. don't forget to anneal the old washers before re-assembly ;)

as for little drip marks - the air con drain drips a small amount of condensate in a patch if its been on.....if you can see no actual leaks, check your radiator level as people have said. if this is full when cold then you needn't worry, only the rad must be full. the expansion tank is exactly that, for the water to spill into when hot and be drawn back from when cold. as long as its over the minimum when cold, then you are ok. if you keep filling up the expansion tank, it will continue to reject water when it gets hot.......hope this makes sense :) get the car hot, turn off and then have a good look, if there is a leak it should be much more apparent when the system is hot and pressurised. good luck with it.
 
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ross.johnson

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Thats a really good peace of info so thanks Dean :) :thumbs:

You could'nt help me with a noise i'm hearing from my ECU can you? :thumbs:
 

DeanS15

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Thats a really good peace of info so thanks Dean :) :thumbs:

You could'nt help me with a noise i'm hearing from my ECU can you? :thumbs:
mmmm, afraid not mate, maybe someone else can. sounds strange, its not a normal thing lol....
 
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ross.johnson

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It's like a clicking noise. It's only happend since i fitted my AVC-R boost controler. I wired it myself but used wireing diagrams off the internet and made shure they were wired to the right wires/ places. Boost set to 1.00 (1 bar) and Duty @ 50%

I wired it to the wireing harness to the ECU. Could it be sparking? :thumbs:
 

craig8585

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Boost controller solenoids often tick, but they are normally mounted in the engine bay..?
 

DeanS15

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i dont know but it doesnt sound right, i'd re-check everything - i take it its got a pickup for rpm etc from the ecu pinouts - definitely worth double checking everything.....you sure its not the solenoid for the boost controller? these can click and if they are bolted to the inner wing on the passenger side. normally mounting them using an insulator cures it.
 

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Dose coolant make a mark on the floor? I'f any of my coolant lines/ Hoses are cracked and i need new ones, can i get uprated ones?
As I've already pointed out in my earlier reply coolant will mark/stain/puddle the ground if it's leaking and constantly dripping! And if your coolant needs topping up all the time within days then yes, it is leaking :wack:

I've also gone through all whole load of detailed info on getting braided lines from Hose Solutions on another recent thread and the fact that you should change the copper washers because not doing so and re-using them will only lead to more leaks in the long run (in my experience even with annealing) ;)
 
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