Coolant level

jayboy · Post by **jayboy** » Tue May 12, 2009 7:34 pm

I know it's a really stupid question but what should the cooland level actually be in the header tank?

You'd think something like that would be in the handbook that comes with the car!

Post by **Vanny** » Tue May 12, 2009 9:57 pm

i use the ole middle finger rule, stick just your middle finger in from filler neck and the water should touch.

Simran · Post by **Simran** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:14 am

i thought there were filler marks on the bottle? havent seen my car in so long that i cant be sure of that. I usually go for half way anyway.

Post by **Toddman** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:03 am

There are marks on the bottle but I doubt anyone after a year of the cars birth has managed to read them.

Vannys method is ideal I use the same trick myself or you can attempt to get the level upto the steel band that holds the bottle.

Cheers
Luke

jayboy · Post by **jayboy** » Wed May 13, 2009 4:32 pm

Cheers guys that's what I've been doing but haven't been keeping an eye on it recently until the light came on and filled it half way up the bottle.

Need to change the starter asap co the coolant will be coming out anyway when the rad come out

Post by **Vanny** » Wed May 13, 2009 9:10 pm

why not just take the inlet manifold off? the 6 or 7 bolts have to be easier than dropping the coolant, removing the rad, removing the fans and rebuilding?

mechuccio · Post by **mechuccio** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:45 pm

yeah I've exchanged the starter of 2 16V's in the past winter. Taking off the exhaust is a fairly easy job, and it gives you the opportunity to clean it too (if you want to offcourse) do make sure though that you've got new gaskets for the manifold, it's a set of 2 but they're very cheap (I'd guess no more than GBP 7,- at the dealer)

thanuttiscotsman · Post by **thanuttiscotsman** » Thu May 14, 2009 2:20 am

why do you need to remove the manifold to get the starter out? ive done 2 16v starters and got them both out without removing the rad or manifolds.

rossco

Post by **Vanny** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:30 am

Nutti, that means you have newer style starters i suspect, the large size original starters can just about be removed without moving stuff, but its a real faff and just as well to make life a little easier. I seem to think i've got an original one off by removing the oil filter of all things, dont hold me to that though!

mechuccio · Post by **mechuccio** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:54 pm

I've replaced the Black Mark1 model's starter with a newer starter of a Xantia 1.8i that one is a lot smaller than the original. And I've built a starter of a '89 19TZI on my 16V which is the same same as the original.
I'd think that the smaller one could be removed without removing the manifold but you'd have to work without seeing anything, its just not comfortable.

Also, in both cases I removed the bracket which is mounted on the back of the starter and didn't mount it back. the 3 bolts in the gearbox should be enough to hold it in place, and it makes it just a bit more easy to remove the starter again should it ever need to be done again.

Post by **Toddman** » Thu May 14, 2009 1:19 pm

Citroen themselves specify removing the inlet manifold.
You can do them from underneath but it is a rave and made ten times easier if you have access to a proper lift.
Removing the oil filter canhelp and having a newer typr dstarter makes life easy compared to the OE ;ump.

Cheers
Luke

jayboy · Post by **jayboy** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:47 pm

She's due for the 48k service so I was gonna flush the rad anyway as the coolant is a bit of an unknown plus it must be leaking somewhere so worth checking out and I have a new rad lying around if needed. May just go with the inlet method though!

Bought a starter from AEP on ebay and they rang today to say they sold one the other day but thought there was another (listing showed 2 available) but they can't find it now. Miffed!

Got a diesel one lying around which I could fit but I don't know whether it's any good and the starter engaged for the last time on Wednesday. Now it just whirrs whereas sometimes it would engage straight away and other times would work after a few attempts. I may find it's easily fixed when I get the thing off!

thanuttiscotsman · Post by **thanuttiscotsman** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:54 pm

hi, seriously guys i find i easy to change with manifold in. when i done the starter on the red ph1 i got from coolcarbon, it had an origional starter in with the backplate still bolted on, although i did replace it with a smaller xantia td one cos its way better but it came out pretty easy, up the way by where the coil sits, you have to spin it around to get the head/tooth end out first iirc. but in saying that iam a skinny guy with wee hands

makes it easy to get into stuff, maybe you guys have chunkier hands

rossco

jayboy · Post by **jayboy** » Sat May 16, 2009 11:34 am

Well I did it with the radiator removed on my 8v GTi but I guess that was convenient because the starter expired at the same time as the rad on that.... There was no way I could get the starter out on that without removing the rad iirc. Never refitted the mounting bracket though - waste of time!

Simran · Post by **Simran** » Sat May 16, 2009 8:35 pm

From what i can remember, its possible to replace it without removing the rad OR the manifold, if you undo the fans and swing themout, wires can stay on, they were long enough on mine to let it come out completely and rest on the bumper, then undo the two bolts on the rad and lift it out of the rubber mounts and tilt it back into the space that the fans were in and voila!...still if you're changing the rad as well, then it makes loads more sense to take it out

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