[s-cars] RA report + Uncoolant

[Airbil at aol.com]

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
Just back from Road America Alfa fest and all in all had a great time.
Clutch issue finally resolved and no slippage.
I worked on rumble strip touching alot and was really getting a feel for the
4000 pig limits:)
The car is way faster than I am capable of driving it, as evidenced by my
kitty litter excursion on Canada corner.  What's that quote about everything
under control ...not goin fast enough or something??  I thought about this while
pulling little stones out of my rear calipers.
There was rain on saturday afternoon, I spun off to the grass on turn two,
brought it under control and kept on going passing any other brave soul still
out there.  Learned some out of the line wet driving.  RA surely has some
diverse and challenging turns and three nice long straights.
Somewhere over the course of the weekend I developed a coolant leak but I
could not tell from where.  Likely suspects are the expansion tank, afterrun pump
(never heard run ever,) heater control valve,  or I dont know what.  It
mostly seems to drip down behind the resevoir but I could not see any leak although
the coolant level sensor looked a bit suspect, but inconclusive.  That stuff
just gets all over everything =O
My thermostat was new last year, though I dont recall if I oriented it in the
correct 90 degree position and coolant was drained and refilled 50 50 a month
ago.  Temp gauge sticks on normal.   Thing is it only happens after 20
minutes track time at 100 mph etc.  i.e. Maximum stress.  I am certain that some of
the coolant blows out the relief valve in the resrvoir cap.  I drove 2 and a
half hours home and everything was fine. Dry as a bone:)
I have searched archives but couldnt find anything conclusive.
What are the ways to test some of these parts for leaks?  And BTDT's.
All my hoses I think are okay but they are 8 years old now.
Any and all thoughts comments flames would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Bill M
still pathetically thinking coilovers are the answer.