WingleBeast

iTrader: (1)

So I just had a shop put a new 12a into my mint 84 GSL. On my way home (about 15 min) the temp gauge skyrocketed about a mile from home. I pretty much coasted home but by the time i pulled in we are talking about 3/4 on the temp gauge, but no buzzers. I let the car idle hoping the radiator and fan would do its job. Popped the hood; no leaks, fan running, no bubbles in overflow tank.

I parked in the shade, and as soon as I turn it off POP! the overflow top burst and a bunch of steam was flying out of the siphon. After freaking out and searching on here while the car cooled down I went back to the car and turned it back on; no starting issues, no coolant in oil, no white smoke during revving or vacuum.

I took the radiator cap off and watched the flow, a few burps (they probably didn't do it when replacing the engine) but no soda pop bubbling, even while revving, just hard fast flow. The only thing I could see is some black thick gasket sealant chilling in the rad cap area. Is it possible this stuck the spring allowing my system to lose pressure and overheat?

I can't really think of any other option right now.

wankel=awesome

Might find out where this "new" 12a came from, sounds like water seals.


Of course thats assuming your "mint" gsl has a mint radiator too.

Kentetsu

Return it to the shop immediately and report the situation. They may be responsible, and deserve the opportunity to check it out before you possibly overheat and destroy the engine.



.

Qingdao

iTrader: (3)

Clean radiator fluid? or dirty with rust splotches?


But yeah take that thing back and tell the shop the deal.

WingleBeast

iTrader: (1)

the block is a reman, all accessories came off the old block, that I blew when the oil line burst. I'm worried that the shop was liberal with gasket sealant and its clogging all sorts of crap right now including the radiator.

I'm unsure on how you think it's water seals if the fluid isn't bubbling, it's not burning coolant, no power loss, or oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil.

Honestly I would prefer to not take it back to the shop, I feel like they will only take more money from my pocket without fixing any situation.

The coolant isn't too dirty but definitely not as clean as it should be. But pretty understandable for an engine that hasn't been running for a few months after a rebuild.

should removing the radiator and thermostat be my next step? If the coolant is flowing through the radiator mean the water pump is ok?

wankel=awesome

I didn't say that it was for sure seals, but the cap popping off the overflow is a common symptom of it.


I had a similar issue with my SE a month ago, which turned out to be a radiator/fan issue. But I never had more pressure in the system than what it generates normally.

xXGslseSleeperXx

i highly doubt its your water seals, you would burning coolant like you say if it were the water seals were real bad and you can even make sure its not the other way around( they sell test strips for checking combustion leaks into cooling systems) but thats not your problem as you know. your overflow did that because it got way too hot and that happends normally when you over heat! check that they didnt put the damn thermostast backwards! also check your pump and belt but im sure thats ok too. also if they dont fully burp the system it will over heat so make sure theres no air in there, you can vaccum it out with a hand pump and fitting.

WingleBeast

iTrader: (1)

Will the system burp itself after a few drive cycles? I've noticed it has taken a few big gulps of coolant when I was troubleshooting. I think if it keeps getting hinting at getting hot I will pull the rad and thermostat to core and replace. The car did sit for a year with a dead motor.

xXGslseSleeperXx

and do do a flush even if it is with a garden hose to get all the **** out then refill with soft water and coolant. never had a pump fail on a seven but on other cars they usually whine and leak thru a pellet designed to do that when they do go bad!

xXGslseSleeperXx

yes it eventially will as air rises to the top but the thermostat has to be open so this means as you say(a few drive cycles) also if it were apart, you can put a nice size asprin tablet in the thermostat to hold it open to burp the system, the asprin will desolve and the system will be air free( and dont worry asprin wont hurt the engine!lol)

xXGslseSleeperXx

if the radiator took big gulps you mean! than it is not clogged! could be just a lil to make it enuf to over heat but a flush will take care of that. look for BIG pieces of **** in there and that will send you in the right direction! you shuld see the coolant circulating at operating temp just before it builds pressure! feel the hose, you can feel water moving thru them. but im sure it just needed a burp!

DivinDriver

iTrader: (15)

Gotta chime in on this, because it's not always true.

Whether or not you 'burn' coolant with a bad coolant seal depends completely upon where on the circumference of the rotor housing the seal is bad.

