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Thread: Coolant leak

  1. #11
    Senior Member fastfred's Avatar
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    Default Re: Coolant leak

    That 50/50 is what I put in last fall . One of our locals has the rotax repairman class and said they recommend the waterless . Not sure how long ago he took it.

  2. #12
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Coolant leak

    He must have taken the class a year or more ago; Rotax has flipped on the Evans and now recommend against it.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  3. #13
    Senior Member fastfred's Avatar
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    Default Re: Coolant leak

    I am sure he took it a long while ago. Glad I spoke to you before I ordered it.
    While I got you . How often do you change the plug wires? My left side recently started to drop 200 rpm in run up. Plugs have about 30 hours on them.

  4. #14
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Coolant leak

    I have 600 hours on my original plug wires and don't plan to change them soon. Before I change plug wires I would try unscrewing the boots and clipping of about 1/4" of wire and reinstalling the boot. It often solves ignition problems.

    You really should be continually monitoring the Rotax-Owner website and read the forum posts on a regular basis. Nearly all the questions you have asked have been discussed many times on the forum, including my suggestion of clipping the plug wires. Any Rotax owner doing his own maintenance should be reading that forum. That website also announces each new service bulletin as it comes out, like the one recommending against the Evans coolant. A Rotax repairman who doesn't keep up on service bulletins would be highly suspect in my opinion.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  5. #15
    Senior Member fastfred's Avatar
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    Default Re: Coolant leak

    [Yeah I have been lax on going to their site .I paid for it so I should lean to use it more.

    Thanks

  6. #16
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Coolant leak

    Most of the info available on the site is free, including the forum and all the service bulletins and engine manuals. The only thing you pay for are the how-to videos (some of them are free). I have been watching that site for 5 years and have learned a ton; plus you can ask a question and an expert will reply usually in less than a day.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  7. #17
    Senior Member rv9ralph's Avatar
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    Default Re: Coolant leak

    FastFred,
    I'll try to explain, but first some background on my 912 setup. It is an early (91) install, there is not an expansion tank like on the newer 912s. I have a plastic overflow bottle connected to the filler neck to catch coolant overflow from the pressure cap.
    The point I was trying to make, and it may not apply to newer installs, is that if there is air that has not been purged out of the system it will expand when hot and push coolant out into the overflow. When the system cools down it pulls coolant back into the system, replacing any air that was expelled. This is how auto systems work.
    I had an experience when, after replacing my coolant, in order to get the engine up to temp for a ground run to check propeller pitch, I blocked a porting of the radiator. This did allow the engine to reach operating temperature sooner (it was a cold day). However, some coolant was purged (and overflowed my catch bottle) which I replaced because the system sucked the overflow bottle dry.
    The odor is normal when this happens.
    Hope this explains what I was referring to.
    Ralph

  8. #18
    Senior Member fastfred's Avatar
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    Default Re: Coolant leak

    That sounds similar to what happened but how does it get out of the overflow bottle? Through that tiny hole?
    What is the best way to purge the air out?
    I am also not sure when the last time the radiator fins were cleaned out so I will try that also. It is suppose to be very hot here so I will get a chance to duplicate the climb last week.
    Mine was built in 2004 but the set up sounds similar. Service log is not great for the last few years so I am guessing the hoses and clamps are original so I think I will replace them as insurance .

    Thank you

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