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Jim Sower wrote:
<... Why wouldn't the pressure increase when water levels drop and steam develops? ...>
Need to work backwards on this one. If the water level drops, one would deduce that it happens for a reason, and a leak comes immediately to mind. When the cooling system starts leaking, the pressure drops off substantially quite a while before any significant drop water level.
I don't agree. A minor leak (pin hole) will not cause a significant pressure drop. Sure, loosing the cap or a hose the pressure will drop.
FIRST the pressure drops precipitously, and THEN the coolant level starts to go down ... FINALLY the temps start to rise (provided the temp sender is submerged in what water remains).
If you were to use a coolant level indicator, where would you put it?
Yes, that is a tough one. Somewher in the upper part of the pump housing. The whole idea is to get an early warning - must be able to loose more coolant before pump stops pumping, so you can make it to the nearest airport without frying the engine.
Not in the block, because Ed has established that what coolant remains is relatively well distributed in the block. In the expansion tank? I would suspect you'd get a lot of "false negatives". I don't know where I'd put one, or how much to trust it.
Just a theory .... Jim S.
Obviously is going to take some testing and trial and error.
Finn
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