40 replies to this topic

[megamini_jb]

Thanks all.

Yeah I found that little bugger hiding earlier so hopefully should go alright do I just loosen it or take it all out seeing as it's a little bolt?

[mab01uk]

Loosen it until you see air or water bubbling out.......but be careful I think it can fall out if fully opened and get lost down in the depths of the engine bay like your bottle top/cap if you drop it  !!

Edited by mab01uk, 02 January 2015 - 08:37 PM.

[megamini_jb]

Thanks! Really appricate all your great help.

I'll wacth for that then! you watch me go lose the bloody thing in there now

Edited by megamini_jb, 02 January 2015 - 08:41 PM.

[megamini_jb]

I don't get this stupid thing.

Had engine off and filling coolant. It's just going to expansion tank and now that's way over the max line!

Tried with engine running and just doesn't take none from the filler neck/thermostat housing...

Edited by megamini_jb, 03 January 2015 - 10:04 AM.

[megamini_jb]

Trying this way now. Got engine running, everything closed inc filler cap so builds pressure and do it that way as not even half the coolant in yet!

Edited by megamini_jb, 03 January 2015 - 10:08 AM.

[megamini_jb]

Think I'm getting there now.

So fat 2L antifreeze and 2L deironised water in and it's slowly but surely dropping in expansion tank to half way high - low. Only coolant coming out of bleed screws, but when gets warm the expansion tank fills up to almost cap!

[megamini_jb]

Sits on max line then as soon warms up goes to top

[megamini_jb]

1 minute after engine turned off it drops to max again....

[mab01uk]

If no water/coolant will go in the filler and level fluctuates there must be a trapped airlock somewhere, perhaps loosen a rad top hose to begin with and see if the rad has definitely filled up to the top hose ok?

 

I said they can be a pig to bleed through for some reason.......

Edited by mab01uk, 03 January 2015 - 12:55 PM.

[megamini_jb]

I've given up for today. Such a faff. And to top it all off I think I've threaded the bleed screw connector bit (bottom of battery one) as it's tight to put on and leaking even though shut the screw thread itself look okay, it's the adaptor connector the 2 hoses go in that must have threaded where's best to get that? Already ordered 2 new screws just to change them for piece of mind.

nothing at all comes put of the little hex bleeder

Edited by megamini_jb, 03 January 2015 - 01:16 PM.

[megamini_jb]

Number 18 - http://www.bmminipar...8738&MOSP=48013

[SiZT]

Leave all of the bleed screws open, make sure the heater is on full hot and with the fan blowing.  Close the screws once coolant starts seeping out of them, you may have to remove the expansion bottle from it's fixings and lift it higher than the engine depending on where it's mounted

[megamini_jb]

I tried all above and the bleed screws have no more air but the water shots up in the expansion tank. Heater was on full but can't remember if had on 1 or 0. all the pipes feels spongy still, but has the whole load of coolant in now. Think just a matter of bleeding it all the time as if I pump the bottom and top rad hose, bubbles surface in the expansion tank. Just the bleed screws seems pointless as no bubbles out of them and just coolant runs out

Edited by megamini_jb, 03 January 2015 - 05:07 PM.

[megamini_jb]

Thought I had it fixed earlier as was nice and warm inside, no leaks, staying on max running for ages.. Took the gf to morrisons, check it and it blew the expansion cap off and no water in there. Was only 2 miles lol

Edited by megamini_jb, 03 January 2015 - 05:09 PM.

[mab01uk]

This is a quite common problem on R50 MINI's after a coolant drain and refill if you search on google for "coolant bubbling mini2"

 

I'm not sure there is a definitive answer to the problem when it happens, other than there is air still trapped in the cooling system, the pressure cap seal is also important as the coolant will boil at a lower temperature if the cap does not seal correctly and bubble up into the expansion tank which is unpressurised on the R50......check the seal or replace pressure cap on engine if suspected.

 

This Mini2 post is helpful:-

http://www.mini2.com...tank-fixed.html

 

and this was the cap (seal may be damaged when you remove cap after not being removed for some years/months)

"had the same with the 2001 Mini One we bought for my daughter. First afternoon of using it after collecting it from the dealer got home to hear the water 'boiling' in the header tank and immediately thought the worst - head gasket.
The Mini doesn't have a pressurised header tank, the pressure cap is on the engine fill point, looking at the pressure cap there was evidence of coolant leakage so I suspected this might be the cause, the cap releases the pressure so the water boils. When I took the cap off the seal was in pretty poor shape and just twisting it caused it to split so as a temporary fix I made two rubber seals out of a bicycle inner tube to match the thickness of the original and refitted the cap, job done, no more loss of coolant or boiling.
I bought a new cap from the local Mini dealer for around £11 which is now fitted."

http://www.mini2.com...tml#post3818920

 

From the old MCR Forum:

"On the filling and bleeding, when I had the rad on my R50 replaced by a local speciallist I noticed the sound of trickling water coming from behind the dash. I guessed it was the flow going through the heater matrix. I checked the level in the expansion tank, but all appeared OK, so I opened the bleeds and low and behold some air came out. It took another couple of drives and bleeding sessions to get all the air out of the system and stop teh trickling sound coming from the heater."

http://forum.minicoo...roblems?t=13263

Edited by mab01uk, 03 January 2015 - 06:34 PM.