[MR2] MKI filling coolant

[Benn]

I suspect the damage is done.  Don't be surprised if it now uses oil (due to 
rings having lost tension) and a blown head gasket in the offing.  At least 
that's what happened to our Mk I after driving it an estimated couple to 
several miles with minimal coolant left..  Ours uses about 1 qt per 600 
miles now.

YES, the venting procedure is important to get the air out.   You're on the 
right track--it's because the radiator and heater trap air at the high point 
that can't get back to the engine area filler due to the plumbing running 
under the car at a lower elevation.  I wouldn't trust a mechanic to sort 
this out.  IIRC, there are THREE high points: the radiator, the heater, and 
a point in the engine compartment, near the clutch housing.  All need to be 
vented in the proper procedure, and follow the recommendations to check it 
every time you use it for the first several times.
Benn


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <felix at crowfix.com>
To: <mr2 at mr2.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 10:59 AM
Subject: [MR2] MKI filling coolant


> The belt tensioner pulley shifted last night and lights began an
> irregular blink (coolant, charging, ?, but no yellow engine check
> light), no doubt due to the belt slipping and catching.  Due to
> unfortunate other circumstances, my dash lights are temporarily out,
> so I did not see the temp gauge pegged right away, but I did notice
> the heater no longer working.  I pulled over, had probably driven 2-3
> miles since the lights came on in the middle of a long bridge.  When I
> stopped, it was steaming, no additional lights had come on, and I had
> stopped the engine, it did not quit on its own.  I got a tow, the tow
> truck driver had the right wrenches to retighten the pulley, and I
> restarted it no problem (and shut it down in a second or two).
>
> So now I need to refill it.  I was planning on walking down to a gas
> station a mile away, get some coolant (it says at least 50-70%, that
> would be 7-10 quarts, or a couple of gallons), pour that and water
> until it fills, start the angine and refill as required, and since I
> have to do this without a hose, if it sucks the white plastic coolant
> container dry, shut down the engine and go get more water, fill, start
> up, and so on until the coolant container stays at its fill line and
> has the roughly 13.5 quarts listed in the handbook.
>
> But I was surprised to see much more complicated ionstructions in the
> owner's manual, involving hoses, bleeding air, etc.
>
> What is the proper thing to do here?  Should I do what I planned but
> get a garage to do the right thing in a few days?  I am not much of a
> mechanic and don't have a good level place to do things like this, so
> I don't mind paying the mechanic to do it right if necessary.  I am
> more worried about doing any danage to it right now.
>
> -- 
>            ... _._. ._ ._. . _._. ._. ___ .__ ._. . .__. ._ .. ._.
>     Felix Finch: scarecrow repairman & rocket surgeon / felix at crowfix.com
>  GPG = E987 4493 C860 246C 3B1E  6477 7838 76E9 182E 8151 ITAR license 
> #4933
> I've found a solution to Fermat's Last Theorem but I see I've run out of 
> room o
>
> _______________________________________________
> MR2 Mailing List
> MR2 at mr2.com
> http://mr2.com/mailman/listinfo/mr2_mr2.com