Need help in identifying this leak.

[zinc2000]

reading all the above posts I agree that airlocks are a pain, one problem with the Puma is the number of relatively small bore hoses in the system.
Not sure if this would work with the Puma or not but on older engines we used to clear airlocks by taking expansion cap off, turning heater on full and then driving the car for 30 mins or so, enough to heat it up and get the water circulating, with the cap off the system does not pressurise so takes longer to heat up but may work.

 

[ia0196]

Cheers! Will try that today!

 

[Frank]

[post]367243[/post] UPDATE: I'm getting tired of dealing with the airlocks by squeezing the radiator hose since it seems to go away and then randomly come back so I'm wondering if there is any quick process on taking air off the system?

Yeah, back in the day, we used to clear air locks in a few hours. Roughly the same idea as zinc above - depressurise the system to give the airlocks a good old pressure differential reason to move and go. Replace the coolant cap with 4 layers of aluminium foil and clamp it in place around the neck with some stripped out copper wire from some 2.5mm ring circuit house wiring (these days you use a cable tie) Then you put a needle hole (no larger) through the foil and go for a drive with the heater set to max.

The foil stops the water leaping out and the needle hole means the air in the coolant tank is the same pressure as the exterior (1 bar) and so as the pressure of the water/air in the system increases, the air-locks now see a reason (equilibrium) to depart via the coolant tank. Stop every 10 minutes and check it, keep watching the temp gauge like a hawk and carry tools and water.

Despite what the handbooks tell you, modern engines are not so very different to those in the past and still have to obey the laws of physics.

 

[zinc2000]

cheers Frank, I had forgotten about the foil with the pin hole and like you say modern engines are in reality much the same as older ones, just with added electronic nonsense strapped to them

 

[ia0196]

Did what you guys suggested, used the aluminium foil method, the temp guage still increases. Took it for a cruise, noticed that at 1300-3000 rpm is roughly when the temperature rises. When I rev it beyond 3000, that's when the temperature drops. This is really getting on my nerves.

Any thoughts,suggestions on what to do next?

Should I commute with the aluminium foil on as a cap till all the air is gone?

 

[Frank]

[post]367254[/post] Should I commute with the aluminium foil on as a cap till all the air is gone?

No. It's a good technique, but it's one where you have to keep an eye on things all the time and be able to pull over almost immediately, if required. That is just not possible when commuting.

The reason you need to be watchful is this - we all know the boiling point of water is 100*C, right? Except that it's not, it is only that at sea level. Increase the pressure on the water and you increase its boiling point.

Car makers use this fact to allow engines to get pretty warm for performance and efficiency/economy and your 'normal' coolant temp. may well be 105*C or so and that's OK because the coolant system is pressurised.

The foil and pinhole introduces atmospheric pressure to that system and thus the water will indeed boil at 100*C ....which is not a good thing. That's why all hell lets loose when (they only do it once) someone pulls over and quickly removes the coolant/radiator cap - the water in the system instantly boils over.

You'll get there, but save the foil and pinhole stuff for the evenings when you can keep a close eye on things and maintain that balance of the hot water/coolant not getting too hot..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_cooking

 

[ia0196]

All right cheers for all the advice, I guess I'll just have to get used to the temperature gauge dancing up and down during commutes then.

 

[ia0196]

MAJOR UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your help, the car runs like normal now, no more air lock issues!!!

THANK YOU EVERYONE! :grin: k:

 

[zinc2000]

:thumbs: :thumbs:

 

[Frank]

[post]367337[/post] MAJOR UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your help, the car runs like normal now, no more air lock issues!!!

Thanks for letting us know. It's always good to get 'feedback' on how things worked out.