SkydiveMacca Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I have a couple of coolant related questions... 1) How do I check the coolant level, and how do I top it up if required? (it's certainly not like some of my old VAG cars) 2) When I turn the car off after a good run, it tends to start gurgling a bit while it cools down - is this normal / ok? Temp needle site exactly where it should, so just trying to make sure all is well. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 You can check the coolant on the expansion tank bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkydiveMacca Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 So is there a level marker there? Would I top it up in to the expansion bottle? Side question, am I right in thinking you work for the mighty Bauer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gpro Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 open the radiator cap fill it with water to the top and close the cap. DONE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Correct, that be me. I think I may have just twigged who you are, too. There's a level marker on there if your car still has the bottle, which many don't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gpro Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 You can check the coolant on the expansion tank bottle. Thats incorrect. The expansion tank is when theirs to much pressure in the radiator it leaks water in the expansion tank. It does not draw water from here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Thats incorrect. The expansion tank is when theirs to much pressure in the radiator it leaks water in the expansion tank. It does not draw water from hereNo, but you can still check the coolant level from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattdavies Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 My guess is the radiator cap needs replacing ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gpro Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) No, but you can still check the coolant level from there. thats a new one. how? no offence but if my radiator was empty and i kept topping up the expansion bottle it would have blown up by now Edited September 30, 2013 by Gpro (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gpro Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I have a couple of coolant related questions... 1) How do I check the coolant level, and how do I top it up if required? (it's certainly not like some of my old VAG cars) 2) When I turn the car off after a good run, it tends to start gurgling a bit while it cools down - is this normal / ok? Temp needle site exactly where it should, so just trying to make sure all is well. Thanks just to add is worth bleeding the system take of radiator cap when engine is cold. fill it with water, turn the engine on and heating on full blast. but keep radiator cap off for about 5 mins and keep topping it up if it needs it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 (edited) Oh dear The expansion tank should be between the min & max level, the coolant is forced out of the system when it gets hot (higher pressure) and drawn back into the system as it cools (lower pressure) Replace your rad cap for a stock o/e one would be the first thing i'd do Don't use tap water to fill the coolant system, use coolant (Ethylene glycol based) Coolred or Forlife from Toyota Edited September 30, 2013 by Dnk (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkydiveMacca Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Correct, that be me. I think I may have just twigged who you are, too. Macca - I used to work on CAR and Max Power. Had a Scooby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gpro Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Oh dear The expansion tank should be between the min & max level, the coolant is forced out of the system when it gets hot (higher pressure) and drawn back into the system as it cools (lower pressure) Replace your rad cap for a stock o/e one would be the first thing i'd do Don't use tap water to fill the coolant system, use coolant (Ethylene glycol based) Coolred or Forlife from Toyota you learn something new everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Macca - I used to work on CAR and Max Power. Had a Scooby Thought so - as you can tell, I used to have a Supra! Got a money-draining race car these days though. Will have another Supe one day. As above - the expansion tank will tell you what's going on with your cooling system. The cheapest and easiest way to start your diagnostic is to get a new Toyota rad cap. They're known to fail. Just don't get an uprated one as they often lead to further issues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Thought so - as you can tell, I used to have a Supra! Got a money-draining race car these days though. Will have another Supe one day. As above - the expansion tank will tell you what's going on with your cooling system. The cheapest and easiest way to start your diagnostic is to get a new Toyota rad cap. They're known to fail. Just don't get an uprated one as they often lead to further issues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkydiveMacca Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Off to Toyota I shall go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattdavies Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I got mine from Halfords (radiator cap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben-san Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Macca - good to hear from you just now and that you're enjoying the car so much. Just a thought to add to this - a 'gurgling' can come from the charcoal canister to the N/S/R of the engine bay. DNK is right on the money with regards to the expansion tank - as the engine gets hot, the coolant 'expands' into the tank, then when cooling down, it's drawn back in. The rad is OEM, as is the rad cap - and is only a few years old. HTH, B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 If the system has air in it it will boil much more easily so this could be your problem, if its not the rad cap then it could have a leak somewhere which will let coolant out but also as it cools let air in. Get the system pressure tested which is easy for a decent garage to do and a sniff test on the coolant to check for exhaust gases, also easy and cheap to do. The pressure testing is in the coolant pdf page CO-18CO.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 open the radiator cap fill it with water to the top and close the cap. DONE Thats incorrect. The expansion tank is when theirs to much pressure in the radiator it leaks water in the expansion tank. It does not draw water from here thats a new one. how? no offence but if my radiator was empty and i kept topping up the expansion bottle it would have blown up by now Wow And all said with such forceful conviction. you learn something new everyday Eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Wow And all said with such forceful conviction. Eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Wow And all said with such forceful conviction. Eventually. I'd facepalm but I can't do it justice as I only have two hands and one face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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