----- Original Message -----
From: <acekraut11@aol.com>
To: <6pack@autox.team.net>; <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 7:28 PM
Subject: Re: Cooling System Pressure
> You are not mistaken, you did see my post mention that the thermostat
> had been replaced. Twice in fact. The first time for one that opened at
> 165 degrees since I thought I had an overheating problem that turned out
> to be a voltage regulator problem. After I found out I was reading the
> right temperature the car was running too cool so about a couple years ago
> I put a new 185 degree thermostat in. My thought was that with the
> thermostat and gasket I might be out $5 so it made sense to try to see if
> this was the culprit or not.
>
> I do have an antifreeze mixture. I do have an overflow bottle. It is
> perpetually empty. Either I have a leak in the bottom, which I dont
> believe I have, or all of it is getting sucked in at some point. Others
> have mentioned a leak in the head gasket. Maybe they are right. Or, maybe
> I am losing more from the heater valve than I think.
>
> Does this sound possible? Coolant is full but the level drops because
> some is leaving via the heater valve. At some point the level of the
> coolant lowers enough so that the pressure builds up when it is hot and
> vents out steam through the fill tube, exactly where the radiator cap is
> supposed to vent. At this point the major steam event gets my attention
> and I think I have a problem all of the sudden when in reality it has been
> slowly building to this venting due to coolant loss through the heater
> valve(hopefully) or a leak in the head gasket.(hope not).
>
> Thoughts?
Aaron-
Have you pressure tested the cooling system? This will tell you multiple
things. It will show external leaks in the system. IF no leaks are visible
and the pressure gauge drops, the problem is internal. (head gasket). I
would also test the cap, they are notorious for venting at a lower or higher
PSI than rated and are a "mystery leak" when you have a bad one as they only
leak when the system is pressured. Almost every garage has a pressure tester
and it only takes a few minutes to perform the testing.
I would start with a pressure test and go from there.....................
Tim Hutchisen
71 TR6
70 GT6+
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