Radiator ejects a small amount of water when I turn off the engine

Hi,

When the engine is shut off, the coolant is no longer circulated so it can actually heat up around the hottest parts of the engine. When this happens it will actually expand a bit more. This is why modern vehicles have an overflow tank. Older cars just had a hose that would leak it out on to the ground.

This could be caused by three main reasons. First, you have too much coolant in the system. There should be an air gap in the top of the radiator below the overflow hose that will allow for expansion. Second, there is an air pocket in the system. This could also cause overheating but you said it doesn't overheat so this may not be the issue. Also air pockets are normally caused by draining and refilling. Third, is a radiator cap failure. If it is not holding pressure properly then it can cause more rapid expansion.

If you are topping the coolant off each time this happens then I would stop that and drive the vehicle for a few days until the dripping stops. Then when the engine is cold, remove the cap and see where the level is in the radiator. If it is full, then you are good to go. If it is empty then we need to inspect for an air pocket. Lastly I would replace the radiator cap and retest.

Let me know what you find. Thanks

You are welcome. Please let me know what happens and we can dig further if this doesn't solve it. Thanks