Left my water cap off (Doh!) :(

[-Neil- 0]

I topped up my enigne water and then went for a drive, when i got back there was water on the floor, only went for a 10-15 min drive, not far, and i'd been a numpty and left the cap off, i left cap off and let engine cool down and there was no water left in the expansion tank.

 

Whats the best course of action now with filling it back up?

 

Thanks for your help.

[Jon_vr6 1]

As long as it didnt over heat you should be ok fill from the top radiator hose until you see the coolant rising in the expansion tank put top hose back on and fill the rest up through the expansion tank but make sure the cars cold first

[UseOnceDestroy 0]

[dbug 0]

if engine is cold fill expansion bottle, cap off start car, let it warm up topping it up as needed and gently squeezing top rad hose.set interior blower to no.2 and heat to max

 

once water starts to get warm in tank refit cap tight and warm till normal temp ( or fan kicks in ). let it cool and then recheck level in bottle - will probably need a top up.

 

job done. :wink:

[krnau 0]

it happened to me the 3rd day of ownership. I always leave the expansion tank just where the hood engaghes the front crossmemer since then, so if the hood is uncloseable if I ever forget again...

[-Neil- 0]

Could this not be the heater matrix blowing due to the engine getting too hot?

 

I had a similar issue, my tensioner blew up and I continued driving ... engine got too hot as this controls the cooling, and then the heater matrix went pop!

 

£750 later ...

 

I think this post is in the wrong thread mate :confused4:

 

ive topped it up like previously said, how much water should a vr6 engine hold?

[UseOnceDestroy 0]

I think this post is in the wrong thread mate :confused4:

 

Ah shit sorry mate, I read it wrong ... I thought you meant that water was on the floor of your car! ...

[-Neil- 0]

Please help! For some reason when I've been driving and turn off my engine, the water in the expansion tank fills up and comes out of the little over flow hole on the right, when i'm driving the temp is fine and doesn't go above 80. What could be the cause of this?

[Jim 2]

I'd refill it again, and leave it running with the expansion tank cap off for 10 minutes or so until the water starts to steam... should hopefully help burp the system a bit?

[mariojoshi 1]

Yup.. you need to let it get all the air out of the system by letting it "volcano" out of the expansion tank after filling.

 

As said, remember to give the top and bottom rad hoses a good squeeze now and again during the process to keep everything flowing. Shouldn't have any problems after this.

[-Neil- 0]

Well I've tried the above methods, thanks for the replys. But its still doing it, only when i turn engine off. When i leave the car idling and the fans kick in, the level of the water in the bottle rises by about an inch, and when the fans go off it goes back down. When i turn the engine off i can hear some kind of air noise around the hose from the heater matrix to the back of the engine under the isv, i wondered if there might be a air lock in that pipe, but which means water is still going around the engine giving me the normal temp readings when driving but causing the water to bubble out once I've stopped? Any thoughts please?

[dbug 0]

Is the car parked level when you fill it up?

 

Has the matrix gone? Look for damp under/around airbox in cabin.

 

Remove top matrix pipe from bulkhead end, top upwith hose and refit pipe. Then redo the warm up process above.

[-Neil- 0]

Ah so you mean fill the matrix hose its self up? Ill try that. I'll check matrix tomorrow but i changed it for new one not long ago.

[dbug 0]

Not the hose . The matrix, use a hosepipe to gently fill it, that way you know it's full when you start her up. Removes one of the potential airlocks as the matrix is one of the highest points in the system .

[-Neil- 0]

Ah i see. I will try that and see how i get on thanks!

[-Neil- 0]

Well I've not managed to do anything yet with matrix or anything but i have just noticed the seal on the cap was half on half off so not making a seal, i put it back in the groove where it should be and ran engine for bit and the pipes were full with pressure and when i took cap off there was a release of pressure which i never had before, could this be the cause of the water over flowing out of expansion tank?

[dbug 0]

Good find! Did it work ok?

 

Don't panic if you need to top up once or twice over next couple of days.

[-Neil- 0]

well when i found that seal wasnt on propperly i was in wales, the past posts have been made as i've been driving around.

 

once i put that seal back on, i then drove 350 miles back to sheffield where i live. when i stopped a few times on motorway, the water pipes were full of pressure and then after 10 mins then pressure eased off and the pipe were squeeze-able. is this normal? But the main thing is that the water level never rose up or over flowed. the temp was at a constant 75-80 on the motor too.

 

so could i rule all the problems down to the seal not making a seal?

 

thanks for your help guys!

[Erny 0]

Broody I'll be plastering in norton next door to yours allday Friday, I'll pop round and help ya out if ya still struggleing, I'll txt ya in the mornin incase u ain't got my number still

[-Neil- 0]

Yeah that'd be great. Ill text you back once i wake up, might have a lay in, day off. If you could have quick look It'll help.

[-Neil- 0]

ive been to vw and ordered myself a new header tank cap which comes with the seal for £8, that should sort my problem out.

[-Neil- 0]

Got my new cap but its blue grrr.

[Jon_vr6 1]

Got my new cap but its blue grrr.

 

All new ones are blue dont you like the colour blue??

[Jim 2]

Blue cap = correct cap!

[-Neil- 0]

well blue just doesnt match the rest of my oily messy engine bay :lol:

 

only messing, but least i should be able to keep my water in my engine this time!