I just got the car started, and the "add coolant" buzzer was on, so I shut it right back down (yeah I know..) and filled the coolant on the passenger side filler thingey.. and it took it for a little bit, then when I put another cup or so of water in, it started coming out from under the car. I only put in water (about 2 cups distilled water), and out came coolant/water mixed.

It first leaked only on the passenger side, but after a few seconds, it was leaking on the drivers side, and then that's the only side it leaked on, and was still dripping real slowly after a while.

So, I'm not sure exactly what's up, the upper radiator hose looks somewhat clean and dry, the lower was a little wet by where it was dripping. When I looked in the miniscule passageway to see the bottom of the radiator, there was a little bit of green coolant sitting on one of the fans or something, I'm not sure, about halfway up, kinda between the intercooler and the airbox.

So I'm not sure why it's doing this, is this a common problem? What should I check first? Space is at a premium in there, so as little work as possible is good.. man.. FD's..

 

The plastic end tanks are known to crack, but I'd think it's just run down the side and right off. It might go across the bottom of the rad. which would explain the dripping from both sides. But the coolant on the fin issue isn't solved by this. hmm....

 

Were you putting coolant into the overflow tank (the one with the little dipstick to check the level)?

If so, that's not where you want to add it. You want to use the coolant filler neck on the water housing:



If you overfill the overflow tank, it will kick out the excess onto the ground.

 

aaaaaaaahhhhh Daniel Son.. that could explain it.. a lot.. I'll fill it there also, and hopefully it won't overflow or leak from there (it was low in that spot also, but that might just be from the previous owner's storage plus the long trip up here).

 

I can't believe I did that.. in all the years I've worked on cars, I go and see "radiator coolant only" and think "I must fill it here.. hmm.." idiot.. not thinking that that's ALWAYS on the coolant overflow reservoir.. oh well.. what an idiot. I haven't re-started it yet, but it didn't leak when I filled it there, need to get all the air out of it somehow.

 

Start squeezing coolant tubes all over the place vigorously to get the bubbles out. I didn't do that the first time I messed with the coolant system and it was a PITA to get all of the bubbles out by starting it, shutting it down, and repeating.

 

yeah, I've been trying to do that, what a freaking pain.. I might just take it to a shop and have them flush it and fill it properly.. but that's another $50 I didn't plan on spending.

And do 3rd gens have the "cold shutdown" problem where they flood if they're not brought up to operating temperature before they're shut down, like the FB and FC's have?

 

Also, you can pull the upper coolant line into the throttle body while you are filling to let air get pushed out.

Check this thread for good burping suggestions:

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...hreadid=158855

 

Supposedly that can happen. I've only had my car flood once in the 7+ years of owning it. I've done the "backing the car out of the garage, washing it and putting it back in the garage" without letting it idle for any amount of time and never had a problem.

 

I kinda hoped so.. my '90 TurboII would never ever flood, and only time it ever did was after my father-in-law drove it, and I think he just started it and shut it back down at least once, maybe twice, I dunno..