Yep. It was surprisingly easy. I siphoned off the fluid, dropped the booster into the tank and used a small pick to lift up the float. It was easy to maneuver the booster so that the open part of the "C" was up against the post. Still holding the float up, I used a wide blade screwdriver push the booster against the post and it snapped right on. I tested it first on a dowel so I knew it would snap on easy but stay on.

It was sort of orthoscopic mechanical repair.

I don't think you can cut the tank and reseal it good enough to hold pressure.

 

Certainly would make a proctologist proud.

Thanks for the detail. I am good with my cap and sensor, but have hesitated on spending $150+ to fix a 50 cent piece of cork.

 

Come to think, unless your booster is sitting at an unlucky angle, if should also prevent the magnet from falling out of the float if it ever had a mind to do that.

If it came down to cutting the tank to replace the float, or throwing it out, I think it would be worth a try. We would only need a repair to seal against, what, 15 PSI or so. I wonder if a small hole saw could be used to cut a circular piece out of the bottom containing (but not destroying) the post that the float rides on ... or a piece out of the top containing the post protruding down that acts as a stop. (I think that's a post up top, but I can't feel all the way around it.) The hole would not need to be as wide as the float, which could then go out/in through the filler neck.

 

I agree that cutting the tank open is not an option. But the discussion lead me to believe that was what was contemplated. I didn't see any other way of adding to the float.

If you have a float that has the magnet still in it. And if you have a long needle to do an injection. You could maybe give the float a very small shot of spray foam on the side. For it to stick it would have to be complerely dry. And you could not get any foam between the float and the post it rides on.

Have fun guys

 

Another float option I am using is the foam rings I found on a spindle of blank DVDs. I have a couple submerged in antifreeze to see if the deteriorate. As you can see it will float with a penny on it. I guessed that the magnetic float would not weigh more. So far no low coolant message.
I took the tank off to do this. Don't know how you did it Spurlee with the tank still in the car.

 

Great job guys. I'm going to check my DVDs. Now if I can just get that darn magnet back in the OEM float and add that little life ring underneath I'l be in business. Romanik, please keep me informed if it does not stand up to the coolant. I think the life ring underneath will keep the magnet from falling out again.

 

Good idea on the CD foam rings. My plastic ring was quite a bit stiffer than foam and I cut it into a "C" shape so it would snap onto the post under the magnet. After siphoning out some anitfreeze so I could see what I was doing, I pushed it on the post with a flat balde screwdriver easily.

But...I devised a test today with a piece of glass which I sealed with clear grease and put it over the filler nole in place of the cap. My ideas was to wach the fluid level while still maintaining pressure in the system. (Watching without the cap won't tell you much, the system needs to be pressurized I think) My premise was that othing is wrong with the float, but that the system was somehow low on fluid when it was called for...

The glass worked OK to a point - I could watch the fluid rise as the engine warmed and the thermostat opened at about 195 degrees. But, alas, I could not create enough seal pressure to work and the fluid eventually just leaked out. Certainly, then, there is enough fluid in the small expansion tank. And, of course the Low Coolant message didn't come on.

What is going on!! When the Low Coolant light comes on - at early warm up - it looks to me like the tank is filling with antifreeze. I don't get it.

Oh, an imagine my surprise when my booster float comes swimming by, off the post. I have no idea as to how it worked itself off.

 

So far the foam rings are not deteriorating submerged in the antifreeze and they still will float.
I have a 170 degree thermostat in mine. Don't know if that the makes a difference.

 

Maybe the larger overflow tank that the smaller expansion tank draws from is low. Could it be that somehow there just isn't enough fluid to feed the small tank when it is drawn down?

I'd like to look at the larger tank. Is it back up behind the wheel well somewhere?

 

The recovery tank is behind the wheel liner somewhere. I have never looked in there.
From JTIS:
Coolant Expansion Tank and Degas Bottle
A coolant recovery system is used, which comprises a coolant expansion tank and degas bottle. The degas bottle is located at the rear of the right hand front wheel arch.The expansion tank provides the cooling system filling point and carries the coolant level sensor. The pressure cap allows controlled release of coolant to the degas bottle during normal operation.The degas bottle accommodates the expansion of the system coolant during normal operation. On engine cool-down, the coolant contracts and is returned to the main system.

 

Sorry your life ring came off. Maybe the heated fuel just made it flimsey and since the cutout causes the ring to have unbalanced bouyancy it just slipped out. I will try the CD ring with as small a cutout a I think will work. I'll keep in touch.

 

Since the foam is flexible, you may be able to make 1 cut and put it on the post.

 

See if you can dry out the float and paint it with sealer to prevent the coolant from being absorbed into the float that way no add on parts are required.

 

This is great information! So, the large hose at the bottom of the expansion tank isn't the connection to the degas bottle, the little rear facing top tube is... Does that connection draw down the fluid faster than it can be replaced? Where does it plumb to, I wonder...

Given the JTIS explanation, explain how my expansion tank is apparently losing coolant as the system warms up and the fluid is expanding! It should be filling.

I wonder if the degas bottle tube is plugged. I'll check when it cools down.

 

Maybe these pics will help.

 

Correct me if I am wrong but if the system is not leaking and you have no loss of fluid and the float is sinking why are we looking at the expansion tank? I mean no disrespect but am I missing something? If coolant is not returning to the tank and you have no leak and your hoses are collapsing then I would be looking at the tank filler cap. The cap is designed to release pressure and vacuum.

 

Whoa, where did everyone go?

 

Still here gus.
My hoses weren't collapsing, no fluid loss, and tried a new cap. That is why I suspect a bad float.

 

I have two floats and will try to perform my own test. Like yours my level indicator was going off and on but I was losing a little fluid but not enough to give a steady low level indication I replaced the tank and to date all is good. My leak was from the float shaft. The theory that the float was becoming saturated causing a false indication is interesting. I was wondering what you found.

 

Hi Gus.

He actually observed the float to refuse to float until the coolant warmed up and then it just barely did float. The float is definitely made out of bad material and acts like it got water logged. His system is working fine except for the warning light coming on when first starting.