Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 01:58:49 -0700 From: TimeRanger <TimeRangernopsamc.om> Subject: Re: running hot/antifreeze reservoir leak on 89 900T
On Thu, 17 Aug 2000 23:47:03 GMT, "Dennis" <djmr26nopsamweb.net> wrote: >I've owned the car a couple of weeks, and I've >noticed the antifreeze level drops over the course of >a couple of days (actually my wife, who's using the >car). We've been watching it because the car has >a tendency to run hot, which I've already posted >here, with many unexpected responses. > >Today I found the level dropping because of a >pinhole leak in the underside of the reservoir. > >Question 1: Is there some way of plugging this >leak with something that will actually hold, or do I >need to replace it? > >Question 2: I just visited a Saab parts website to >see about getting another reservoir, and I saw >water pumps for sale as well. There was a tech tip >beneath the water pump item suggesting that one >might need a new one if one saw a puddle of >coolant under the rear of the engine area. My >leak runs onto the ground in that area due to the >fact that the reservoir is located there, but this got >me thinking that perhaps pressure building up >from a bad water pump may have caused this >pinhole to begin with. Could the water pump failing >cause the kind of pressure that could create a >pinhole in the bottle? > >--- I just checked the reservoir a few minutes ago, >just after the car was shut off, and the leak was >visible, but slowly opening the cap and releasing >the pressure caused the leak to stop, and a >moment later, I couldn't even find a wet spot on the >bottom of the reservoir with my finger. So I'm >thinking pressure buildup, possibly from the >pump, or maybe elsewhere in the system - one >response to the 'running hot' post suggested >a partially blocked radiator. > >I just don't know now - on some days it doesn't >really run too high above the center of the gauge. >Unfortunately, the day my mechanic looked at >it was one of those days. Guess my wife will have >to run to him with it running hot for him to see. > >Meanwhile, any suggestions welcomed, and thanks... > >Dennis >djmr26nopsamweb.net >Putnam Co NY > >"I'm not suffering from insanity; actually it's a lot of fun." > > I had the same problem with the reservoir except mine was a seam leak. I "cured" the leak with some touchy work with a hot soldering iron - I merely melted the plastic for several inches along the seam in the area of the leak. This method may not be possible with a pinhole due to the lack of material on the sidewall of the tank. High pressure will not cause a pinhole, but it can cause weak spots to leak. Warmer than normal operating temps can be attributed to a number of factors, including but not limited to; high ambient air temps, clogged tubes in the radiator, collapsed bottom hose (not allowing enough fluid to engine), or poor fan performance. First thing (after fixing leak) is to use a thermometer to check actual coolant temp instead of relying on the dash guage. Good Luck. -- A question debated and left unanswered is better than a question answered without debate.