Re: [DML] Loss of coolant

["Jeff Lawson" <jeffrey.lawson@xxxx>]

Thanks for all the advice! I will check to see what my otterstat looks like tomorrow. 

I have 3 service manuals but until I get the hood (trunk) open I am on my own. After I 
bought the car on Thursday evening I put the service manuals in there for safe 
keeping on the way home. On the way home the coolant hose blew off, and while I 
was waiting for the car to cool down , I went to pop open the hood to get some tools 
out and the hood release cable broke. : ( See posting that I left earlier today about 
opening the hood.......

Jeff

--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Soma576@xxxx wrote:
> In a message dated 9/30/2003 12:36:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jeffrey.lawson@xxxx writes:
> 
> > 
> > What is an otterstat? The fans seem to be coming on. 
> 
> The otterstat is the switch clipped into the coolant pipe at the bottom of the 
driver's side, which that hose you burst goes to. it has two wires coming off of it. it 
is a temperature-sensitive switch that tells the cooling fans when to come on, so they 
aren't running when they don't need to be. i think this happens around 180-190 
degF? check the shop manual. btw, if the wires are pointing upward, loosen both of 
the clamps on each side and turn the pipe upside down so the switch is on the 
bottom. this will eliminate bubble build-up on the switch which can cause the fans to 
come on too late.
> 
> I am thinking 
> > about ordering Fanzilla. The info on their website make it sound 
> > like the best thing ever. Does it really do anything?
> >
> 
> Fanzilla doesn't give you better cooling capacity or anything - it just makes the 
fans turn on sequentially instead of both at once, which is a major current draw which 
can cause melt-down of wiring.
> 
> > It there any particular brand of coolant you would 
> > recommend? Thanks 
> > again.
> 
> Any top-shelf green-colored antifreeze is good. make sure it is safe for aluminium 
engines and stay away from the orange Dex-cool antifreeze. mix it 50/50 with 
distilled water and change it every two years.
> 
> Andy