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Gary, Australia
Car Mechanic
3,576 Satisfied
Customers
Verified ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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I have just purchased

a second hand vz
commodore which
I have just purchased a second
hand vz commodore which
overheated. I thought it was a
leak but it was the overflow from
the overflow tank.I then found
the actual cap to fill the radiator,
I have topped up with coolant
5lts so far. I drive for a bit then
check it. I run it with the cap off
no bubbles then this morning it
turns to throuph. Is this caused
by a air pocket or leaking head
gasket maybe?

Mechanic's Assistant: How

old are the hoses? And just to
clarify, can you actually see the
leak?

Hoses look fine no. Leak seen

Mechanic's Assistant: What

year is your Commodore?

2005

Mechanic's Assistant: Are

you fixing your Commodore
yourself? What have you tried
so far?

Topped up the coolant

Mechanic's Assistant:
Anything else you want the
mechanic to know before I
connect you?

Do you have this car in

America?

Gary
Verified australia car
mechanic

I know VZ very well, I work in

Aussie.

They are known for many

coolant loss areas.

If the overflow was overflowing,

replace the cap first after getting
the level bled up.

Check the heater tap, water

pump, and valley area of the
block for leaks.

Hopefully not a headgasket or

porous head.

Gary

Customer reply

That was what I saw first but

there is no issue there I am
looking into why when the car is
running does all the coolant turn
to throuf. Is there a bleed screw
on the thermostat housing for
when refilling the radiator?

Gary
Verified australia car
mechanic

Yes you need a coolant bleed

filling apparatus.

They raise the fill point above

the engine.

Like this:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tol
edo-Coolant-Filler-Funnel-Set-
305092-/252183110638?
hash=item3ab748e3ee:g:02kAA
OSwnHZYfsD7

What do you by the coolant

turns to throuf?

Gary

Customer reply

Over the last few days I have

checked the coolant level via the
cap in the hose if the coolant
can't be seen I top it up but like
this morning it just turned to
throuf? I take it you have not
seen this before. I am trying to
determine if I have a bigger
issue than topping up the
coolant level?

Gary
Verified australia car
mechanic

I don't even know what you are

trying say here.

I have googled the word throuf,

and it doesn't exist.

What year is your car, and what

coolant are you using.

Red and green DO NOT MIX.

Gary

Customer reply

Ok maybe foaming up is a
better description. The car is
2005 and I have put green
coolant in it.

Gary
Verified australia car
mechanic

Green is correct for early VZ.

Perhaps you have auto trans

cooler cracked inside the
radiator which mixes both fluids
together.

How long have had this car, did

it have inspection for RWC?

Gary

Customer reply

I have owned it for 6 weeks and

no I didn't get it inspected for a
road worthy check but now
wishing I had. Would you
recommend somewhere to have
that done?

Gary
Verified australia car
mechanic

Since I work for Holden, I

recommend to take it to Holden,
especially for your cooling
system concern.

Even a thermostat is a bit of a

job on one of these.

I hope this helps you.

Gary

Customer reply

If I was to get a RWC is this

going to cover what I need or
should I be getting a cooling
system check. I don't
understand how that unit raises
the fill point above the
engine.Can they test for gases
coming though the coolant?

Also what is a early vz?

Gary
Verified australia car
mechanic

Holden changed the coolant

from green to red for 2006.

Mechanically they are the same.

I've yet to find anybody in

Holden who can explain why.

The filler raises the coolant to

help purge the air of the system.

A Teekay tester can determine if

carbon monoxide is getting into
the coolant.

Gary

Customer reply

Is there anything I can look at

like I have read that you can
bleed it with a poweraid bottle.
Do you just have the level above
and then just let it sit. Do you
run the engine? What makes the
bubbles come out?

Gary
Verified australia car
mechanic

Yes, a powerade bottle with the

bottom cut off.

Tape up the neck to increase

the diameter so it can be a snug
fit in the radiator fill neck.

Apply a hose clamp to the

overflow hose, or remove it from
the overflow tank and block the
end.

Intially the high water level will

help purge the air, squeezing the
lower radiator hose helps. Once
the system appears to be
settled, start the engine heater
on max hot, fan speed 1.

Run until no further bubbles

appear, observe engine temp
during this time.

Gary

Customer reply

Ok I am currently running the

engine temperature is coming
up and not seeing the bubbles!

Customer reply

If there are no bubbles would

you say there is no problem? Or
I should still get it looked at?
Running the car for 20min
needle sitting on 1/4
I just found water in the exhaust
pipe but not green in colour to
be coolant?

Gary
Verified australia car
mechanic

How much water in the

exhaust?

Lots of cars produce water as a

byproduct of combustion.

You don't normally notice this

while driving, and the exhaust
gets hot enough to evaporate
the water prior to leaving the
exhaust.

So now if the system has been

bled up correctly, and the
overflow tank is on the full mark,
you need to monitor the levels.

If there are no bubbles, then you

might be ok.

Check the engine oil level is

correct as well.

Gary

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1 Welcome! What's going

on with your VZ
Commodore's cooling
system?