I had a small coolant leak under my RV12: about 2 tablespoons. And that only after 160 hours or so - she was dry as a baby before...
What happened? No loss of coolant (Evans) in the overflow bottle and there was a topped-off system, so I wasn' t worried, but is sure is off-normal. Cleaned the inside of the undercowl (from outside-in) and flew that day, cautious with temps, but everything is absolutely normal. Put her in the hangar, checked: nothing. After a week: 2 tablespoons coolant, no obvious loss in the overflow, system topped off. Pulled the bottom-cowling off (nasty work. I get used to it, but it still is a nasty job on your own. Putting it back is even worse) and checked all attachments at the underside of the engine. It appeared to me that the 1" hose from the radiator weeped a bit, some 2 CM off the end. Cleaned it, also checked the weep-bolt under the waterpump: nothing.
What to do? Fora said to pressurize the system so that any leaks could be made visual, but I didn' t had gear for that, at that moment.. Closed up again, and went home.
There I thought of a way to pressurize the system: attach a tee to the hose to the overflow bottle and put little pressure to that, should work I guessed.
Pulled off the undercowl once again. Last time I left papersheets to tell-tale, so the cause was better to be seen. Indeed the 1" hose was the culprit. Better said: the worm-type hose clamp that holds it, was. After 160 hours the expansion of the radiator apparently was too much for this clamp: with cold hoses it just did not clamp enough - anymore.
I changed the clamp with a self-sustaining clamp and from that moment on she's dry as ever again.
Thought I'd share this with you all.
Happy landings!!
What happened? No loss of coolant (Evans) in the overflow bottle and there was a topped-off system, so I wasn' t worried, but is sure is off-normal. Cleaned the inside of the undercowl (from outside-in) and flew that day, cautious with temps, but everything is absolutely normal. Put her in the hangar, checked: nothing. After a week: 2 tablespoons coolant, no obvious loss in the overflow, system topped off. Pulled the bottom-cowling off (nasty work. I get used to it, but it still is a nasty job on your own. Putting it back is even worse) and checked all attachments at the underside of the engine. It appeared to me that the 1" hose from the radiator weeped a bit, some 2 CM off the end. Cleaned it, also checked the weep-bolt under the waterpump: nothing.
What to do? Fora said to pressurize the system so that any leaks could be made visual, but I didn' t had gear for that, at that moment.. Closed up again, and went home.
There I thought of a way to pressurize the system: attach a tee to the hose to the overflow bottle and put little pressure to that, should work I guessed.
Pulled off the undercowl once again. Last time I left papersheets to tell-tale, so the cause was better to be seen. Indeed the 1" hose was the culprit. Better said: the worm-type hose clamp that holds it, was. After 160 hours the expansion of the radiator apparently was too much for this clamp: with cold hoses it just did not clamp enough - anymore.
I changed the clamp with a self-sustaining clamp and from that moment on she's dry as ever again.
Thought I'd share this with you all.
Happy landings!!
