Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 19:20:00 +0000 From: Grunff <grunffnopsam.com> Subject: Re: minor coolant leak?
John B wrote: > I think the coolant is more than a year old, so I guess I should just drain it. > Is it necessary to flush the system also, or is simply draining it usually ok? Well, it all depends on how much you like doing routine maintenance! I would flush both the radiator and block with a hose whenevr I drain down. Is it necessary? Depends on the condition of your cooling system. > Also, what else should I do while I have it drained? Should I replace rusted > clamps or old hoses, even if they're not leaking? I don't normally replace hoses unless they need it. Check the hose for any signs of cracking. The radiator top and bottom hoses are the most likely failures. If there are any signs of surface cracks, then replace. > I was also considering > putting in a cooler thermostat as suggested on the townsendimports site, since > my c900 displays the symptoms of getting very hot after highway driving. Good idea - but how hot is very hot? You may have another fault causing the overheating. > Speaking of that- is the replacement thermostat really necessary, or would it > be sufficient to replace the fan temp sensor and/or rewire to make both fans > come on when the AC is off? The thermostat and the fan stat do totally different things. The thermostat controls the engine's temperature by controlling coolant flow through the radiator. The fan helps the radiator lose heat when there is insufficient air flow through it. At speeds greater than say 40mph, you already have all the airflow you'll ever need. If your car never travelled slower than 40mph, you wouldn't need a fan at all. Doing anything to the fan stat, or wiring in a second fan won't help you if you're overheating at speed. > I've been thinking of doing something like this for > awhile, because it really does get quite hot when sitting in traffic (esp. > after highway driving) when the AC is off. Sitting in traffic is different. Get a lower temp fan stat. > Also, since this is an epic post anyway: My heater works very well when I'm > driving around, but when the car isn't moving only cold air comes out. What > gives? Does this coincide with the engine temperature being really high? It's supposed to work this way. When the engine is really hot, all coolant is pushed through the radiator, to achieve the greatest temperature drop. -- Grunff
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