[s-cars] RE: coolant loss

[bob.rossato at att.net]

> My technical answer is 'some', and I'm sticking to it.  Dunno, it was more
> than a little though.  Like have a fresh bottle of G11 laying around and be
> ready to use a good amount of it.  Maybe start by draining say 1/2 gallon
> and then try cracking the hose off the tstat housing and see if it splurges.
> Repeat if necessary.  Oh, haven't heard anyone mention letting the system
> 'burp' when done, I didn't enough when I did my radiator and it kept purging
> air (well, air purged COOLANT, $ coolant at that) out a few paths of least
> resistance.  

I didn't have any problems with air bounding of the coolant loop when I flushed and filled mine post t-belt change.  I filled the head from goose neck under the intake manifold, reconnected the top radiator hose and then filled the rest through the expansion tank.  Seemed to circulate through no problem after starting it up and then I topped it off.

> 
> You're welcome to drive the hour west and do it here with my 55,000 BTU kero
> rocketed garage (good fume buzz)...  join me in fixing the flat I had this
> a.m.(???) that I tried to change in my suit before work but f'n cracked the
> cheapo Craftsman 17MM 3/4" socket in half...  and yes I torque my wheels to
> 80 ft/lb.  D'oh, for me.  "Honey, I'm taking the ML"...  d'oh for her.

You cracked a 3/4" dr socket?  Or did you mean 3/8" dr?

> WRT gas mileage, I'm wondering if I have something other than LWFWitis going
> on, I'm seeing like 14.9 per tank lately, down from 16.9 or so.  (LWFWitis
> is the propensity to hammer on the car's newfound windability, repeatedly).
> New O2 etc. / everything, runs amazing, so dunno really.  I *do* have a good
> unburnt fuel smell out da pipes at cold start, I attributed that to the f'n
> COLD we have here tho.  BTW, what is 'babying the throttle'? 8-)

Don't forget that we now have wonderful Ethanol in CT to replace the MTBE.  That may be acounting for your drop in gas mileage, though the cold is also a factor. 

Bob - In sunny and warm, well warmer, Houston for another 2 weeks