from me 
check out the Scottish run in future events 
New Z3 owner - Edinburgh
- Thread starter Barry78
- Start date
from me check out the Scottish run in future events 
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 218
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Hi and welcome from South Ayrshire I would tend to agree with everything said the short journey use is the most likely cause .
Do you do your own work or are you putting into a garage
Do you do your own work or are you putting into a garage
I do all my own servicing and minor repairs from a home workshop. Away on holiday till Friday so will flush/service week after then a healthy test run. I had a couple of RX-8's in the mid/late noughties and they had the same oil cap and dipstick milking characteristics (amongst many...many...other interesting 'characteristics') 
Such as drinking oil like there's no tomorrow?I do all my own servicing and minor repairs from a home workshop. Away on holiday till Friday so will flush/service week after then a healthy test run. I had a couple of RX-8's in the mid/late noughties and they had the same oil cap and dipstick milking characteristics (amongst many...many...other interesting 'characteristics')
Tony.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 218
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
That's good cause as it's your car you'll do a more thorough job than a garageI do all my own servicing and minor repairs from a home workshop. Away on holiday till Friday so will flush/service week after then a healthy test run. I had a couple of RX-8's in the mid/late noughties and they had the same oil cap and dipstick milking characteristics (amongst many...many...other interesting 'characteristics')
just make sure coolant bled up properly and you'll be ready for a quality Scottish summer 
Yup, the 231 version done about 15-20 mpg. Fuel consumption was pretty poor too...
Poor cold start, poor hot start, regardless of following the correct procedure or not, rotor tips worn out after 15k miles etc etc.
Agreed 100%. Also low level ocd is great when working on your own car.That's good cause as it's your car you'll do a more thorough job than a garage
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 218
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Defo my wife will tell you I've got a bit of that hate my cars dirty washed at least once a weekYup, the 231 version done about 15-20 mpg. Fuel consumption was pretty poor too...
Poor cold start, poor hot start, regardless of following the correct procedure or not, rotor tips worn out after 15k miles etc etc.
Agreed 100%. Also low level ocd is great when working on your own car.
Welcome from Canada Barry!! should sort itself out with the service and oil change then just need the sun shining to put a smile on your face! JIM
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Points
- 231
- Model of Z
- Z3M Imola and Z4 (e89)
Welcome from Gloucestershire,
A wee update.
Some toys arrived.
![IMG_4418[1].JPG](https://zroadster.org/data/attachments/34/34851-f15ab2e5bddf0c4b2286353345f15c2d.jpg "IMG_4418[1].JPG")
Spend today...
Too early to tell if the oil cap milkiness has gone for good but one issue remains, the lower radiator hose remains stone cold whether you have heater/blower on in car and whether you are giving it some beans or letting it idle. Coolant flowing normally through bleed screw and the temp gauge is bang on center as before. To me this indicates that the thermostat is not opening, but since the thermostat is brand new and was tested before installation, i'm a bit stumped.
Any suggestions?
Some toys arrived.
Spend today...
- Flushing out windscreen reservoir - only dirty horrible water in it and full of grime. Now lovely and blue.
- Fitted new Bosch Aero wipers
- Cleaned and greased all exposed metal pipework underneath (starting to pit) - power steering pipes, fuel pipes, connectors etc
- Wax-oiled the front subframe brace (sorry for lack of correct terminology)
- Cleaned and moly greased all the exposed brake line and pipes connectors
- Rust prevention treatment and stone chip protection on the underside sills
- Some exposed cables/wires tidied in engine bay
- Roof hinges greased
- Coolant flushed, new waterpump and thermostat fitted, new coolant and both belts replaced
- Engine flushed, new oil and filter
Too early to tell if the oil cap milkiness has gone for good but one issue remains, the lower radiator hose remains stone cold whether you have heater/blower on in car and whether you are giving it some beans or letting it idle. Coolant flowing normally through bleed screw and the temp gauge is bang on center as before. To me this indicates that the thermostat is not opening, but since the thermostat is brand new and was tested before installation, i'm a bit stumped.
Any suggestions?
Try disconnecting all hoses from the radiator and back flush it.
Tony.
Tony.
Hi Tony,
Had both hoses off the radiator when i was flushing system, water pipe in top of radiator flushing out the old coolant from the bottom if that's what you mean. Checked and cleaned rad hoses when they were off the car. When everything was off i had water flowing through the engine drain plug and through water pump/thermostat housing from the expansion tank.
Had both hoses off the radiator when i was flushing system, water pipe in top of radiator flushing out the old coolant from the bottom if that's what you mean. Checked and cleaned rad hoses when they were off the car. When everything was off i had water flowing through the engine drain plug and through water pump/thermostat housing from the expansion tank.
Did we? Yes that's right I'm sure that's what we did!
Yes had the heater at max and the fan at 4 while on a run and when sitting at fast idle for around 15 mins. Still lower hose stone cold. No air coming from the bleed screw.
Are both the heater hoses red hot?
Tony.
Tony.
Last edited:
Hi,
It sounds to me that there is either an air lock somewhere in the system, or a blockage!
Or your new thermostat is faulty.
Firstly I would remove it completely and see if the system heats evenly. Cheapest test.
The only true way to flush out the radiator is to remove it and turn it upside down and flush bottom to top.
I have found this works so much better in older cars.
Either that or just replace it with a more modern unit.
Andy.
It sounds to me that there is either an air lock somewhere in the system, or a blockage!
Or your new thermostat is faulty.
Firstly I would remove it completely and see if the system heats evenly. Cheapest test.
The only true way to flush out the radiator is to remove it and turn it upside down and flush bottom to top.
I have found this works so much better in older cars.
Either that or just replace it with a more modern unit.
Andy.
I agree with Andy about flushing, that way you are back flushing instead of trying to force crap through the small tubes! JIM