Hello, I have a problem with air getting into the cooling system on my 328. Have checked that there is no co2 in the cooling water. Have been told that the water pump could be the cause as it can draw air in.... Is there anyone in here with such experience...?? Morten
Morten, Where do you live? That might expose you to some local expertise. As for as the 328 cooling system, it is fairly simple to troubleshoot. If your comment is true (there is no combustible byproduct in the coolant), then ...Get a pressure tester, apply 15psi, see where the leak is.
A cooling system has to have air to function. What evidence do you have additional air is getting in? There is finite space. If something is getting in, something else is coming out. No choice in that matter. How much coolant is it leaking?
Depending on the coolant you use, its water content may bubble under high temperature, which leaves residual pressure for quite a long period of time. Experienced this while using a new old stock of inorganic coolant (unoppened barrels were 14years old). A complete flush and fresh SiOAT (noname brand from the local supermarket) solved the issue. When cooling is out of control: check the electrical operation, new coolant, new cap, coolant filter, new hoses, new pump, new radiator, engine out (in this order ). Nota: coolant filter is cheap and allows to see what's going on. Nota2 : when I need to flush dirty coolant I do not rely on the tiny petcok, I'd rather remove the radiator thermo time-switch, or the hose (difficult on my Ferrari).
Get a pressure tester and pressurizes the system. I uses 1 bar. Then open the bleeder on the radiator and let it bleed air until it is pushing just coolant. Close the bleed screw. Check the coolant level. Pressurize the system again. Now open the bleed screw at the thermostat housing and bleed it until you have coolant. Remove the pressure tester and top off the system with coolant. When pressurizing the system, you can estimate the amount of air in the system by how long it takes to make 1 bar of pressure. If you have to pump the tester for some time and it is slow to build pressure, you have a large amount of air. If it build pressure quickly, you have very little air.
