[BashShah]

OK, do I have to buy an entire expansion bottle just cause my floating level broke?
Not sure of everyone can see the picture I am posting.

Is the residue just from overflow or what?
Does the cap have any other function?

DN

[robthewrench]

Can't see the picture.

[Wolf 335]

No photo anywhere

[57type1]

For the floating level,yes you have to buy the entire tank. It is about $50 for an aftermarket(behr) and about $110 for OEM. i've had the aftermarket for about a year with no issues (wifes' 2006).

[BashShah]

Sorry guys, can't get the picture loaded.
So new expansion bottle it is.

DN

[Wolf 335]

If only they would make the damn tank out of lighter colored plastic like every other car manufacturer, so we could see the level without even opening the tank.

[kkasson]

I'm just guessing since we can't see the picture, but are you saying there are coolant stains on the tank? The expansion tank cap is designed to let out coolant if there's too much pressure. So if there are stains around the cap, that's likely what's happening. That can happen either because the pressure is actually too high, or because the cap isn't working correctly and is venting at a lower pressure than it's supposed to.

The tank float will sometimes just break because it's old, but it can also break if it gets too hot.

The two of those together make me nervous that something might be wrong with the cooling system, and the tank is getting hotter than it's supposed to.

I'd say to replace the tank and the cap, but keep an eye on it for a while and make sure everything is working normally.

[BashShah]

Originally Posted by kkasson

I'm just guessing since we can't see the picture, but are you saying there are coolant stains on the tank? The expansion tank cap is designed to let out coolant if there's too much pressure. So if there are stains around the cap, that's likely what's happening. That can happen either because the pressure is actually too high, or because the cap isn't working correctly and is venting at a lower pressure than it's supposed to.

The tank float will sometimes just break because it's old, but it can also break if it gets too hot.

The two of those together make me nervous that something might be wrong with the cooling system, and the tank is getting hotter than it's supposed to.

I'd say to replace the tank and the cap, but keep an eye on it for a while and make sure everything is working normally.

No oil cooler in my car.
Oil temp hitting 250f a few times.....noticeably.
In the last 2 years it barely touched 240f.....ever.
So I am concerned now.

Coolant showed low the morning after it hit 250f.
Filled it and fiddled around the float level to see if there was some oil residue or milky....anything ....but while pushing it aside, it just snapped.

It hasn't hot over 250f but I got worried.....stand and go traffic.
Car performed good....

Things on my plate:
Battery replacement....with next 2 weeks.
Slight miss fire without code....at stop light I can feel it.....slight shake.
Walnut blast done approx 50k km ago. Same time coils and plugs. And both vanos.

Going to replace air filter.....did not do it since walnut blast.

Thought I would state all, see if there was a coinsendence.
Recent work:
Oil level sensor, and oil change mobile 1 0w40.

DN

[kkasson]

They do get weak over time...if you were touching it when it broken then it might just be that. I didn't want to scare you, but just to point out that if the two of them are related then it might be that something is wrong.

I would scan it for codes and if everything is okay then just replace the tank and the cap and keep an eye on the coolant level for a little while afterwards. As long as the level is okay now, you could replace the cap and leave the tank as it is for a while. But if you're losing coolant out of the cap then I would start by replacing that.

[BashShah]

Originally Posted by kkasson

They do get weak over time...if you were touching it when it broken then it might just be that. I didn't want to scare you, but just to point out that if the two of them are related then it might be that something is wrong.

I would scan it for codes and if everything is okay then just replace the tank and the cap and keep an eye on the coolant level for a little while afterwards. As long as the level is okay now, you could replace the cap and leave the tank as it is for a while. But if you're losing coolant out of the cap then I would start by replacing that.

So far 2 months, no coolant lose.

DN

[BashShah]

Oil temp hit 250f again today.... Stop and go traffic.
Think it's time to look into an oil cooler.

DN

[Wolf 335]

Mine hits 250 if I'm stationary for a while. I hear the fan kick in which makes sense because there is no air flowing through the rad.

Once I start driving drops down to 240-245

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by kkasson

They do get weak over time...if you were touching it when it broken then it might just be that. I didn't want to scare you, but just to point out that if the two of them are related then it might be that something is wrong.

I would scan it for codes and if everything is okay then just replace the tank and the cap and keep an eye on the coolant level for a little while afterwards. As long as the level is okay now, you could replace the cap and leave the tank as it is for a while. But if you're losing coolant out of the cap then I would start by replacing that.

Eh, I'm not so sure this is true. My car is at 290K on the original tank and float level. You just have to be careful on how you screw the cap down IMO.

[BashShah]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Eh, I'm not so sure this is true. My car is at 290K on the original tank and float level. You just have to be careful on how you screw the cap down IMO.

It broke at the base, and as I was trying push it aside with 1 finger, not even trying to force it.

It caught me by surprise on how easily it broke.
Was not expecting something to break.

DN