elvisizer

ummmm . . . . NO!
what air vent? didn't know there was one. <sigh>
why can't the air being displaced by the added water vent through the open cap?
such a newbie i am . . . . . . .
elvisizer

TheMAXX

If I open the bleeder valve when the cap is off it lets more air in the bleeder valve. My bleeder valve is higher then the coolant level in the tank should be.

Singpilot

You have forgotten the 'other' way coolant disappears.

Running, the oil is at a higher pressure than the coolant. Oil moves thru the leaking seals in the cooler into the coolant. Brown mush in the resevoir, maybe. I have seen small leaks trap the oil in the recesses in the head, and not have that much brown stuff in the resevoir.

But when you shut down, the oil pressure goes to zero, and the coolant pressure and temp actually rises a little. The coolant now moves into the oil. Next time you run, the oil temp probably boils off the coolant, but will show up as milky residue on the oil fill cap.

The cooler reseal job is messy, and can be done poorly, not fixing the leak. Don't ask me how I know this. Is incredibly easy to pinch a seal when reassembling.

But once done right, is nice to not see that muck everywhere in your systems.

elvisizer

singpilot, there's no residue anywhere, though.
the pressure tester wouldn't be able to test that would it?

83na944

Elvisizer,

The bleeder screw is on the water inlet of early models. I'm not sure where it is on later models.

You're supposed to open it while you fill the system. Then close it and run the engine. When the coolant heats up and the system pressurizes, you open the screw to let out the air, close it until it pressurizes again and repeat until you get a steady stream of coolant with no bubbles. And the heater control should be fully open.

The cap is maunfactured to open at a certain pressure to prevent over pressurizing the system. If the springs in the cap are too weak, the coolant in the system will boil out.

Replace that $10 cap and bleed the system.

Singpilot

elvisizer;

If you have no residue, that's a good thing.

The pressure tester would show the loss of pressure if the oil cooler was leaking. But no residue on the oil filler cap, or in the coolant resevoir means you are probably OK on the cooler.

I'd certainly go for a new rad cap.

One other thought. Do you get fogging of the windows when you first start the car? (heater core leaking). That could be another 'invisible' loss of coolant answer.

triscadek

87S, mine did that for a couple of months and I finally rented a coolant psi tester.

Turned out to be a pinhole that was chafed into the heater hose that crosses behind the head, most hateful damn thing I've ever done to a car.

Granite 944

I'll second the motion!!

Devia

It was just the cap was screwed with, on my car. She's happy, and running fine.

Now if she behaves, I'll finally replace the instrument cluster, the antenna, and the stereo!

Okay, more for me, lol.

- Julie