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is200 auto radiator bubbling, water leak , cold air and steam through vents


mista_khan
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Hi Guys

 

I have searched and searched this forum but nobody has mentioned anything like this lol.

I have a lexus is200 auto 1999 on LPG , ive owned it since 2013 and it ran beautifully before i parked it up in dec 2018 due to using another car. Before i parked it up in 2018 i remembered that the passenger side vents stopped blowing hot air and was cold air only while i got hot air at the driver side vents. Also radiator would make bubbling noises but never had a leak or over heating problem.

Just had the car MOT'd last month and felt like using this as its a auto and on lpg so cheap to run. Couple problems highlighted :

1) Radiator bubbling, white small bubbles in radiator once engine starts warming up, coolant reservoir good to go. With the cap off the radiator and engine warm alot of steam comes out of the cap, once cap is closed the bubbling gets really loud almost as if someone is hitting the RAD with a wooden stick.

2) No hot air blowing through any of the vents inside the car even with the engine warm and air con temp up.

3) When i do turn on the vents when the engine is warm in side the car all i see is STEAM, yes STEAM pouring in from all the vents and all the windows steam up like mad.

4) I have driven the car with aircon/heating off except the bubbling in the radiator no problems even with car at warm temp, ive also driven car with engine temp warm and vents open and the car steams up inside and the car leaks all the coolant and i cant seem to see the leak from the engine bay but the water drops from near the inside of driver side tyre if that makes sense

 

What i have done so far :

I park on a steep hill facing upwards, removed both rad and reservoir caps, turning on heating on low fan high temp and let it run for 30 mins while pressing the rad pipes and occasional rev, still the same problem occurs.

Any of you experience guys and gals give me any pointers about what it could be (also car has never over heated to red if that helps)

Thanks guys

 

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You have air trapped in the system. Remove the radiator caps and run the engine. When the engine thermostat opens, and the heater on full, sqeeze the heater hoses one at a time while watching the water level in the radiator. When all the air is expelled from the heater of the heat exchanger, the water level in the radiator will rise every time you squeeze a heater hose. Fill with coolant to the maximum level of the expansion tank and put both caps on. Bleed the system from the bleeder screw if your car has one.

The only explanation of the steam I can think of is a leak from the heater heat exchanger due to the high pressure of the air and coolant within, probably from the hose connections to the heat exchanger. 

When there is air in the system, the water flow is not sreamline but turbulant and it may even stop circulating if air is trapped at the water pump, thereby causing engine overheating which in turn produces steam in the circuit and high pressure. Depending where the air is trapped, the tempetature gauge will indicate a false reading but you will be able to see it move up and down indicating water intermittent contacting it.

As to a vent failing to discharge hot air, it may stack or a linkage failed or a servo motor malfunction.

Hope to have been of some help.

Chris.

 

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11 hours ago, Mihanicos said:

You have air trapped in the system. Remove the radiator caps and run the engine. When the engine thermostat opens, and the heater on full, sqeeze the heater hoses one at a time while watching the water level in the radiator. When all the air is expelled from the heater of the heat exchanger, the water level in the radiator will rise every time you squeeze a heater hose. Fill with coolant to the maximum level of the expansion tank and put both caps on. Bleed the system from the bleeder screw if your car has one.

The only explanation of the steam I can think of is a leak from the heater heat exchanger due to the high pressure of the air and coolant within, probably from the hose connections to the heat exchanger. 

When there is air in the system, the water flow is not sreamline but turbulant and it may even stop circulating if air is trapped at the water pump, thereby causing engine overheating which in turn produces steam in the circuit and high pressure. Depending where the air is trapped, the tempetature gauge will indicate a false reading but you will be able to see it move up and down indicating water intermittent contacting it.

As to a vent failing to discharge hot air, it may stack or a linkage failed or a servo motor malfunction.

Hope to have been of some help.

Chris.

 

Hi Chris

Thankyou for your detailed feedback mate, 

In regards to bleed valve for the radiator or coolant where is it located on the is200?

Also is it a safe bet to buy another radiator and heat exchanger and have coolant drained, rad and heat exchanger replaced and hopefully fix the problem?

Khan

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If there is one it is at the highest point of the cooling system, that is where air always goes. Look for it near the radiator, hoses theteto or connecting pipes at the top. Alternatively you can keep the radiator cap off and the air will go out from there. Keep the water level low enough to avoid water overflowing from the radiator. You may need to rev the engine a bit to see the water circulating. 

Chris.

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1 minute ago, Mihanicos said:

If there is one it is at the highest point of the cooling system, that is where air always goes. Look for it near the radiator, hoses theteto or connecting pipes at the top. Alternatively you can keep the radiator cap off and the air will go out from there. Keep the water level low enough to avoid water overflowing from the radiator. You may need to rev the engine a bit to see the water circulating. 

Verify and cure the fault first. Then you can decide what to do further.

Chris

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 2/10/2021 at 7:25 AM, Mihanicos said:

If there is one it is at the highest point of the cooling system, that is where air always goes. Look for it near the radiator, hoses theteto or connecting pipes at the top. Alternatively you can keep the radiator cap off and the air will go out from there. Keep the water level low enough to avoid water overflowing from the radiator. You may need to rev the engine a bit to see the water circulating. 

Chris.

Right ive finally had it checked by a mechanic and according to him the thermostat is faulty and water is leaking from the overflow pipe , which means water isnt circulating as thermostat isnt opening which would explain no heat inside the cabin from vents, bubbling water and also the engine fans not turning on? Is this making sense to you?

 

On monday i will collect a new thermostat and have it replaced hopefully does the job.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  1. Update

Thermostat has been fitted yet the radiator fans do not turn on, bubbling still within the radiator and behind the vents within the dash board where the heater core matrix is.  So next step for me is to check if the fuses are working for the rad fans and to also flush the heater core matrix as it feelins like there is plenty of air or blockage within the matrix .

Does anybody know the location of the rad fans?

Also what mm is the diameter for the heater matrix pipes that carry the coolant as i need to buy the correct size hose pipes to connect onto the heater core and flush out the junk.

 

Thankyou

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14 hours ago, mista_khan said:

Does anybody know the location of the rad fans?

I think there is a 30A fuse in the engine fuse box labelled RDI Fan. There is a relay too which would need to be considered if the fan doesn't work.

Easiest way to test the fan is to disconnect the connector to temperature sensor on the bottom of the radiator and short the two pins together on the connector - the fan should come on (make sure you are well clear of the fan blades).

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