[Nik]

Ive had my 96 vit for a few months now and Im not sure whats up with the water level in the radiator.
The first time I checked the overflow bottle the suction pipe had fallen off but even with the pipe back on the overflow bottle is always empty and the water in the radiator is below the top of the cores.
The oil is good the water is good and there is no steam out the exhaust.
It only ever gets to half way on the temp gauge even with a day of wheeling.
Any thoughts on where to start? Could the radiator cap be faulty and upsetting the flow between the radiator and overflow bottle?
Thanks Nik

[jimmy87]

same thing was happening to me, turned out there was a crack in the block underneath the intake manifold. im not saying its the same for you but its some thing to look out for.

[shep]

Have you been topping it up? Stick some green concentrate in as it makes a easy to see stain if there is a leak. Plus it should have green in it anyway

[Nik]

I have checked for cracks in the block as Ive seen that before but I will look harder. The water is still green the only thin I can see is what looks like a small oil leak out of the front of the motor not sure if its the crank seal as its to the side of the timing belt cover.
Nik

[shandy92]

Sounds like the water pump is leaking if you have a leak from the front near the timing cover. How often are u toping it up?

[Goldnomad]

Take it to a radiator specialist and have them do a pressure test on the cooling system.
Done quickly and painlessly

[Nik]

The last few days Ive had to top it up everyday. Not alot but still it shouldnt be happening.
I havnt had a the cover off a EFI motor is it any harder to change the water pump?

[JrZook]

How old is the radiator cap? Why don't you replace that first and see what happens?

[shandy92]

mate, with the engine running jump under and have a look at a little hole in the under side of the water pump. If you have water coming from here (water pump weep hole) then you can be 100% sure that its life has come to an end and is due to be replaced.

if its not leaking from here then the water pump is fine. check the rad cap

[Nik]

I was thinking along the lines of what you guys had suggested. But I went to see a retired mechanic today, nothing like an old timers common sense to make you feel like a noob. Explained the symptoms to him he walked up grabbed the top and bottom radiater hoses and said theres your problem the thermostat isnt opening. Took it out and punched out the middle for now and its all good!

[shandy92]

Nik wrote:

...... I can see is what looks like a small oil leak out of the front of the motor ......

thermostat wouldnt cause a leak tho?
have you looked at that water pump?

[Santos]

where is the needle sitting on the temp gauge? My friends lwb would sit just bellow half, and she was putting a litre or more a fortnight. Told her it should be n higher than a quarter and she said it always sat there. She had to get a new radiator to pass a blue slip for act-> nsw rego. Put the radiator in with new cap, needle stays at 1/4 mark and water level has been good for over 3 months.

In anycase i'd strongly recmmend you by a new thermostat rather than just have a hole in the old one. Thermostats are there for a reason a fact which takes me alot of energy to explain to self-taugh backyard spanner monkeys in my life.

[jonno_racing]

LoL at old mechanic
My jimny uses the overflow bottle every tank of fuel.
Blown headgasket/cracked head! Typical g16b pos motors

[Nik]

There will be a new thermostat coming Thats why we put oart of it back in to try to restrict the flow a little while I wait fo the new one.
I think it was getting hotter than the gauge said so knowing that it was a long trip home with lots of stops and the heater on full to help it cool down . So I assume it was pushing the water out the overflow. Weird thing was it didnt show any other signs of running hot, it idled and ran smooth.

[jonno_racing]

Can you smell coolant constantly?
Is the overflow bottle full when driving? Or just after a decent drive??
If its getting hot enough to push out that volume of water, you will smell it (hot motor + coolant) and its probably cracked the head
Sorry to be that person but that's my experience with these motors.

[atari4x4]

jonno_racing wrote:

you will smell it (hot motor + coolant) and its probably cracked the head

such a distinct smell, my TB42 pootrol has scared me for life... i can smell even the slightest coolant leak now.

[Santos]

Nik wrote:

There will be a new thermostat coming Thats why we put oart of it back in to try to restrict the flow a little while I wait fo the new one.
I think it was getting hotter than the gauge said so knowing that it was a long trip home with lots of stops and the heater on full to help it cool down . So I assume it was pushing the water out the overflow. Weird thing was it didnt show any other signs of running hot, it idled and ran smooth.

same for my friend vit LWB, hopefully its the radiator not the head for you

[Nik]

Just an update after I replaced the thermostat Ive been driving it all week checking the oil and water daily and its all sweet so far.