Leak in "radiator type cap" Closed Cooling System

[Matt DeYoung]

I am running a full closed cooling system on both engines and they are both leaking into the bilge. There is no overfill bottle on the systems and I am wondering if that is the problem. I have tampered with nothing as far as the cap presure (14) and thermostat (160). The Water temp gage shows it running right at 160 unless you get on it and then it gets up around 170 but no more. Is it normal to have this leak ? Would adding overfill bottles fix my problem ?

 

[Don S]

Re: Leak in "radiator type cap" Closed Cooling System

If you don't allow enough room for expansion of the antifreeze in the heat exchanger, it will go into the bilge..... There is no where else for it to go.<br />Add the bottle, you will probably find it finally settles down at a certain level.<br />If the bottle then keeps filling, you may have a problem pushing the AF out of the system. Such as a leaky head gasket. But try the bottle and see what happens.<br />Do not keep filling to the top of the heat exchanger or to where YOU think it should be. See what the system does and keep an eye on the gauge during your testing.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Leak in "radiator type cap" Closed Cooling System

...also if you go to coolant recovery systems, be sure you use the right caps for them. Like Don says, you can't fill the HE's to the top. They will just blow out the excess then settle down.