Testarossa Coolant reservoir overflow | FerrariChat

Testarossa Coolant reservoir overflow

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Drew_4RE, Jul 20, 2009.

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  1. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    #1 Drew_4RE, Jul 20, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    So I'm back home in FL and its time to deal with my Testarossa. I had posted in the TR section before, but here's what happened:

    I had a long day of driving and late in the day coolant (I think) started spraying out of the coolant reservoir onto the street. Had it towed home and haven't done anything since.

    There was a recent major and my mechanic has offered to look at it, but I have to flat bed it down there (pain in the ass). So I was hoping someone here might know what was happening and it was an easy fix before I went through that.

    It was spraying out of # 48 in the photo here

    Thank you
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  2. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    It comes out of the over flow for 3 reasons.

    1. The cap is bad.

    2. It was over filled.

    3. It is overheating.
     
  3. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    Ok, excellent.

    Would all three of those cause it to spray violently?
     
  4. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #4 Rifledriver, Jul 20, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2009
    If it is spraying violently it is probably overheating. You are sort of describing an airlocked thermostat. Get all the bleeders open and refill it and see what happens. Sopmetimes in servicing a large air bubble gets trapped if the cooling system isn't filled correctly. When it makes its way to the thermostat all hell breaks loose. That is one reason we went to a vacuum filling system. That can't happen.

    By the way. When you fill it be sure the ignition is on and the heater controls are set to HOT.
     
  5. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Excellent advice! Thats what I would do first. :):)
     
  6. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    Definitely excellent advice and I'll try it out tomorrow. One little question though, where are the bleed valves for the coolant system? Are they noted on the diagram I posted?
     
  7. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    The item marked 62 and the same item on the top of the pipe marked 35. They both look like brake bleeder nipples. There is also a screw in the middle of the thermostat housing right next to the hose marked 37.


    Be sure the key is on and the heater is turned to hot.
     
  8. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    Always look for the highest points of a coolant system and you'll have a good chance of finding one.
    I know there is one just inboard of the R/H radiator header tank in the top of the cross-over tube. There may be another like it on the L/H side.
     
  9. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    Ah, ya beat me to it.
     
  10. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    Ok, I'm learning more and more but this is still new to me. Break bleed nipples? Why break bleed if we're talking about coolant? Just asking about the name.... This was kind of my question on another subject when talking about bleeding the clutch lines on the 348.

    So for this project, I'll buy coolant (research what type here first of course) fill the tank. Turn the car on (let it warm up?) turn the heat on high and then bleed those two valves and look for the other one near 35. Is this right?

    Thanks again for having the patients to walk me through this.
     
  11. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    #11 Spasso, Jul 20, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2009
    Same principle, same desired effect, the design is the same and it's easy to remember. Besides, the bleeder screws don't care what kind of fluid is going through them.

    It's a process of filling and bleeding.
    You would fill with the bleeder screws OPEN so the air can escape as the system fills.
    Once liquid comes out of the bleeders close them and start the car.
    On my 308 I did this with the cap OFF the header tank so I could add as the level dropped (if it dropped).
    As the car warms up and the thermostat opens it will start pumping the coolant and air through the system.
    The air will tend to collect at choke points (like the T-stat) and the high points of the cooling system.
    This is when you crack open the bleeders and let the air out until you get a steady stream of coolant. You have to do this repeatedly.

    Keep checking the level of coolant in the header tank.
    As the coolant heats up it will expand and start to overflow from the header tank. Now would be a good time to put the cap on.
    Go through and crack the bleeder screws repeatedly until you get steady coolant.

    IF YOU TRY TO TAKE THE CAP OFF WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT IT CAN MAKE A BIG MESS AND YOU'LL HAVE TO START OVER.
    You can crack it a little to see if there is coolant in the tank then re-tighten.

    (1) At this point the engine should be no hotter than 200 degrees f and your fans running. If this is the case shut it off and let it cool for 24 hours and recheck your coolant level the next morning. The header tank should be about half full (give or take) when the engine is cold.
    Restart it and run to full temperature for about 20 minutes or so, cracking he bleeder screws repeatedly until you have no air bubbles coming out. The fans should be running during this process.
    Recheck the header tank level after it cools off for a day.

    (2) If Item (1) does NOT occur and your engine overheats during this process then I would be inclined to start looking at failures in the system.
    A) Is the accessory belt on the water pump?
    B) When the engine gets hot do BOTH radiators get hot? If they don't then you aren't getting circulation.
    C) Your fans should be turning on at 195 degrees f. If they don't you will overheat.
    D) If A, B,and C are good then things can get more serious.

    Don't forget #37 on the the thermostat housing next to the hose (if you can get to it)

    This is the same method I've used on the numerous cars that I've owned that required this procedure.
    It's the same principle. But to be safe, Rifledriver is the expert so listen to him, he's the pro. I know just enough to get into trouble.:p
     
  12. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    DO NOT DO THIS.
     
  13. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #13 Rifledriver, Jul 21, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2009
    Take off the cap. Open the three bleeders. Turn the key to on and turn the heater to hot. Fill until water comes out the bleeders. Close the bleerers. Top off the tank and close it.


    If you followed the steps and nothing is broken the car is now ready to drive.


    Keep it simple and do it the same way the factory did it. No reason to make it complicated.
     
  14. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    Ok, thank you for clarifying that before I went through it. Should I be adding water or coolant?
     
  15. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    Thanks for clarifying/simplifying.
    Some of the cars I had were stubborn when it came to getting all of the air out.
     
  16. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    Ok, clearly I'm a little undereducated on this. Was reading the manual and it said to add the mixture. Do I need to do this? Rifledriver, it seems like you're recommending to only ad water. Correct?
     
  17. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    #17 Spasso, Jul 22, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2009
    I think you would be safe to put the mixture in per the recommendation of the Workshop Manual. Once you have the air bled out you'll be done. Just keep an ear out for those cooling fans.
     
  18. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    So I finally had time to work on this today. Turned the car on, turned heat on, opened valves, started pouring coolant in. Right after it spit out of the valves, the tank itself started spewing and bubbling over pretty bad. Like a volcano.

    Think I'm going to bring it to a garage, this may be out of my hands.
     
  19. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    I don't know if this will make any difference in your case but you were supposed to fill the cooling system first, with the bleeders open, until coolant came out of them, close the bleeders, top off and THEN start the car.

    Let us know what you find out. Hopefully it's something simple like a stuck thermostat.

    Was the engine running smoothly the last time you ran it?
     
  20. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    Wait, really? Above rifledriver says to start the car then fill....

    Yeah, the engine was running great. I just had a major done not 4 months ago.
     
  21. Steve Magnusson

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    He said to turn the key "on" (not start the engine).
     
  22. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    great. Simple project and I can't even follow directions right.
     
  23. Drew_4RE

    Drew_4RE Formula 3
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    So here are more symptons. I don't think its air in the line.

    Turn the key to the 'on' position. Turn heat on, blows, but never gets hot. With the car running, doesn't get hot for a long time.

    Tried bleeding the lines. The tank filled and nothing came out of the bleeder. Then turned the car on to running and put cap back on tank with the bleeder open, nothing came out of the bleeder.

    Any ideas? Send it to a shop?
     
  24. Philwozza

    Philwozza Formula 3

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    What does having the ignition turned to the on position do to assist bleeding, I'm confused here?
     
  25. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
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    It powers up the AC/heating system so that when you set the temperature controls to "hot" (i.e., push one of the pushbuttons and set the temp dial control to "red"), the hot water valve under the RH dash opens.
     

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