Hi Everyone! I have a '71 Mav with a 200 engine--no AC. I usually keep it parked in a carport, but a few days ago, for apartment building work, I had to park it on the street. Recently, in Los Angeles, the temperature was over 100, as was this day. When it's parked on the street, I disconnect a wire so that it can't be started, so mid-day, as I was about to drive it for the first time since parking it, as I connected the wire, I saw a liitle coolant at the top of the radiator AND a very small amount by the heater tube on the water pump. Although the water pump hasn't been changed in years, the radiator is new, getting it about a year ago. Also the heater core and thermostat are new. I spoke with a friend with a Mav, he said he's experienced the same thing. Does anyone have an idea what's going on? Yes, it does have an overflow tube that goes into a container, so--I would think--that if the heat of the day caused the water (with coolant) to expand, it would simply go into the overflow, instead of pushing out of the radiator cap (also new and correct for the radiator) and forcing itself out of an unlikely not-tightened- enough hose clamp on the water pump? I'm still going to replace the water pump, but the radiator shouldn't be giving me any problems! Thanks for your help!
The original rad caps are not recovery type, so can overflow if routed to a tank... I've also seen recovery type pee out on to top of radiator because the upper rubber was not sealing... As far as it leaking because heat of day, isn't very likely, 100* is still 80-100 less than when engine is in operation... BUT there can be small leaks that weep a small amount and evaporate at engine temps... That would be my suspicion of a hose connection on water pump... Unless it is leaking from weep hole in lower portion of pump, I doubt it's bad...
Thank you for your response! I'll look into the cap fit--good description! The heater tube is on the top of the pump, so maybe there's a pinhole in that.
