Ok here is a link to a thread about what is happening with my car.

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/86-radiator-606477/

I decided today to make a video of the car, as I took it out. The first part is just me cranking it, doesnt have any problems there. Then I show the exhaust right after cranking, it is around 30-35 degrees outside, so that is what the smoke is from, there is absolutely no sweet smell to the exhaust, car has no cats if that matters. OK, next is a video showing how when I rev up the engine, it pulls the coolant into the engine, and when I let off, it comes back up. Then is a pic of where the coolant level was in the resivoir before the drive. NExt is pic of temp at 0 miles and about 10 minutes of idle. Then is a pic of temp after 5 miles and no buzzer. Then pic of temp at 10 miles, still no buzzer. FOllowed shortly by a pic of temp after just over 11 miles, when I got home, still no buzzer. Next pic was showing that only light on is the brake where the ebrake was up. Next pic is coolant level after the 11+ miles and car was off. Then it was supposed to be a video of me spinning fan with my hand, it did about 2 rotations, then finally is me spinning water pump with my hand, it makes that sound cause it is slipping by the belt. THe video editor I use is shotty and cuts all the clips short, but you get the gist of it.

http://media.putfile.com/rx7-coolant-issue

Thanks
Chase

 

It's running? I see nothing wrong

 

That is why I put the link to the other thread. You can see where the coolant raised in the resivoir. IF I go out and drive it more, it will slowly raise up enough to set the buzzer off, but it doesnt seem to pull any back in.

 

have you moved the catch bottle?

 

No I havent moved it. I am thinking on early 86 models it was over there.

 

have you added coolant in? it might be because there's too much pressure in your cooling system

 

yeh, I have topped it off whenever the buzzer goes off. I noticed this morning, the level in the resivoir had dropped back to where it was before the drive, so it is pulling it back across when it is cool, but when it is running it isnt. I am thinking this sounds like it could be the fan. What do you people think?

 

it could be a couple of things. air in the system? too much pressure? that happened to me before, i think i burped the car and it went away, but it could be something else. when was the last time you flushed the coolant? could be like old gunk in the system plugging something.

 

I havent flushed the coolant myself since I got the car. But since that heater hose went, I have gone thru enough coolant that it has to be mostly fresh now.

 

ok, first of all the coolant surging when you rev the engine is a good sign of the waterpump health.

Second of all, the coolant tank is there for the coolant to expand: the level should be higher after the engine has run. This is normal. Don't buy an new waterpump: Yours is fine.

Third of all, you took off the airpump and the air pump belt is now missing. You shouldn't be able to turn that pully by hand. This tells me that at speed and at high cooling loads, the belt will slip on the pulley. The fan will not pull enough air and the water pump will not pump enough water. This is not your current problem, but when hot weather comes, this may destroy your engine. Do a search for 'double alternator pulley' and you will find the solution for this. Basically, you put a double pulley on the alternator and then put a short belt on that extra pulley and the empty water pump pulley. Problem fixed, disaster avoided.


You still have a leak that is preventing the coolant from returning to the engine. Check to see if there is the residue from previous leak stop in the overflow tank and in the cooling sysem. This residue can block the return of the coolant. Also, check under the cap. Carefully pry up the little disk in the middle and look for stop leak residue. If it is there, you can clean it out, but it will quickly accumulate again. You will need to flush the cooling system very, very thoroughly to remove all the remaining stop leak.

And you will still have the leak somewhere in the system. Removing the stop leak residue may help you find the leak.

 

Please don't spend money on a bunch of parts until you try this. This is how I worked out the identical problem on my 90 Vert.

Try this little science experiment. Fill the system, burp it well. Fill the overflow tank to the bottom line. Drive the car a couple of times, each time checking the overflow tank level and marking the level with a pencil and date the mark. Your goal is to track the level but do not let the level flow over the top of the overflow tank. If and when the tank is about half full, unscrew the tank and using a funnel to avoid spills, pour the tank contents carefully back into the radiator. Use your fill procedures, adding the coolant until the radiator is full. Your goal here is to find out for certain if the engine is consuming any coolant. Repeat this entire process several times.

