Coolant Loss Alarm

[Haydn Callow]

TinTin.. Thank you. Someone sensible at last. Your tank would seem not to be pressurised so the tank probes may not be suitable. We also have tophose inline probes and tophose underhose probes which would do the job.
However I personally have no experience of these. The EnginSaver website will give details and again if the interest is there I could put a kit together with the help of this forum. It could well be a bit of a saving from the Oz price co's I just import the componants so no duty, Post or VAT and I just sit in front of the telly putting things together.

[Haydn Callow]

Question... Your header tank is not pressurised.....If you let coolant out of the bottom of the rad does the level in the header drop ??

[NiftyNev]

Question... Your header tank is not pressurised.....If you let coolant out of the bottom of the rad does the level in the header drop ??

No. It's a different system. The level will only rise and drop via the radiator cap during engine warm up and cool down. The tank is not directly connected to the cooling system I have attached a pic of the Surf expansion tank. Coolant enters and exits the tank via the hose in cap.



Nev

[Haydn Callow]

Tin Tin..on our Bongos the level rises and falls due to expansion/contraction.. We fill to the full line cold. Place the sensor 1 cm below this level so as we get hot the level rises and as it cools goes back to full mark So!! no alarm. only when coolant is lost and the lenel drops below the sensor does the alarm sound. What happens to your coolant level if coolant was lost whilst driving due to a busted hose ? leaky pump etc ??

[Haydn Callow]

Haydn, I think all the good mannered people must be on the Bongo forum!


What they have is an overflow tank, which won't drain out in the event of coolant loss.
The In-Line sensor is probably the go with these vehicles.

They are very similar to the Hi-Lux to which we have fitted many units.

Toyota seem to have standardised on 32mm I/D hoses on most of there 2 to 3 litre engines.
Our In-Line sensor fits straight in with-out sleeves.

We sold 2 for Hi-Luxes only last week.


Regards:
David Jones
Enginesaver Low Water Alarms
Ph\Fax 0747766334
Mobile 0427159668 Proof as requested Nifty

[NiftyNev]

Proof as requested Nifty

Thank you David. The correct place to fit your EngineSaver to the Surf is the top radiator hose. I believe your product, if as good as you say it is, will work well if installed this way.

Nev

[Haydn Callow]

If you had taken the time to read and think about my first post.. I made it clear I was unfamiler with your vehicles and thought it "possible" that the Bongo type alarm "could" be of some interest.
Howevey you "NIFTY" thought the best reply was to wade in and call me a lair (I don't belive you) and that I was to all intents and purposes a con man trying to rip you off.
A reasonable reply explaining why the header tank was unsuitable would have been a better way to go.
Anyway.. thanks for making my visit to your forum such a memorable one. I will not tar the rest of you with the same brush. Happy motoring and may all your problems be unrelated to coolant loss.
I will go back to my Bongo forum and enjoy the friendship, politness and help available.
See Bongo Fury.

[gwh200]

regardless of whether it works or not shouldn't this be put in the for sale section?

[NiftyNev]

Howevey you "NIFTY" thought the best reply was to wade in and call me a lair (I don't belive you) and that I was to all intents and purposes a con man trying to rip you off.

Yes, I said "I don't believe you". I am well within my rights to say that. I did not call you a "liar" I simply questioned you in regards to EngineSaver. I will not apologise for that.

A reasonable reply explaining why the header tank was unsuitable would have been a better way to go.

I told you why it wouldn't work in the Surf expansion tank. You chose to ignore that. Perhaps you should have done some research and testing in person rather than try to pass off the work to someone else to do for you. If you want to sell something then at least make sure it's suitable for the application first, rather that create problems for someone else doing the work for you.

I will go back to my Bongo forum and enjoy the friendship, politness and help available.

You give up easily. I have explained why the expansion tank system will not work and also stated that the sensor in the radiator hose is the prefered location for the Surf. If you are unwilling to listen to advice, and choose to opt out because you do not want to do the work yourself and provide the proper components for the Surf then that is your problem. Don't blame me if you can't get it right.

Nev

[TonyN]

You accuse us of being rude, but it looks like you're just trolling round forums looking for a market for a product.

With respect, we're not here for free advertising. All adverts private or business donate a fee to help with running costs.

I think you need to contact the owners of the Toyotas you've sold the kits you say you have too, they will give unreliable readings as you described in the instructions.

