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Coolant overflow issue FIXED!

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Old 06-05-07, 02:30 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by recon fd
Not difficult to understand.....it is just not entirely correct. It has happened to more then one person. Sorry, but even though you think it can't happen.....it can, it has, and it will.

As stated before it has happened to me.

-josh
It can only happen when the laws of physics no longer apply. I don't recall that happening in my lifetime, and I don't anticipate it happening anytime in the near future.
Old 06-05-07, 02:51 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by adam c
Since the couplers are not leaking, air cannot be pulled thru them. If they were leaking, they would pull air only when the overflow tank was empty, which it was not. If the lines have coolant in them, how can air be pulled thru?
Only if there were a restriction (for instance, dirt or some piece of crud at the bottom of the OF tank acting like a check valve) between the OF tank and the leaky coupler, giving a vacuum in the OF-tank line at the leak point. That would cause air to be pulled in, even if the tank were not empty.
Old 06-05-07, 02:57 PM
  #28  
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Laws of physics......Since the return hose flows back up what do you think is going to go back up that hose easier.....water or air???? IF you have air entering that hose, in any way (I.E. pin whole or coupler leak) it is going to flow back into the system....sorry, but that is the way it is.
Old 06-05-07, 06:40 PM
  #29  
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It's even simpler than that.....the path of least resistance. It's much easier to pull air back in through a not so great seal than it is to pull coolant up the tube. If the hose fits tight then it won't leak if it was snug then after a few heat cycles with no clamp it will loosen up. Like I sai I put a one piece hose in mine to eliminate the coupling....why is it necessary any way it's not a check valve. That hose is just as important as the rest of the system as far as being open to atmosphere.
Old 06-05-07, 11:24 PM
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Originally Posted by DaveW
Only if there were a restriction (for instance, dirt or some piece of crud at the bottom of the OF tank acting like a check valve) between the OF tank and the leaky coupler, giving a vacuum in the OF-tank line at the leak point. That would cause air to be pulled in, even if the tank were not empty.
Thank you Dave!!! Finally, someone (besides me) who knows what he is talking about has added something worth reading.
Old 06-05-07, 11:26 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by recon fd
Laws of physics......Since the return hose flows back up what do you think is going to go back up that hose easier.....water or air???? IF you have air entering that hose, in any way (I.E. pin whole or coupler leak) it is going to flow back into the system....sorry, but that is the way it is.
Since there will be water in the hose, what is going to push the outside air into the hose? There is no pressure to do this.

Thats the way it really is.
Old 06-05-07, 11:35 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by CantGoStraight
It's even simpler than that.....the path of least resistance. It's much easier to pull air back in through a not so great seal than it is to pull coolant up the tube. If the hose fits tight then it won't leak if it was snug then after a few heat cycles with no clamp it will loosen up......
If the clamp is loose, or there is a hole water will come out. There is no pressure to force air in. The pressure of the water in the overflow tank will always be greater than the ZERO pressure pushing air in ........ unless the line is clogged as Dave mentioned above.

Originally Posted by CantGoStraight
...... Like I sai I put a one piece hose in mine to eliminate the coupling....why is it necessary any way it's not a check valve.
You are absolutely right!!!

Originally Posted by CantGoStraight
That hose is just as important as the rest of the system as far as being open to atmosphere.
You are absolutely wrong. If a pressurized hose in the cooling system leaks, you may lose coolant very quickly, and risk overheating right away. The coolant overflow line is not pressurized. If it leaks, you will lose coolant much more slowly, and have a much lower risk of overheating.
Old 06-06-07, 10:29 AM
  #33  
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This is pretty much worthless argueing with you. I guess you will not accept it until it happens to you.....since like I said it has happen to others before.

Goodluck finding your "air leak" when you over look this later.

-josh
Old 06-06-07, 10:44 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by recon fd
This is pretty much worthless argueing with you. I guess you will not accept it until it happens to you.....since like I said it has happen to others before.

Goodluck finding your "air leak" when you over look this later.

-josh
I agree. It seems that you will not believe either Dave or myself. I suspect that between Dave and I, we have more than 40 years of racing experience. Since you don't believe us, you should ask someone else. Choose someone with some experience in this particular area. I won't be surprised when you don't come back and admit that you were wrong ............. way wrong!!!
Old 06-06-07, 12:06 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by DaveW
Only if there were a restriction (for instance, dirt or some piece of crud at the bottom of the OF tank acting like a check valve) between the OF tank and the leaky coupler, giving a vacuum in the OF-tank line at the leak point. That would cause air to be pulled in, even if the tank were not empty.
Your right dave really agrees with you because he seems like he is saying it could happen. Jack (cantgostraight), edwin, and the other two guys (who are having this issue and when they replace the hose it will be fixed) really seem like they are on your team also.

Won't come back to say I am wrong? I would come back and say I am wrong if I was, but wont have to since AGAIN.....I have already had this happen to me and have fixed it in the same manor.

I am done with this petty bull ****. I am trying to explain what has happened to more then one fd owner here, and I thought that is what this forum is all about, but aparently I was wrong. Learn from other peoples experience..bla blah blah.....guess not for you.