If the engine is not consuming coolant, you should be able to recycle the coolant overflow back into the radiator each time. You should have enough coolant to completely refill the radiator. If however, you do not have enough coolant and you are sure that you have not spilled or let the overflow tank overflow, you probably have more serious problems.

You should also find out that each time you drive only a tiny amount is remaining in the tank. You will find that you may be able to drive the car 3-4 times with no trouble, no heating. Then you refill the radiator. This will help you have confidence that the rest of the cooling system is functioning as it should.

After you have done this, restart this thread and we will go to another step. PM me when you are ready.

Good luck!

 

Or If you want to try to find the leak... you can plug a screw er something to the hose connecting to the overflow... run it around then look around for the leak...

 

Them are some good ideas. I will try them out. I know that when the buzzer comes on and the car cools down, when I open the cap, it isnt low in there, it is just getting air into the radiator at the sensor. I figured out that the sensor was pretty loose, a new o-ring was put on a few months back so I will just have to drive and see how she does.
Thanks for all the help so far.
Chase

 

Yes, the sensor O-ring is a potential leak point, especially if you have been messing around with it. You should remove the new O-ring and 'lubricate' it with RTV silicone. Don't slop that stuff all around, just a thin coating all over the O-ring. Quickly replace it in the groove and replace the coolant sensor. This will assure a good seal at that spot.

Another thought: If the coolant level in the overflow continues to climb, but the radiator still appears to be full when the car cools down, that tells me that the air is being pulled back into the cooling system at a point somewhere other than the radiator.

Make sure you clean under that center disk on the rad cap.

good luck!

 

Yes.. that would be one way of finding a leak.. but if he doesn't have a big leak, he might after he does this.

I would say blocking off an expansion point is probably a bad idea.

 

hehe... I did that to find if theres any other possible leak in my coolant system after replacing bad water pump and hoses... come to find out that the radiator I ordered on line had a hole where it would only leak when the car is at normal temp... I sent it back... but those beezes is taking hella long... hehe... it is kinda risky...

 

have you tried using the air bleed plug on the radiator?

 

whats the best tool to use to open the air bleed valve? Mine is all mangled up.

 

how news your radiator cap? (sorry, if somebody else already asked, i didnt read every post.. )

 

I have bleed it with the air bleeder on the radiator a few times. I use a phillips screw driver to open the air bleeder, it works fine. My cap is only about a month old. I noticed when I got back, that there was a very faint hissing comming from the cap.

 

ok. I drove it to work yesterday. Was doing great, then when the speed limit on the highway went from 65 to 55, I was coasting down and then the buzzer came on. It went on and off until I got to work, when it stayed off while I was sitting idleing. It came on about 11 miles into my drive. I checked the resivoir and it was to the top, but not spraying out. Then when I go to leave, 5 1/2 hours later, resivoir was still at the top, cranked the car, buzzer came on, it was full at the cap, I opened the radiator bleeder and some air came out and the buzzer cut off. I drove it back home, about 12 miles when I was going down the on ramp, it started going on and off until I got home, and it was off while I was idleing. Resivoir was still at top, but wasnt spraying out. I am wondering if the buzzer going off at these times has something to do with the water raising back up when I let off the gas like in the video. IT is driving me crazy. I change the radiator in my talon in 30 minutes and has been running great, change a heater hose on the rx7 and run into a 2 month battle.

 

i have the exact same problem, pretty much to a tee.


any lucky resolving this issue yet?

 

sorry, still wrestling with it.
rx7 = 15 Chase = 0
I have found that the fan clutch seems to be bad. Once warm, it will spin very freely. Trying to decide how to fix it. I saw someone say you could drill a hole thru the clutch part and put a bolt thru it with a nut on it, but I am having a hard time figuring out where to drill the hole. I am hoping that this is the problem. I have also been told that I need a double alternator pulley and a belt around alt and water pump, that my belt could be slipping past my water pump at higher speeds. So, I am also trying to find someone who sells the double pulleys, if anyone knows, that would be nice.

 

How about you buy a coolant system pressure tester?

 

about how much they run?