Hi,

Ive got a mid mounted 2.0 Duratec with an MG/Rover Expansion Tank and a forward mounted radiator.
When I left the car idling for a while to build up temperature to check the fan was coming on the expansion tank went from half full to completly full with bubbling (boiling?) water coming in from the small bore pipe which feeds from the unit on the end of the cyclinder head where the temp sender lives.
I guess it's doing what it should (eg. expanding) but it did look like a 'She's gonna blow!' moment.
Should I be worried about this?
The expansion tank doesnt look like the cap has any pressure relief.
The temp gauge (Caerbont with Caerbont sensor) said about 110DegC but the Omex 600 sender was reading about 95.

[Edited on 9/4/17 by ChrisJ15]

Did the thermostat open?

If the coolant was that hot coming out of the small bleed point into the header tank it could be the thermostat is stuck closed,or you have the system piped up incorrectly.

A diagram of how it's piped up will help people diagnose it.

You need a laser thermometer ideally,they are cheap on the bay,then keep checking temp at different points all over the coolant system as it warms up.

check the plumbing


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Also have you got a mechanical stat rather thsn ecu controlled.

The Duratec runs at 100 to 110 normally so you need a pressure cap or water will boil.

The thermostat did open. Could feel the temp rise in the pipe from the thermostat housing get warm (around 95DegC I think).
Rad got warm as did return pipe and then cooled when fan came on.

This is how it's plummed. Its the second picture (excuse the scribblings)...

[img]https://get.google.com/albumarchive/105413710531170288997/album/AF1QipM_wF2zvszcu2SHSLY0pEYVwkNKMYFF1rGfkxGx/AF1QipPlBNskmr3bUIOnVCw3ItVQRTBpsHqr cu_luwid[/img]

I kept the oil cooling circuit from the donor car (ST150).

I know others have used this expansion tank with a Duratec.


[Edited on 9/4/17 by ChrisJ15]

[Edited on 9/4/17 by ChrisJ15]

What I found any many others have is that you need to pipe it up exactly as Ford intended or it doesn't work correctly, I originally had issues with a modified layout.So as I put it how it should be it self vented and worked correctly.

Even if it looks like it should work, I would put it to the Ford arrangement.

That makes sense and was my intention but the design of the car puts the rad some feet away from the engine which means some chanegs.

Other than that the only thing I did was re-route the lower feed into the expansion tank a few cms along the same pipe.

Does a full bubbling expansion tank mean imminent disaster?

If you look at the SBD motorsport page here...

http://www.sbdev.co.uk/Info_sheets/Cooling_systems/Duratec%20Cooling%20System%20without%20heater.pdf

I have that setup minus the yellow auto bleed to the top of the radiator. I do also have the loop to the oil filter which isnt shown.

If it's boiling it's not cooling, I in the end had to suck it up, and re pipe the system, but never had issues since.

quote:

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Originally posted by ChrisJ15
That makes sense and was my intention but the design of the car puts the rad some feet away from the engine which means some chanegs.

Other than that the only thing I did was re-route the lower feed into the expansion tank a few cms along the same pipe.

Does a full bubbling expansion tank mean imminent disaster?

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