Is it safe to drive with the coolant light on if the temperature gauge is in the safety zone ?

[ninjacat]

Imagine the length of the thread when he starts the cylinder head change...

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Two pages for every bolt.

 

[Rightboy91]

Two pages for every bolt.

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

It's OK, keep the thread open, the HG will probably go soon anyway.

 

[Rightboy91]

Imagine the length of the thread when he starts the cylinder head change...

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, was only doing it under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about all day and the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/is-it-safe-to-drive-with-the-coolant-light-on-if-the-temperature-gauge-is-in-the-safety-zone.556934/page-4#ixzz6dcGG1CY6

Imagine the length of the thread when he starts the cylinder head change...

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

Read more: [URL]https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/is-it-safe-to-drive-with-the-coolant-light-on-if-the-temperature-gauge-is-in-the-safety-zone.556934/page-4#ixzz6dcGy3vxZ[/URL]

 

[Rightboy91]

If the head gasket has gone (check the filler cap, may have brown creamy gunk on it, which is an oil/coolant emulsion)

The the gasket has probably failed due to the cylinder head itself being warped, so probably not a head gasket change.

Also, you could put some drain indicator dye in the coolant and use a UV torch which might show where the leak is. From what you've said though it's pouring out so of there's no puddles on the floor then it's going into the engine.

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

 

[Rightboy91]

If the head gasket has blown due to heat then there’s a very high chance that the cylinder head has warped and will need skimming flat before reassembling with a new gasket and possibly new bolts - if they are the stretch variety.
Please be aware, not all engines have a head that is skimmable but I can’t comment on the Vectra.
John

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...n-the-safety-zone.556934/page-4#ixzz6dcGy3vxZ

 

[Rightboy91]

No, your temperature gauge only display the coolant temperature when there is proper level of coolant in the system. If there is no coolant around the sensor, the engine may well already be over heating and have suffered damage - It is only a COOLANT TEMPERATURE DISPLAY - not an engine temperature display.

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

 

[Rightboy91]

How on earth can this be just an airlock issue if you are putting in a litre of water every 10 mins, where do you think the water is going? Into some form of Vauxhall (sorry Fiat) engine Tardis?

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...n-the-safety-zone.556934/page-4#ixzz6dcGy3vxZ

 

[Rightboy91]

Use a pressure kit to find the leak.
If no leak, google "scrapyard near me".

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...n-the-safety-zone.556934/page-4#ixzz6dcGy3vxZ

 

[Rightboy91]

If you did properly seal the leak then one of two things has happened:

1.You had an airlock which cleared itself which allowed the coolant system to fill from the expansion bottle. If this is the case then you can top it up again and you won't lose any more coolant.
2. You have cooked the heat gasket and the engine is now not worth repairing.

How did you seal the leak? If you sealed it with sealant from the outside then you'll probably find that when the system is pressurised it leaks again.

Ironically, you did the right thing by driving home with the rad cap off. Without pressure in the system it would have leaked more slowly.

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...n-the-safety-zone.556934/page-4#ixzz6dcGy3vxZ

 

[Rightboy91]

It could have been an airlock from filling up, which only then cleared when being driven, or when the thermostat opened and took a big gulp of water from the tank.

Problem fixed ! it was just the metal clip thing that you push in together with pliers on the hose on the bottom of the expansion bottle was too high lowered it down to where the line was where it had been previously on the hose as it was leaking water out underneath the bottle, not because the bottle itself was leaking but because the metal clip thing was too high up. it was only leaking when driving i.e. under load which is why I didn't see it leak. driven about 40 miles today day the level has not dropped at all. Sorted !

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...n-the-safety-zone.556934/page-4#ixzz6dcGy3vxZ

 

[johnny2007]

As I mentioned a few pages ago, you could've saved a lot of time and water by using a pressure kit to find the leak in 30 seconds.
But I suppose it would've not been as dramatic...
Now, in a normal car you would need to replace water with a coolant solution of a correct ratio, but given the circumstances, better to leave it...

 

[Burnerman]

Clips of the devil, those things especially when they rust through.....anyway, it didn’t back off on its own!
Do keep an eye on the coolant level for the next few weeks, and don’t forget the antifreeze will be well diluted by now.
John

 

[HERTS P&D]

So have you fixed it then???????????????

Why didn't you say.



Andy