
SE Cooling Issues?
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- AL
- Driver
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Craig, I think you'll find it's a normal thing wihth turbos. The higher head temps especially in summer can accumulate steam.Turning on the heater helps it to escape from the back of the head. Idling down after a hot run with the heater on should help. The \"wonky\" feel sounds like high intake temps common with the SE known as \"summerlag\". Oh,and if that all sounds like rubbish then it's probably just a head gasket
Turbos aren't all tyre smoke and giggles you know.

Tinkered with 1991 NA6
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- Racing Driver
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I think it is a \"quirk\" with every 10000 Mazda donks, mine has done it consistently for 5 years, No expert I have yet found can solve it, just confirm that \"yes it does gurgle for no apparent reason doesn't it . . . .\" it can do this after a 5 minute run to the post box and back from dead cold.
It's other trick is to empty the contents of the overflow bottle onto the floor, then cool down and suck the bottle completely dry.
New thermostats, countless radiator caps, and even the radiator has been pulled to bits.
Next plan of attack is an oil cooler, as the oil is used to cool the turbo, which then goes to a funny place called the engine.
Otherwise it's the cooling reroute trickery thing, probably both.
It's other trick is to empty the contents of the overflow bottle onto the floor, then cool down and suck the bottle completely dry.
New thermostats, countless radiator caps, and even the radiator has been pulled to bits.
Next plan of attack is an oil cooler, as the oil is used to cool the turbo, which then goes to a funny place called the engine.
Otherwise it's the cooling reroute trickery thing, probably both.
Went for a drive and there were slow cars everywhere, why are NC's so common . . . must be NC = Normally Cardiganed.
- Okibi
- Speed Racer
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- bigdog
- King of the kennel
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- JBT
- Speed Racer
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ASE05 was having coolant problems at NatMeet track day and then afterwards with huge changes in the overflow bottle levels. Played around with radiator cap and cleaned grunge off the rubber seal and it seemed to behave itself again on the road home to Brissy.
Suspect it may be the radiator cap - try a new one Craig.
Suspect it may be the radiator cap - try a new one Craig.

- Garry
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My engine was making coffee percolator noises when I turned it off. I replaced the radiator cap and it stopped doing it. I couldn't hear the gurgling noises with the engine running though.
Shiney black one with added red bits. Member of the fart club. Now with extra doof and Sunlong. - deceased and gone to heaven
- Daz
- Fast Driver
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- Location: Sydney
Mine has pretty much always done that, usually its a very slow gurgle, not like fluid boiling rapidly. I installed a real temp gauge to check the water temps, but they are very stable even under heavy runs and it seems it only does it when the car isnt running and I guess the coolant is sitting still in the hot engine. Who knows what the Mazda service dept are running in there though, its probably a cheap as possible weak mixture, I should probably run a stronger mix to increase the boiling temp.
Silver SP - PSS9, 1:10:58
- Craig
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- Craig
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Re:
bigdog wrote:Okibi wrote:You could use one of those tanks to burp the cooling system. I think Mark did an autosalon article on them.
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- Craig
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- jules
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- PASHN8
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I haven't experienced this problem Craig, although I have noticed a bit of summerlag I believe?
My new FMIC arrives next week, and I will be fitting up next weekend hopefully, so will see if the change in airflow affects things!
My new FMIC arrives next week, and I will be fitting up next weekend hopefully, so will see if the change in airflow affects things!
- 2005 MX-5 SE
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- Craig
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Re:
PASHN8 wrote:I haven't experienced this problem Craig, although I have noticed a bit of summerlag I believe?
My new FMIC arrives next week, and I will be fitting up next weekend hopefully, so will see if the change in airflow affects things!
I'm semi experiencing the



Let me know how you go with the new intercooler...been considering that myself! Which one did you get?

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