General Alot of Pressure in the Header Tank

[Rama78]

Hello everyone

This is my first post and I really need your help with this one.

Tomorrow morning I am hoping to bleed the coolant system and have found how to do it by using the search function on this great site.

I have a 1998 Fiat Punto and I have to keep topping up the expansion tank (Is this the right phrase - the water bottle that has the max/min marks on it?) to the maximum mark with water/coolant every 5-7 days or so. I am not sure where the water is going.

The head gasket blew on this car a year ago and I have had it replaced but I still have this losing coolant problem unfortunately. The mechanic says it could be simply due to the fact that its an old car and basically all the hoses etc are old and worn.

I have just recently bought a solution called 'Novastop', similar to 'K-Seal' or any of the other products of the same sort and I am hoping this will fix any small cracks or holes where the water may be excaping from.

First question is do I put this in the expansion tank? (Is this the right name for the water bottle thing, please let me know) or do I put it in the radiator? And if it goes in the radiator where do I put it? Is there a cap or something that comes off? I know, apologies, I sound really stupid, but I honestly dont know much about cars.

Also how much of a mix of water and coolant do I use and so I simply follow the instructions below to bleed the entire system?

I am still getting heat coming into the car through the heaters and the heat is very warm but I do sometimes get an oily smell. There does seem to be an oil leak from the rocker cover gasket though and I have read this is quite common. Will this 'novastop' help to fix this oil leak problem also?

When bleeding the system do I have the engine turned off until it says below to turn on and do I drain the whole system before putting more coolant in?

Is the header tank another name for the expansion tank?

I am really sorry for all the questions and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for any answers in advance.


How To: Bleed a Mk1 Punto Cooling System

A Punto has two bleed screws: One on the top of the radiator and one at the back of the engine on the heater hose.

• Undo both screws
• Fill header tank right to the top
• Squeeze all the hoses
• Keep repeating this until a fair amount of coolant is coming out of both bleed screws
• Do up the back one
• Keep squeezing hoses so coolant keeps coming out of the radiator bleed screw until the coolant is at max
• Do up screw
• Replace radiator cap
• Run engine until fan comes on
• Let it cool for a couple of hours
• Finally, check the level and top up to max if needed.

:worship:

 

[Rama78]

1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Hello everyone

This is my first post and I really need your help with this one.

Tomorrow morning I am hoping to bleed the coolant system and have found how to do it by using the search function on this great site.

I have a 1998 Fiat Punto and I have to keep topping up the expansion tank (Is this the right phrase - the water bottle that has the max/min marks on it?) to the maximum mark with water/coolant every 5-7 days or so. I am not sure where the water is going.

The head gasket blew on this car a year ago and I have had it replaced but I still have this losing coolant problem unfortunately. The mechanic says it could be simply due to the fact that its an old car and basically all the hoses etc are old and worn.

I have just recently bought a solution called 'Novastop', similar to 'K-Seal' or any of the other products of the same sort and I am hoping this will fix any small cracks or holes where the water may be excaping from.

First question is do I put this in the expansion tank? (Is this the right name for the water bottle thing, please let me know) or do I put it in the radiator? And if it goes in the radiator where do I put it? Is there a cap or something that comes off? I know, apologies, I sound really stupid, but I honestly dont know much about cars.

Also how much of a mix of water and coolant do I use and so I simply follow the instructions below to bleed the entire system?

I am still getting heat coming into the car through the heaters and the heat is very warm but I do sometimes get an oily smell. There does seem to be an oil leak from the rocker cover gasket though and I have read this is quite common. Will this 'novastop' help to fix this oil leak problem also?

When bleeding the system do I have the engine turned off until it says below to turn on and do I drain the whole system before putting more coolant in?

Is the header tank another name for the expansion tank?

I am really sorry for all the questions and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for any answers in advance.


How To: Bleed a Mk1 Punto Cooling System
A Punto has two bleed screws: One on the top of the radiator and one at the back of the engine on the heater hose.

• Undo both screws
• Fill header tank right to the top
• Squeeze all the hoses
• Keep repeating this until a fair amount of coolant is coming out of both bleed screws
• Do up the back one
• Keep squeezing hoses so coolant keeps coming out of the radiator bleed screw until the coolant is at max
• Do up screw
• Replace radiator cap
• Run engine until fan comes on
• Let it cool for a couple of hours
• Finally, check the level and top up to max if needed.

:worship:

 

[Mdeko]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Ive never used nova stop but just follow the instructions on the back of the bottle. You put it into the expansion tank (your right, the bottle with min/max on it attatched to the rad.) There is no seperate radiator cap on these cars.

If your putting it into your radiator it wont stop your oil leak as there 2 seperate systems. (well you hope so, if there aren't the Head gasket has gone again)

There is a guide in the guides section on how to replace the rocker cover gasket. This is where i assume yours is leaking from (very common)

You should be using a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and demineralised water. be carefull: if buying the already mixed bottle of antifreeze/coolant as you dont need to add any water to them just use it straight out of the bottle. if Buying the concentrated in the bottle you need to mix this as already said.

As for bleeding the system you only need to follow the guide if you are removing all the old coolant and replacing it or you have an air lock (coolant dropped below min mark and air in the system) You bleed the system with the engine off and the water cold or relatively cool so not to scald yourself.

If you are just topping up the system and adding this novastop without changing the coolant just add them up to the max mark on the expansion tank. Its advisible to open the bleed points and give it a little bleed (as in the guide) anyway and check you have not got any air in the system.

Hope this helps

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Thanks for your reply. How can I check there is no more air in the system?