You can take it and run with the info or just responding back denying what has ALREADY happend.


goodluck,
-josh
Old 06-06-07, 12:16 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by recon fd
I have already had this happen to me and have fixed it in the same manor.

I am trying to explain what has happened to more then one fd owner here, and I thought that is what this forum is all about, but aparently I was wrong. Learn from other peoples experience..bla blah blah.....guess not for you.

You can take it and run with the info or just responding back denying what has ALREADY happend.


goodluck,
-josh
Is it possible that you had a kink in the line that could have caused a restriction and vacuum as I noted? That would maybe explain your experience.
Old 06-06-07, 01:49 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by DaveW
Is it possible that you had a kink in the line that could have caused a restriction and vacuum as I noted? That would maybe explain your experience.
Yeah that is what I thought first Dave, but after further examination that bad boy was in no way kinked. When I was having my problem I searched for hours, and came across this issue in the achives. I figured it was worth a try. Low and behold that was it, and I have seen other people with the same problem that used the same fix. I am not ruling out anything including something being clogged in the line for some people, but when you have cases like this surface (where it was just as simple as closing the space between the coupler and the hose where the air was seeping in) it pushes me more and more to believe this is exactly what is happening.

That was all I was trying to do.....explain my side of the issue, and share my experience, but when I have people telling me I am flat out wrong about something I have first hand knowledge/dealings with.....it is sort of a pain.

thanks,
-josh
Old 06-06-07, 01:51 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by recon fd
Your right dave really agrees with you because he seems like he is saying it could happen.
What you fail to understand, is that Dave is saying that it can only happen if there is a restriction in the line. Simply tie wrapping a line that is not leaking fluid won't do anything. If you cannot grasp this simple concept, you are beyond help.
Old 06-06-07, 01:53 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by adam c
If you cannot grasp this simple concept, you are beyond help.

As are you.....
Old 06-06-07, 02:14 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by recon fd
but when you have cases like this surface (where it was just as simple as closing the space between the coupler and the hose where the air was seeping in) it pushes me more and more to believe this is exactly what is happening.

That was all I was trying to do.....explain my side of the issue, and share my experience, but when I have people telling me I am flat out wrong about something I have first hand knowledge/dealings with.....it is sort of a pain.

thanks,
-josh
Well, I never rule anything out, especially when someone (like you) has actually experienced it. However, there always has to be an explanation that follows logic and laws of nature. I am just trying to determine what the cause could be that fits your description, plus obeys those laws.

If there is coolant at the leaky joint, under slight pressure from the higher level of coolant in the OF tank, I am having a hard time reconciling the laws of nature with your experience, unless something was stopping the coolant from flowing from the OF tank to the point where you tyrapped the joint. Tyrapping would allow you to pull a vacuum and overcome the restriction. Otherwise, I am having a hard time understanding how what you did fixed it, since you said you never had the OF tank go empty.
Old 06-06-07, 02:20 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by DaveW
Well, I never rule anything out, especially when someone (like you) has actually experienced it. However, there always has to be an explanation that follows logic and laws of nature. I am just trying to determine what the cause could be that fits your description, plus obeys those laws.

If there is coolant at the leaky joint, under slight pressure from the higher level of coolant in the OF tank, I am having a hard time reconciling the laws of nature with your experience, unless something was stopping the coolant from flowing from the OF tank to the point where you tyrapped the joint. Tyrapping would allow you to pull a vacuum and overcome the restriction. Otherwise, I am having a hard time understanding how what you did fixed it, since you said you never had the OF tank go empty.
No never had it empty. You know it could have possibly been something clogged in the line, but like I said I am just reading over everyones experiences and making my assumption. Now that being said....I do beleive that air getting in by the coupler was the case in this origional thread, but I (like you) am not ruling out anyting. Could be that when he was zip tieing the couplers and moving around the line he shook some crap lose and down the line. So he got his fix. This could be, but not my thinking on this one.
Old 06-06-07, 03:14 PM
  #42  
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Wow. Didn't realize this would cause so many arguments!

Adam c, I can see your point, as well as Dave's. But as reconfd has experienced the same problem and solved it basically the same way, I can't help arriving at my conclusion, however defiant of physics it may be.

A little more background: I broke my overflow tank in an accident, and replaced it with a new one from Ray @ Malloy. It comes with the part of the overflow line that goes down into the tank, and joins the rest of the line below the stock airbox. So I am positive that it couldn't have been clogged at the overflow, being a brand new tank with new coolant poured into it. After this my coolant recovery issues started, so I pulled the whole line, checked for coolant residue and leaks, and before I pulled it I blew air through it by removing the line at the AST. So it wasn't clogged, no debris in the overflow tank, and the two clips that secure it above the radiator were not restricting flow. I do remember, however, that on the connection that joined to the new line, one end was not pushed on all the way, there may have been about a 1/8" gap. Since I fixed that at the same time I put the zip ties on, perhaps this was the real problem. Who knows!

All I know is what I've experienced and seen first hand, but I can understand adam c's argument as well as the support from Dave.

Thanks again guys,
Jason
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