Words by Ramsay Beacham
Photography by Serika McBride
Header shot by Michael Szabath

Fact:

70 percent of major engine blow-ups are a direct result of coolant loss going unnoticed. In fact, most factory-fitted temperature gauges will actually indicate that the engine coolant is cold when it is suddenly lost. Why? Well when a hose or your radiator is pierced and the coolant is suddenly all gone, there is no water to boil, and thus the gauge may actually indicate a low engine temperature.

If your cooling system develops a slow leak, your temperature gauge should rise as the engine heats up due to a lack of coolant. If you are one of the lucky and/or observant ones, you will spot this rising temperature problem and be able to pull over before any major damage is done.

If not, then the next sign you will get that there is a problem will most likely be a loss of power, meaning that it is too late and you have probably done some major damage. It’s at this time that dollar signs will start flashing through your head.

One sure-fire way of ensuring your engine never goes without sufficient coolant is to install an Engine-Saver Low-Coolant Alarm. These are basically a small electronic device with an audible and visual alarm that will let you know if your coolant is getting low.

Just remember what the dash looks like before you rip everything out. The easiest place to put the alarm will probably be behind the radio.	I had this nice Pioneer CD player ripped out in no time flat – it just comes naturally. This gave us easy access to all the wires we would need.
The main unit with the internal alarm is small enough that it can be zip-tied (cable-tied if you’re from NSW) just about anywhere. I found a nice wiring loom next to where the stereo goes.	There is a twin-core wire coming out of the buzzer. Both wires are red, but one has a black stripe down it. This indicates that it is the earth or negative wire.

The Engine Saver utilises a probe that is placed in your top radiator hose, and senses whether it is wet or dry. The entire unit is fully sealed and has no moving parts, making it highly reliable.

Installing the alarm and light in the cavity behind the radio is the best bet in most 4WDs, and all will most likely have the electrical wires necessary already in place. The small unit encompassing the alarm and circuit board can be zip-tied out of the way near the radio somewhere, and the remote LED can be installed in a convenient position in the dash.

The water-sensing probe is usually installed in the top radiator hose, and on the radiator end of this hose. It is the most convenient place installation-wise, and is also one of the highest places in the cooling system so it will sense water loss quite early. In some cooling systems that are susceptible to air pockets, it will be necessary to locate the probe at the lower end of the top hose.

The probe is a one-size-fits-all affair, but they are much easier to fit to larger-diameter spigots. Having said that, we fitted one to a Suzuki Jimny with a spigot the size of a straw, and we did it without any problems. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace the original radiator-hose clamp with a larger one.

Next comes positive, and we only want it to operate when the accessories are on. Too easy – the wiring loom to the CD player had one tagged, and it was already fused.	These scotch locks have been coming in very handy of late. I used one to tap into the accessories wire.
Yep, she’s workin’ alright. You wouldn’t want to drive too far with that buzzer in your ear. We installed the light in the radio surround, then put it all back together with only three screws left over – my best effort yet.	Drop out a litre or so of coolant through the drain plug so that it doesn’t go everywhere when you take the top hose off.
Because the probe is a one-size-fits-all, you may have to bend the probe so that it doesn’t touch the edges.	Make sure the spigot is clean and dry, as this will give the silicone a good base to stick to.

The installation of an Engine Saver Low-Coolant Alarm has only two simple electrical connections to be made, plus a simple plumbing task and a bit of mucking around with zip-ties. The entire system can be installed in less than a few hours on most vehicles, depending on how neat you want to be, and how easily accessible your dash is. All that is needed is the item itself, a couple of small electrical connectors and maybe a fuse with holder.

With out-of-pocket expenses totalling around $170, this product is cheap insurance against the problems that arise from a cooked motor. It only takes one stick to pierce through your radiator or hose, and it will pay itself off with dividends.

The main risk of leakage is at the edges where the probe base ends. Use a neutral-cure silicone or neoprene sealer to smooth the join.	A thin film of silicone will help slide the radiator hose over the probe in its final position.
We had to replace the fitted clamp with a worm drive one because with the probe in place, the old one wouldn’t fit over the hose, spigot and probe.	Start the vehicle, and the alarm should sound. As you top her up with quality coolant the buzzer and light should go out – done and dusted.

The Product

‘Engine Saver’ low-coolant alarms are made right here in Australia by a small family owned and operated business in Queensland. They initially started making them after cooking a motor themselves, and the rest as they say is history.

The ‘Engine Saver’ low-coolant alarm is available to buy direct from the people who make them up in Queensland. It’s as easy as pie to get a hold of one by either logging on to the website at www.enginesaver.com.au, or if the phone is more your thing then you can call them on 0427 159 668. You can pay by cheque/money-order, direct bank deposit or credit card.

Both 12V and 24V models with audible alarm and LED warning light are available at a cost of $153. A 24V model without LED warning light is also available for $148.