 

[Mdeko]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

When the expansion bottle on max and the cap is off (engine not running) Turn the bleed screws slowly until either air (you will hear the hissing) or water comes out. If there air squeze the pipes and try and get all the air out until you just get water coming out with no bubbeles in it.

Best to follow the guide it has it all in there

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

If I put the 'Novastop' solution in the expansion tank will it then make its way into the radiator? Is there definitely know way I can pour this straight into the radiator?

Also is there any possibility that the novastop could seal the rocker cover gasket from leaking oil and if so does it also make its way to there from the expansion tank? Just not sure how it all works. Sorry if Im being silly

 

[Mdeko]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

There is no way to put the solution directly into the radiator. as said there is no seperate cap as with some cars, The expansion tank feeds directly into the engine block and the radiator.

Just pour it into the expansion bottle at the side of the rad and it will make its way through the system when the car is running.

The solution wont cure the rocker cover oil leak as your putting it into the coolant system not the oil system. As said You do not want the 2 system mixing, the only time they do mix is when you have a head gasket failure.

You can get similar solutions to stop oil leaks but for the cost of a new rubber gasket its better to swap it (see guide on how, very straight forward)

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Yesterday I did everything in the guide with regards to bleeding the cooling system and also added some of the Novastop solution along with the coolant when topping up the header tank.

I drove the car around a good bit after this and then parked it up for the night. This morning I lifted the bonnet to see if the coolant in the header tank was at the maximum mark and it wasnt, although it wasnt far off.

However when I was screwing the header tank cap off there seemed to be a bit of pressure and possibly the release of air?! Could this be what it was? I thought when bleeding the system following the guide on this site that all the air would have squeezed out of the system?

I am going to check the level in the header tank tomorrow morning again to see if I have lost anymore coolant as this was the reason for adding the novastop solution. Novastop is similar to k-seal and radwell if anyone is wondering and is flushed around the system to try and seal any cracks in the rad or pipes where water may be leaking from.

If I am still losing coolant could there be any other underlying factors rather than cracks or leaks in the rad and pipes?

 

[Mdeko]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Sometimes you can still leave a little bit of air in the heater matrix, running the car for a few miles gets rid of it usually. Does it say anywhere on the novastop bottle how long it takes to work? might need to be a cxertain ammount of time to work? Other than external leaks (hoses, pipes,water pump) it could be head gasket if you are continually loosing coolant.

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Thanks again for your response and trying to help me out. Where is the heater matrix and how do I go about getting the air out of it?

It just says on the tin that it seals quickly and prevents leaks in radiators, gaskets, hair cracks in engine blocks and cooling coils.

The head gasket has blown before but was fixed about year or so ago. My mechanic said the loss of water could simply be just down to the fact that its an old motor and he also said he couldnt find any leaks or holes or cracks etc?

The water pump was also replaced before as has many parts in the car, cam belt being another.

Does anybody else have any ideas? The more input the better. Please help here as I am clueless to what the problem might be.

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

I am still loosing coolant. Apart from this problem the car seems to be running fine.

Does anybody have any ideas on this? Please help?

 

[dave]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

The mechanic says it could be simply due to the fact that its an old car and basically all the hoses etc are old and worn.

what a load of rubbish they probably didnt skim the head and/or use new head bolts. so gasked is still letting coolant into the cylinders an out the exhaust.

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Do you mean the head gasket is still faulty or something? He told me the head gasket didnt need skimmed?

 

[dave]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

always skim the head on these engines, or they dont seal properly

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

How do you know the head gasket always needs skimmed? He said it was fine and may have needed skimmed if I had have continued driving in it and overheating the engine etc.

Could it be the water pump as the cause of loosing coolant? I am just asking because I dont seem to be getting white smoke or anything from the exhaust?

I dont seem to be getting any of the regular symptoms of head gasket failure ie no heat from heaters inside. The only thing that seems to be happening is that its loosing coolant?

 

[chaos]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Is there any obvious sign of a coolant leak? Any perished hoses? Have you been losing coolant since the head gasket was replaced?

It is always good practice to check the cylinder head mating face for flatness and skim if necessary as is fitting new head bolts (the head bolts stretch slightly when torqued up by their very design).

K Seal type products are really for a temporary fix only.

 

[dave]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

How do you know the head gasket always needs skimmed? He said it was fine and may have needed skimmed if I had have continued driving in it and overheating the engine etc.

head not the gasket. from experiance, 99% of people who don't get a skim and use new bolts posts that the gasket has gone again a few months to a year or so later

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Do you think trying to bleed the system another few times might help this problem?

How do I go about getting air out of the heater matrix? Could there be trapped air in there that is causing the coolant level to drop?

The funny thing is when I undo the back bleed screw (not the one on the radiator) the coolant level in the header tank seems to push up to the maximum mark again?

What could be causing this to happen and does this mean I am still losing coolant?

Sorry for all the questions but I am just really confused and stuck on what to do here?!

I really dont know if it is the head gasket because as I said I dont have another HG failure symptoms. The car doesnt seem to overheat only for the time when I had to replace the head gasket, I have hot air in the car cabin, there is no white smoke from the exhaust and there doesnt appear to be any mayo in the oil compartment.

What in the name of God is going on with this car. I love driving this wee motor and it is also my first car but this is really annoying me

:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:

 

[Rama78]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

Anyone know what this could be going on my last post?

 

[dave]

Re: 1998 Fiat Punto - Bleeding Coolant System - Using Novastop

heater matrix is part of cooling system it all gets bleed at same time.
is there any damp on carpets in front foot weels are windows taking ages to demist?