Well, this has started about a week ago.
My car would puke up coolant from the overflow after I turn it off and leave. I would come back to a nice green puddle.

I am hoping it's because of the heat.It's over 100 almost every day now.

But I am thinking it's a coolant seal. Today I filled it up and drove to work. When I went to lunch it didn't show signs of coolant but did pop up the damn coolant light for a few seconds.

Anyone know how long I might be able top drive this?
My drive to work is 32 miles one way.

How much could I get for my 88 GTU with 94k orig mile with a bad seal(assume wont crank).
It's got perfect interior and minor dings on exterior with chips on hood.

It's Black with grey interior.

Also recommendations on reliable cars which are good?like is a Eagle talon GSX reliable or same boat?
I don't want a honda and I only have around 3k to spend.

I'd like to get a new car so I don't have to worry but I don't have credit.

Please gimme input. I figure I have a month before I have to drive my POS 88 SE.

 

go to a shop and see if they will do a free Co2 test in your coolant system. Tell them you think you have a "head gasket" problem, they should do it for free or cheap. If it turns out you are getting Co2 in the coolant then yes you have a coolant problem. How is your thermostat doing? it maybe closing and causing you to overpressureize your system. Is it over heating any? Get back to us on this my man. I know how bad it sucks to have a coolant seal problem, heh.

Worse comes to worse i would either take the motor out of the SE and put it in the GTU, or use that 3 grand to get a NICE TII swap in that car. Rebuilt motor, TII harness and ECU, and TII hood and use the N/A driveline and take it easy, install a boost gauge. I think you could do it, talk to Kevin Landers at www.rotaryressurection.com about a TII swap minus transmission-back. He's a great guy with tons of support. Good luck

 

first sign that the coolant seals are going bad is when
you see white out the exhaust, and the warning buzzer
comes on when you are driving the car,,, if it is pushing
out coolant only after the car is parked would suggest
that the overflow is over filled.
have you ever noticed if you turn off your car for say
3 mins after a long drive then restart it the temp gauge is
way up? its during this time when coolant gets pushed out.
when the motor stops the coolant is no longer circulating,
the coolant gets heater more than when it was when it was running
and it has to expand out to somewhere, and if the overflow is
full it gets pushed out onto the ground.

matt

 

Well The 3 grand will be after selling my cars and getting a tax refund.
I'm broke.

I'm pretty sure it's the seals. It doesn't over heat that much. When It's 102 outside and I'm on the highway it's about 1/3 to 1/2 the way up the gauge and when I'm taking it easy it goes to 1/4.

There is no smoke and it doesn't smell sweet. As for the overflow being over filled. It half full this morning. I keep checking it.Seeing if is gonna dump.

The thermostat is only a couple months old and I did a boiling test a few weeks ago and it passed.

When I went to lunch the light came on but it may have been due to there still being air in the system. I tried to burp it quick this morning as i filled it up.

Also It does not seem to be sucking the coolant back into the system so it seems like its a seal.


As for swapping the Se in there. It's got 152k on the engine. No way am I going through the hassle for and engine that is barely living. My GTU is faster so this one seems to be healthier even though it's got cancer.

I'd love to do a TII swap but I need a daily driver and a RELIABLE engine. A Jspec wouldnt be good(All I could afford). Besides if I were going to do it. I wouldn't do it half assed. Getting a TII would be cheaper and easier.

 

I don't know a whole lot about rotaries and their cooling systems, but I do know that the first sign of any cooling problem on ANY car is white smoke coming out of the exhaust. It may just be overfilled.

 

What brand thermostat did you put in it?

If it wasnt a Mazda, go get one and put it in.. ALWAYS ALWAYS put mazda-branded thermostats in rotaries..

If that isnt it, check for a collapsed hose.. if a hose is collapsing after the car is turned off, it'll do the same thing...

also when you're burping the cooling system, make sure to have the heater on hot and the fan on high.

Let us know man
Dan

 

Yeah it's OEM thermostat.

Haven't thought of collapsed hoses. Hopefully that's all.

I haven't done it with the heater on. When I leave work I'll fill it up.

 

OK, I have good and bad news.
The great news so far is that it isn't the seals.

Bad new is that ther's a hole in the radiator somewhere.

Found it while I was at the gas station.
Kept hearing a ticking and it was a slow drip from the middle of the under skirts.

Took em off and followed the stream. I was so relieved when it didn't come from the engine. It was coming from somewhere in the middle of the radiator.

So i am happy to buy a new radiator instead of new car.
Figuring maybe Koyo or Fluidyne.
Or some ebay one. Which ever I can get within a few days.

 

always nice to hear that, another pre 100k mile rotary was saved!