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Overflow bottle - OVERFLOWING!


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Good morning. This morning I rolled 'TRoy' (my '6), out of the garage (to polish him & do a couple of minor last minute jobs, ready for Lincoln). When I noticed that the rad overflow bottle was full, and had overflowed (last night), as there was a corresponding puddle on the garage floor. I was out & about in TRoy, yesterday morning, but then I left him parked outside till late afternoon, when I drove him (approx. 100metres) to my garage, to do some tinkering, before rolling him inside for the night, so I could eat some pizza & watch telly. He has been running a bit warm lately (weather?), & there seems to be no evidence of head gasket trouble (compressions are ok, no sign of 'Mayo', good performance) At no point yesterday did I see any puddles. I have been for a test run today, again, running warm, but not overheating. I thought there might've been an air lock, & a run might have cleared this, but the bottle is still full. The only other thought I've got, is that I used 'K seal' earlier in the year, to fix a leaking heater matrix; Maybe this has caused a problem?

As ever,Your excellent advice & opinions will be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes,

Paul.

Edited by TR Paul
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Doubt it is the result of K seal. Personally I’d just drain down the bottle to about a third and check the radiator is full. Check the condition of the rad cap and take it for a thrash.

Might be worth replacing the thermostat if you have one.

If still not good replace the cap.

 

Do you have an electric fan? If so it may be worth checking that is working!

 

Dave

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Hi Paul,

as Dave says for the bottle (1/3 full). But I would leave apprx 1" air gap (just above the core) in the rad to allow for expansion.

 

Do you have the double action rad cap. This allows water to flow out to the bottlle and then back in when the rad cools down.

#65 https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/shop-by-model/triumph/tr5-6/cooling-system/radiators-hoses-fittings/cooling-system-tr5-6.html

 

Roger

Edited by RogerH
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Check your radiator cap. You need a dual action cap- that lets coolant flow out when it expands and return from the bottle to to the radiator when it cools and contracts.

 

Some caps only let coolant flow out, acting as a check valve when fitted to a coolant return system- filling the bottle while running but not allowing coolant to return to the engine when it cools.

 

Check your cap has 2 seals and that your radiator's header tank is full.

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Dave, Roger,Z320, Mike & Pete: Many thanks for your advice. I will take heed, & investigate dual action Rad caps.

Many thanks for your help,

Cheers,

Paul.

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Make sure also that the overflow pipe from the radiator is a good fit, as when the coolant cools it should draw water back from the expansion bottle, but if air can get in at that connection it will not draw water back into the rad.

John

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Hi John,

if the bottom of the pipe in the bottle is immersed in the coolant then air through the pipe hole should not mater.

 

The pipe needs to be a good fit on the rad cap outlet to maintain the capillary action.

 

Roger

Edited by RogerH
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Hmmm

 

So I bought new Rad cap off flea bay and this news of a dual action cap is news to me. This is what I just bought:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RADIATOR-CAP-13-PSI-TRIUMPH-TR6/232765039510?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

 

Rich

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I think there are 2 types of neck in the rad, worth a check from the top face to the seal land, and compare with the rad cap, there are only a few MM's difference between the 2 types.

John

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Hmmm

 

So I bought new Rad cap off flea bay and this news of a dual action cap is news to me. This is what I just bought:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RADIATOR-CAP-13-PSI-TRIUMPH-TR6/232765039510?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

 

Rich

Rich - I have a feeling that may not be correct - you really need to see the underneath of the cap to see the double seal

 

You can see it on this one:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-lb-Long-Reach-Radiator-Cap-Pressure-Cap-Expansion-Tank-Cap/151044671283?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49129%26meid%3D2b9df75961b54819993a075136b6996a%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D3%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D263384134180%26itm%3D151044671283&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

Seems a hell of a long address - hope it works - if not item number is :

 

eBay item number:
151044671283
Cheers Rich
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Excellent,many thanks. I do have a dual action cap (2 rubber seals), & my overflow pipe is secured with a Jubilee clip.

I like the tip about a slash cut on the bottle end of the pipe; never thought of that one!

Cheers,

Paul.

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Hope the new cap solves the problem. If not, check the condition of the overflow pipe. Mine had a very small hole in it that allowed air into the radiator as it cooled down rather than sucking the water out of the bottle. The hole resulted from a PO fitting the wrong type of pipe - one that was abraded by vibration against a hot radiator.

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Thanks, Alfrom, I'll bare that in mind.

Cheers,

Paul.

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Make sure overflow pipe is correct heat resistant material, most garages only sell pipe suitable for screenwashers which will collapse under vacuum. Moss sell the correct stuff off the roll its green but not shown in the parts book, you need to ring and ask.

Chris

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Morning chaps, just a quick update on the Overflow situation... I swopped the thermostat, & tried another rad cap (as well as slash cutting the overflow pipe!) & after covering 90+ miles of medium to hard driving in high temperatures, all seems well (fingers crossed...). Lincoln here we come!

Many thanks for all your excellent advice,

Cheers,
Paul.

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