Technical water has leaked out water reservoir / bottle cap

[OverheatingPalio]

Had head gasket, thermostat, temp switch and water bottle replaced. after driving about 30 km I stopped and checked water reservoir / bottle. Found foam and bubbling in water reservoir / bottle, can see a little water has leaked out water reservoir / bottle cap. Any suggestions as to what the cause could be ?

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Leaking headgasket.

 

[OverheatingPalio]

Replaced water (reservoir / bottle) cap on day 3, now water has stopped leaking out of water (reservoir / bottle) cap. Water level is now between min and max mark, temp gauge is now closer to the 1/4 than the 1/2 mark when driving or idling in traffic.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

No more bubbles anymore...??
You'll be fine then, the gauge is not very accurate, ours is always around the 1/4 mark, been so for almost 10 years and 190.000 km's...!

 

[OverheatingPalio]

When starting car in morning (engine cold), the car stutters in 1st gear (almost as if idling is out) for the first 2 km, thereafter once engine is warm stuttering disappears.
Water level when getting to work is 1cm below min mark, before returning home I add a glass water, water level at min mark. When arriving home water level is still at min mark. Next morning before going to work water level at 1cm below min mark.

Is the cause of stuttering when engine is cold due to thermostat stuck open ?
What could be the cause of 1cm loss of water overnight ?

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Again, have the system pressurized, it should be clear where it is leaking by doing so !

 

[OverheatingPalio]

Vehicle is a fiat palio active (2009 model).
I am now driving the car for 12 days after collecting it from garage - As mentioned before, I replaced (head gasket, thermostat, temp switch, water bottle, water bottle pressure cap - Palio's dont have a radiator cap), also had engineering works skim cylinder head, plus they tested the valves and confirmed cylinder head is ok.
When starting car in morning (engine cold), the car stuttered in 1st gear on day 3 to day 9, thereafter its gone (no more stuttering when cold). Only issue I still have is that when I fill water bottle from 2cm below min. to max in morning, I need to refill it next morning. Took car to radiator shop, they pressure tested the cooling sytem - no leaks. They then did a combustion test (the liquid turned yellow - meaning that there is gas (CO2) in the cooling system (so head gasket is leaking exhaust gas).
How can head gasket be blown again ?

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Murphy's law....!!

Meaning, everything that can go wrong, will go wrong, sooner or later, in your case: soon.
Go back to the workshop that did the headgasket, they obviously did something wrong....!!

 

[OverheatingPalio]

When going to work water level was at max mark. Next morning before going to work water level at 1-3 cm below max mark. Found out that combustion test must be done when there is 'NO' antifreeze in radiator, else you might get false reading.
After putting 'Radiator Stop Leak' in radiator, driving for a few days, the water is now at same level (halfway between max and min) for almost a month.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Level at "min" when cold, with engine at operating temps, level will be higher, somewhere halfway or even at "max".
Cold level is most important.

 

[OverheatingPalio]

Thanks Peter Pick-Up.
Just want to help any fiat owners out there - if you notice a little water loss every day, you need to regularly top up water/coolant - put 'Wynns Radiator Stop Leak' in your radiator and give it a week or so, before trying anything else. It might just solve the water leak issue.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Our Palio Weekend 1,6-16V, 1999, uses a bit coolant since new.
I add a little coolant every 3-4 weeks, car has done almost 200.000 km now....!

 

[OverheatingPalio]

I had 5 x toyota's, 3 x vw golf's, 1 x citroen, 1 x nissan.
Never had to regularly top-up coolant on any of them, not even once every 3-6 months (only when nissan water pump packed up, once fixed never again). So if water pump, radiator and hoses are ok - no need to regularly top-up coolant. Of course you still need to regularly check coolant level - just in case (I do every morning before starting car).

 

[OverheatingPalio]

Last week Thursday (2013/04/04) I replaced radiator and flushed cooling system properly, now heat gauge is always between 1/4 and 1/2. In heavy traffic it goes to just below 1/2.