renedis

yes.. it's over there.

imho i don't think it's your seals.. there are no white gasses coming out of your exhaust, right?

WillT

No nothing - the exhaust is clean as anything.

I take back what i first posted then, its more likely it was dumping lots of coolant out the overflow intead of a leak. So maybe the caps is the answer. I am hoping here!

About to go get these caps so I shall report back with more info asap

Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

Quick Q: do FDs drink coolant?

I'm low (and sometimes bone dry) at the overflow tank every so often. Is this normal?

WillT

Ok more news and hopefuly more help required!

The resoviour isn't broken! It was just overflowing. It seems the car is running well, and circulating fine, but when I turn the car on, the main coolant area (with the black cap on it in my previous picture) does not have ANY water in it. So the car's "add coolant" light and sound come on.... shouldn't this always have water in it?

Any ideas why this would be draining? It seems once the car is running it takes about 10-15seconds for water to get into it, and the light and sound go off.... seems a bit strange?!

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Try this procedure:
https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...21&postcount=4

KJL Designs

One of my FD's water seals started to go and then finally went. Through out all that time, even when it got to it's worst state there were never any white exhaust gasses at all. It started off with needing abit of coolant more often than not, then the add coolant light and buzzer kept coming on, then it started dumping coolant out the overflow, then it overheated once whilst waiting at a garage. Did a complete coolant change and the car lasted a couple more days, then would overheat within 15 minutes of driving.

When we tore down the engine the seals were completely shot. That car had done 67k miles. From starting off where the car just needed toping off to finishing were it was overheating the car lasted about 1000 miles.

Probably the best rotary tuner in the UK is Pip @ WGT just off junction 18 M6 motorway mate. A couple of hours drive from leeds, but it's all motorway (m62 & m6), but he's the best and will be able to diagnose within seconds.

RIX-7

iTrader: (2)

Just a quick one,on my rx i have three coolant entry points,one at the front left of the engine bay the ast and your main filling point,have you filled the over flow bottle ,it holds quite a bit of coolant,fill from the main filler and the ast should only be about half full,n the fd holds about 8.8 ltr of coolant in total.

bajaman

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

This is a CLOSED SYSTEM. If you have to add coolant, one of several things is happening. First of all, it is normal for coolant to expand when it gets hot, it goes into the overflow or 'exapansion' tank that is located behind the right headlight.
As the car cools once shut off, a phenomenon called the thermosiphon effect causes the coolant to be drawn back into the engine FROM the expansion tank.

If you have to add coolant, it is going one of two places; either out the exhaust or out thru the overflow tank (assuming of course you simply don't have a leaking hose).

What often times happens is an owner will get the low coolant buzzer...so he puts in coolant. Problem is, the expansion tank is already full, one of a couple of things has caused the thermosiphon to not work, EITHER too much pressure in the system (caused by leaking internal 'O' rings) OR a bad cap on either the AST or the filler neck. So the owner keeps filling up the engine coolant via the filler neck, goes for a drive, comes home to find coolant POURING out the overflow or notices the tell-tale residue alongside/underneath the car.

In the case where the overflow/expansion tank is constantly low, it means the coolant is being 'used up' somewhere, to where the car is having to try to replenish itself from the overflow, and once it is gone, it can't snarf any more.
This is almost always caused by severely failing 'O' rings or a hose leak or other external leak (like the waterpump).

WillT

Thanks Guys,

I have spoken to Pip @ WTG and we're looking to get the car to him very soon. Until then, the Saga continues.

We think the cooland issue was simply deing overfilled. It's now settling down, but heres my next problem.

We pushed the car today, and after shutting off the engine with the turbo timer, we could here boiling. I know these cars run hot but I'm sure I shouldn't be able to hear boiling water running through the systems between the AST and the Overflow.

The water in the overflow is hot and foamy so I assume it is coming from the AST.

Any thoughts?

96fd3s

if the car was quite warm when you turned it off its normal to hear "boiling" or "gurgling" noises coming from the FD. i dont think thats your problem.
did you ever check the AST to overflow tank line? there is a join along it which you should check out. its pretty hard to see, you will be best looking from underneath the car