Pnoidrummer

i have a coolant leak. i couldn't do anything, had to drive it home. the buzzer went off and on randomly. i think it has a problem sucking in coolant from the resevoir, think that's the case? like is that prolly the reason why it's buzzing on and off? anyway, it started happening when i washed my engine bay with some simple green and water. i'm guessing there was dirt or oil that i cleaned up, and that was what was holding the coolant in from a cracked hose or something haha.

anyway, main question, i think i drove it with low coolant for about half an hour to an hour. think that may have warped the engine? i havne't looked at in since, i'm going to find the leak later today, but when i was driving the half hour to an hour, the buzzer went off and on... at one point it was kinda smoking, but it was from teh coolant evaporating from wherever the leak was.

SureShot

You may have to pressure test it.
A common failure spot is the 3/8” coolant line that runs from the top of the rear housing (under the intake runners) to the throttle body, to the BAC, to the water pump.
Another one is the heater hose under the oil filter.
Also the old stock radiator top tank can crack or leak at the O-ring seal to the core.

Pnoidrummer

when you say top tank can, is that the plastic black pipe lookin deal taht's connected to the coolant cap? or the white semi clear resevoir tank?

texFCturboII

iTrader: (17)

if it didn't overheat, you didn't warp anything.

Pnoidrummer

hmm.. thanks... well i took it apart. i couldn't find where the actual leak was coming from. i think it's from the radiator.

how do you take the fan shroud out with out taking out the fan? also. i took apart the filler pipe for the coolant, and the little O ring came out, and it expanded, i can't put it back in. is it suppose to be like that? do i have to get a new one... o.0

also. i need to drain the coolant, where can i go to drain most of it out so it won't get everywhere.. thanks for the help... geeze i was planning on selling this car now i can't. bleh.

clokker

iTrader: (2)

There should be a drain plug on the bottom of the rad.

Just take the fan off before removing the shroud.

Get a new o-ring.

Highly unlikely.

Pnoidrummer

oh ok. thanks. you think i could jsut go to any auto parts store? or shud i get it from mazda

Pnoidrummer

oh and another thing, does anyone have a suggestion on an aftermarket radiator? or should i just go for an oem one. does aftermarket really do anything?

rotorymanincraig

Are you sure its coming from the radiator? If you are then cool, but if not look at the hoses on the BAC and the heater hoses. Start with the cheap parts.

BLK FC3S

OEM is a cheap POS. Get a koyo. Its a direct replacement for the oem and cost around $300.

SureShot

If you basically have a stock setup, a stock or aftermarket radiator will work fine.
An upgrade Koyo or Fluidyne is overkill.
My NA did well on a cheap brass replacement from radiators.com
It ran over a year (with a coolant seal patched with Barrs Leak) on that radiator.

Tip: use a 10mm 6-point box end wrench on the fan nuts.
An open end wrench will just round them off.

Pnoidrummer

thanks for the help. well i might go with koyo, i don't want it to overheat, i kinda need it to last until i can save up for a TII swap, plus i figure by then the koyo will help with the TII conversion =D

ericgrau

iTrader: (1)

OEM radiator is great for NA's, but if you're gonna upgrade the TII after you get it you may need the koyo radiator eventually anyway.

Pnoidrummer

so if i get a koyo radiator, is it just direct bolt on? also i found my leak. it's on top of the radiator where the plastic is sealing on top of the metal. if i get a new radiator does it come with the plastic part?

clokker

iTrader: (2)

The only rad that has plastic end tanks will be a factory replacement.
Most radiator shops handle all metal replacements (brass/copper) that are cheaper than Mazda's and the high zoot units (like Fluidyne, Koyo, etc.) are all aluminum.

micah

Where are you seeing koyo replacements for 300 bucks exactly?

Pnoidrummer

mazdatrix and other places haha. is aluminum better? exactly how does a koyo cool better than like an OEM one? just the flow rate and how many little fins there are?? is there really a difference in cooling? cause i'm planning on a TII swap later later on down the road.

micah

Uhm. no. mazdatrix doesn't have koyo's for 300... where else?

Pnoidrummer

ok. maybe not then. ok i did research. and all koyos are like 450 or 500 or something haha sorry...

micah

Jerk.. got my hopes up. hehe

Pnoidrummer

WAIT. i win... i found one. ti's actually 50 more tho...
http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/prod/R1144

here's the link. i didn't read up so it might be used. but i doubt it. you owe me some love now. =]

does koyo really make better radiators? i heard copper was better than aluminum.

micah

^^ Sweet! Good find.. Not sure if I would trust that site though.

Copper, Aluminum... Well, copper conducts/dissipates heat more efficiently, but... I am unsure which material is more resistant to corrosion and such.. Probably a good post about that somewhere..

Pnoidrummer

ahh i see... alright. thanks =D

Pnoidrummer

hmm so it was u that helped me figure out a paint booth. haha. u live in the suburbs? i don't think i can put mine in front of my driveway. im' thinking of building it inside my garage. i have a few questions too about painting if you don't mind me asking.

1. are you using an oxy tank? or just a really good mask? the ones with charcol and a dust filter?
2. do you clean up the overspray? cause in my application, i don't wanna seal off the garge, i still wanna use the space to park my car, and im' freaked about the particlate entering my lungs as well as my family's.
3. do you just throw away the chemicals in a garbage bin? like after using paint remover and stuff?
4. can't you get in trouble for just blowing particulate and the organic molecules into the air?? or u have fitlers? and if u got filters waht filters are u using?

haha sorry, i'm really interested in learning to paint, but not for the cost of my lungs lol. i'm trying to be safe for my family and i, and environment safe, and not get my *** fined safe haha.

micah

Not that this is related to the thread.. but since you are the OP.. I'll answer. hehe

1. No oxy tank, just a really good mask and a ventilated booth.
2. I have inlet fans that filter air coming in and filters at the other end that filter as much as possible over spray out of the air.
3. Almost everything goes into a garbage can then disposed of at the local disposal center. I take it to the hazardous section just in case they want to deal with it differently... Once I give it to them. I could care less.
4. You have to check with your local laws... however, if you follow the mixing API (given to you when you buy paint), in MOST areas... its completely legal to kill the environment as much as you want. hehe. Its when you deviate from the mixing charts and say use more reducer than specified or what not... spilling a higher than normal amount of hydrocarbons or whatever... Atleast thats how the local paint shop described it.

Overall, most good carbon/paper filters will work really good for keeping stuff out of your lungs.. A fresh-air supplied mask is even nicer... no matter the quality of your mask.. have a well-ventilated work space! I have two box fans blowing through my booth and IMO its not enough. I wanted to get a couple larger sized industrial blowers... create a false ceiling out of heater air filters... and create floor vents.. Would give me a make-shift down-draft booth. Maybe for the next car. hehe.