Curious: After 2JZ swap, what does the "birdcage" mean NOW?

[Drake69]

This is more of a curiosity question than anything serious. I just got done with my 7M swapout to a 2J, and now when I start her up the radiator "birdacge" light comes on for awhile, then flickers periodically and goes away after several miles. Some background info...

1: Had the light before when running old rad w/ leaking welds, bad hoses, old thermometer, and bad water pump. Replaced with Mishi alum rad, all silicone hoses, performance therm, and new pump, and birdcage went into the cornfield.

2: Current setup: Mishi rad, electric fans, 2J water pump, performance therm. Filled up with 50/50 coolant and "Wetter Water", zero leaks, etc..., and birdacge lights up until AT LEAST it reaches operating temps <ODD>.

3: Car does not overheat at all, elec fans engage when in-line therm detects hot coolant. Engine behaving like it should.

Birdcage light is nothing more than an "idiot light", but where would it be getting a signal from, now that a whole different motor is in there? And why would it even come on when it's COLD, not HOT? Is it because maybe there's less coolant in the system than before? How would it even know?

Just curious.

 

[hvyman]

It means that your resivour is low or the sensor is stuck or bad.

 

[Drake69]

It means that your resivour is low or the sensor is stuck or bad.

The front reservior? I still have it hooked up, just no coolant in it. I never put any coolant in there to begin with since the rad is always full, and it's not hiccupped even once.

Interesting. I will keep some in there and see if it goes away then. Thanks!

 

[S.A. supra]

Never......? And the light never went off? Maybe it was never hooked up? And when you did the swap you hooked it up. By any chance did you have a bhg on your 7m?

 

[hvyman]

Ya the res is supposed to be filled to the full mark. The rad cap will suck fluid in and out depending on temp. So instead your just sucking air into the system.

All cars have a res system for this reason.

 

[f00g00]

The wires that are in the bottom of the overflow res are connected to the level sensor that turns the rad light on and off. Those wires are not part of an engine swap.

 

[Drake69]

Never......? And the light never went off? Maybe it was never hooked up? And when you did the swap you hooked it up. By any chance did you have a bhg on your 7m?

Never had BHG, probably had some in the bottom of the reservior that I might have forgotten about.

Ya the res is supposed to be filled to the full mark. The rad cap will suck fluid in and out depending on temp. So instead your just sucking air into the system.

All cars have a res system for this reason.

It usually had some in there, but since the swap it had been pulled out and put back in. I'll remember to put some in from now on.

The wires that are in the bottom of the overflow res are connected to the level sensor that turns the rad light on and off. Those wires are not part of an engine swap.

Yup, learned something new.

Thanks all!!!

 

[Satan]

The wires that are in the bottom of the overflow res are connected to the level sensor that turns the rad light on and off. Those wires are not part of an engine swap.

Actually... Some people take their front bumpers off during a swap, to keep the engine hoist from scratching it up, and may inadvertently disconnect it (while screwing with removing the bumper).

 

[Drake69]

My bumpers needed repainting anyway, we didn't even worry about it.

 

[Satan]

Me neither... Mine is all gouged up. I plan to have painted in the Fall possibly.

 

[Drake69]

Problem fixed. As everyone said, need to keep some coolant in the bottom of the overflow tank and the birdcage disappears.

Thanks!