Unlike piston engines where the head seal around the cylinder has to deal with all four strokes (intake, compression, power, exhaust) in the cycle, the water seals on a rotary don't.
The water seals along the top right side of the housing, from the intake to the top of the housing for example, only ever deal with the intake stroke of the cycle - - that part of the seal is never exposed to compression or combustion pressures or temperatures. That's why this area is where the seams in the water seals are supposed to be placed when rebuilding an engine; it's the least-stressed part of the seal.

If the water seal fails in the part of the housing that sees vacuum during intake, water will be far more likely to enter the combustion chamber when the engine's running. If the failure is in the power-stroke part of the rotation, you'll almost never get water in the rotor chamber when the engine's running, but you will get serious overpressure in the waterjacket because combustion gasses are blowing by the seal.

Not saying for sure what the case is here (this could just be a matter of too much trapped air not bled out, and a bad/old rad cap), but the idea that you have to smell burnt coolant out the exhuast if you have a bad coolant seal is just not right.

WingleBeast

iTrader: (1)

yeah, with a fresh install I am hoping it is just a lot of air in the system that prevented the system from building pressure. Ill keep a close eye on it and replace the thermostat just to make sure. And I know there are crazy circumstances, but I think with the lack of coolant burning, powerless, or bubbles in the coolant my seals should be OK.

DivinDriver

iTrader: (15)

Did you replace the rad cap at the same time?

xXGslseSleeperXx

absolutely true! but it would burn coolant under vacuum which he said its not. a pressure tester would remove all doubt! but i have had hairline fractures barely seeable with magnafluxing and they will still burn a bit of coolant wich is notably visible. and like i said above. test strips for all other parts of housing

xXGslseSleeperXx

yes if it is a reputable shop i would not worry about seal trouble but if you want to be sure they do rent hand pump and compressor pump style testers that replace your cap to check leaks but i highly doubt this is your problem!

WingleBeast

iTrader: (1)

just put a big funnel in the radiator and filled it with coolant. I let the engine warm up and revved the engine. I got a few big bubbles but the coolant level went down. When I continued to rev the level would gush up, but no air or bubbles. seems to rule out seals, but if its is gushing up like that maybe my radiator isn't flowing well.

xXGslseSleeperXx

that will sometimes happen when burping! turn your heater on to remove air from there too as it has probably lost coolant during the swap also park the car in a driveway with the nose pointing up to help with the bleeding

xXGslseSleeperXx

or vacuum pump will easily help with this, and to make sure the cap is good as it can suck in air and make the problem persist. you will be going around in circles

WingleBeast

iTrader: (1)

took it out again, still getting too hot, but not in danger of overheating, turning on the heater really helps, so that means the pump is moving coolant around. I bought a new thermostat and radiator cap. If its not a half stuck thermostat its got to be the radiator. So i hope this fixes it.

Twilightoptics

iTrader: (1)

How about a failed fan?

andernamen

iTrader: (2)

Is it the original radiator? Have you had it flushed and pressure tested? With a newly built motor I think it would have been worthwhile to have the radiator checked.

WingleBeast

iTrader: (1)

fan is fine. The radiator was fine a year ago with the old motor. but sitting for a year it might have clogged up. I was away for a year due to army obligations. I just needed this new motor put in ASAP so I can take it back home next week; really wasn't going to pay someone to go through the whole nine yards on a rotary engine install that needed to be done quickly. Like I said I had full confidence in the parts from the old setup.

Qingdao

iTrader: (3)

Dumb question, but does running your heater core help sink heat from the motor?

Garden hose radiator test would tell a lot.


My 13B motor blew a coolent seal around the exhaust portion of the housing. I didn't notice any power reduction or water on a plug or anything; just a loss of coolent. If you did blow a seal seems like this would be the area it happend.

xXGslseSleeperXx

these radiators are usually pretty good in not clogging but they do have a tendency to leak. hope its just your thermostat! n you still might have a little air trapped inside. warming it up then letting cool down with the nose up will help this but make sure the cap is good tho! also check to see the car is runnin optimal and that timming is correct as this can make them runn a bit hotter. its always cheaper to find a hand vacuum pump than it is a radiator! just keep an eye on your temp gauge and have a safe trip home!