The expansion level in the tanks varies up to 10cm (in Surfs) depending on weather and engine conditions, you'd have to put it under the low level of the tank, that is the danger zone on any truck with non-pressurised expansion tank. The max or full line is the most coolant that should ever be in the tank, when hot, even then, level in the expansion tank will not drop while driving if a leak occurs, coolant is only drawn back when the coolant cools, when the motor is off. So this alarm will only work after you've turned the motor off and its cooled down, after the damage has been done probably.

Nev is our down-under pitbull, he has to look after the place while we're all asleep here in blighty, and sometimes gets a bit snappy!

Come back and participate, we're not always so miserable.

[NiftyNev]

sometimes gets a bit snappy!

Who, me? Never.

Nev

[Haydn Callow]

Please ! read my first "Topic Post" I was not trying to sell anything, just asking if your vehicles might be suitable. I do not troll around trying to sell anything, that was not the intention. Now it is clear that your expansion tank works in a different way, fine, the bongo kit would not be suitable.
The intention of the topic was to see if (a) the alarm as it is, might be suitable and (b) if not, perhaps with help from your members develop one that would be.
We did this for the Bongos and gave two prototype kits to the members to evauate and then the first 20 kits went to members at cost. Now members get them at a much reduced price.
This could have been done for your vehicles. The same basic kit with a tophose inline sensor would do the job very well. The alarm would go off in "most" cases long before the temp gauge moves. Can save expensive repairs.
Where I come from, saying "I don't belive you" is no different to saying " you are a liar" Pitbulls are a banned breed in U.K.

[TonyN]

Pitbulls are a banned breed in U.K.

No they're not, I have a set on my 4Runner...


http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/sh...ad.php?t=36837



Enginesaver has been posted about on here before, its know about...

http://www.enginesaver.com.au/

I've fitted other types to Surfs before, like Nev said first up, it has to go in the cooling system, not the expansion tank. They work well usually.

People don't like dealers using the forum to drum up business, its better if it comes from a uninvolved party, for an unbiased view. You'd have been better contacting the board managment and asking first. We could have told you what to need to make it work on a Surf, and got a few people who would have been happy to try it out for you. It could have avoided the ill feeling some people on the forum get from being spammed out of the blue.

There is a way back if you are honest, and can make a contribution to Surf owners or the forum that works.

[nero279]

I wasn't going to get involved in this thread but hey ho

Your very first paragraph posted on this forum makes it all to clear to me that you may well be doing exactly as has already been suggested

Hi there, I'm new to this forum but may have something that will interest some of you.

Really and you're not trying to sell anything. Doesn't sound like the way a genuine product developer doing genuine research into a possible market would introduce themselves.

I am not familer with your vehicles but having read some of your topics you may have a similar problem to the Mazda Bongo. i.e. coolant loss and overheating due to old hoses and metal pipework.

If infact you had read previous posts about overheating and heads cracking on surfs you may well have realised that your product in it's present state wasn't suitable.

If your vehicles have a thermoplastic expansion/header tank then this is a possible cure."

and if i've got to change anything in the system i'm not interested i'll go find an easier market to sell to.

My $0.02, you may find in the future you'll get a warmer welcome if you can work on your introduction and the way you put yourself across in your first post, first impressions stick.

[Tallyman]

OK, just read this thread and everyone seems to be having a go at one another but, if the Enginesaver kit can be adapted to work on a Surf, wouldn't it be something worthwhile for everyone to think about.

There are still too many 2.4's that crack heads for a pasttime and the odd 3.0L that does the same. Would it not be worthwhile someone working with Haydn on this to see if he can put a kit together that can be tested to see if it would work with a top hose sensor for the Surf rad? If so, it would help to cut the number of problems owners are getting with our beloved Surfs.

Haydn, don't take the "abuse" too personally. We've had others come on to this Forum in the past with ideas that were a bit of a rip-off (ball bearing anyone), so the members can be a bit wary of any such "wonder" offers. TonyN would probably be one of the better people to test your kit, if you can put one together, as he has access to any number of vehicles of various ages and generations and has the professional skills to make sure it is correctly fitted.

If TonyN is willing, give it a try (he's probably not too far away from you) and you just might be able to help the members and yourself. And yes, move it to the For Sale or Technical sections. (Whoops, just noticed it's already in Technical)