Having had coolant shoot out the spark plug hold like a small "ole Faithful" is something that makes your heart sink - having been there, myself, I can emphasize with you, Chris.
<insert favorite string of expletives here>
Ok, to start this rant/post out, as annoyed as I am, I need to be grateful. I flew the other day, Friday, and everything was great. I was just flying over the airport after some modifications to test systems (replaced the front cover o-ring AGAIN...this time with a small cylinder pressed into the hole with the O-ring around it to prevent it from slipping out...along with the silicone ring around the O-ring). I was up about ten minutes and all my gages were well in the green and the engine seemed to be running solidly. I turned on down wind at about 1500 feet, looked down at my gages again and noticed my water and oil temps were both red with coolant temps at 260 degrees. Damn. Called for clearance to land as I reduced power. Pegged my best landing and taxied back to the hangar without incident resulting in injury.
I only had time to remove the cowl and note that the cowl was wet but had to leave for the day. I returned the next day and started it up with only a little difficulty and noted the radiator was not getting warm...thus concluded no flow. I ordered a new water pump from Mazdatrix with expedited shipping and installed it. I figured the water pump was likely twenty years old and a new one would hurt. Just as I was buttoning it up and reinstalling the pulley on the new water pump I was moving the stainless water hose out of the way for the wrench and FINALLY saw the REAL problem. The stainless steel water hose had shifted and rubbed up on the e-shaft pulley and gouged two small holes allowing my coolant to blow into the atmosphere of greater Houston.
Sigh. Ok, repaired the hose today. Filled the system with new coolant (still has some in the radiator with is under the engine). Ok, for those of you in the know, you know it was hard to start (yes, I have been here before). Finally, with much difficulty and a jump box the engine started...and ran well...but, after taking a few minutes to warm up, it jumped to about 200 degrees. I shut down and as expected by now, steam came out of the tail pipe and I could hear the water boiling in the chambers. Sigh again. I pushed the plane into the hangar and pulled a plug, pulled the prop through and steam shot out of the plug hole.
Ok, this sucks, but at least my engine did not seize and it kept running for a normal landing AND, I do know how to rebuild these things (even if apparently do not know how to properly tie back a water hose as not to rub on a fast moving e-shaft pulley). So, the tear down is inevitable.
Hopefully the damage is limited to the O-rings.....gee I hope I didn't warp the plates, I just cant afford that right now (so they most certainly are warped....).
Just wanted to share.
Chris Barber
Houston
2.2 hours in Phase One testing