[DeTomaso] Radiator Filler/Expansion Tank ?

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Thu Jun 19 16:49:34 EDT 2008


In a message dated 6/17/08 11:33:40 AM, MZadony at fleetresponse.com writes:


> When I returned from Florida (over the winter), I noticed that my Pantera 
> leaked Anti-Freeze from the drivers side, by the engine.  I have owned this 
> car now for almost 10 years.  It has new tubes & silicon hoses and this never 
> happened before.  The car was not started over the winter.
> 
> I got out my trusted Red "Owners Manual" to figure out where to fill the new 
> anti-freeze.  Two tanks ?  The manual is kinda vague as to filling.  Both my 
> tanks have pressure caps.  The one to the left, has the radiator tube and a 
> blue silicon hose attached to it.  (looking at the engine from the rear of 
> the car).  Both tanks are empty.  Which tank do fill first ?  I guess the other 
> tank (the one on the right side), is the expansion tank ?  Please HELP.  
> Myron.
> 

Well, of course the first thing to do is determine *why* all the coolant 
leaked out, and repair the problem.   Blue silicon hose is extremely fragile 
stuff, and supposedly requires special hose clamps to prevent them from being cut.  
 If you have conventional clamps on a silicon hose, that might be your 
problem.   I would suggest replacing with Gates green stripe hose (which is hard to 
find; NAPA sells the same stuff under their own label, as NAPA Gold Stripe).   
It's the best hose you can buy IMHO.

Once you've sorted out the leak, you need to refill and bleed the cooling 
system.   This is an iterative process, normally taking at least 2-3 times before 
you expunge all the air (or most of it anyway).

The smaller of the two tanks (normally towards the rear) is the pressure 
tank; the larger tank is an overflow.   Start off by jacking up the rear of the 
car at least a foot (or alternately, parking nose-down on a sloped driveway, 
with wheel chocks ahead of the front tires), open up both tanks, and start adding 
water to the pressure tank.   Crack the bleeder on the top of the radiator as 
you slowly add water.   Eventually the tank will be 'full'.

Close the bleeder, and start up the engine.   With the engine running, 
carefully watch the level in the pressure tank.   All of a sudden GLOOP! It will 
just empty, as the thermostat opens and water gets sent towards the radiator.   
Fill the tank again, and keep on topping it off.   You will probably get 
gurgling and splashing as air pockets make their way through the system.   Crack the 
bleeder on the radiator and you should get a steady hiss of air, followed by 
intermittant air/water mix, and finally a steady stream of water.

Shut the car off, top off the system, and then fill the overflow bottle about 
halfway.   Cap the bottles and allow the car to cool overnight.   Next day, 
check the system again--it's quite probable the water level will have dropped 
measurably.   Top it again, repeat the process.   After the third day, chances 
are you won't need to add any more water.

I always over-fill the overflow tank and allow the car to find its own happy 
level.   As the coolant heats up it expands, into the overflow bottle; as it 
cools off it contracts and sucks the fluid back out of the overflow.   The 
overflow should *not* have a pressure cap, as it's supposed to be atmospheric 
pressure.   A pressure cap could potentially impede the process somewhat.

I found that with my car, the overflow would puke about a cup of two of water 
every time I shut down, because I had purposely overfilled it.   Eventually, 
after the fourth or fifth heating/cooling cycle, it stopped.   The system is 
now perfectly happy. :>)

Mike


**************
Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for 
fuel-efficient used cars.
      (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)



More information about the DeTomaso mailing list