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Coolant leak

S

Sandspider

New member
Hi all

Noticed a bit of drop off in coolant levels recently, and think I found the culprit today. Took her for a drive in the cold, and heard a bit of a hiss when I got back. Opened the bonnet, and there's steam coming from the radiator. It's so cold and wet I can't quite tell where it's coming from, but it seems to be from the top left of the radiator (as you look backwards down the car). That said, it also seems to be leaking out from under the badge panel / behind the metalwork of the bumper, so could be spreading and escaping from several areas.

Are there any common (and hopefully easy to get to!) problems around the top left of the radiator that can leak steam? Don't really want to have to get under it in this weather! [&:] The hose & clips at the top left of the radiator seem to be OK, though I can't really see all of it. Will look again if the rain / sleet / snow stops :(

Cheers for any suggestions...
 
Thermostat? Maybe it is not coming from the radiator and the Thermostat is not directing the water through the radiator so is circulating around the engine and getting hotter and hotter - what does the temp gauge say?
 
Thanks Scott Well, I had another look at it today in sunshine, and there was no steam at all from the radiator, even when the fan kicks in. I guess it must have been all the rain dripping off the bodywork onto the rad yesterday. Temp gauge behaves as normal - bottom 3rd of gauge under normal driving, up to halfway if stationary / slow moving, then the fans kick in and bring it back down to the bottom 3rd again. That said, it's still losing coolant somehow - I added about 2 litres today (last top up about 200 miles ago). When I bled the system, only air and steam came out - very little water. (I didn't bleed it again after topping up as I had to go out, but I assume water will come out next time I bleed it now that it's topped up). There's no water on the drive under the car, nor is there excessive steam from the exhaust when running, and I can't see more mayonnaise than usual in the oil filler cap. Slightly baffled... I'll go and have a look on Clark's Garage, but if anyone has any suggestions as to where it could be going, that would be great!
 
One thing I have noticed recently is that if I press the accelerator, it sometimes hesitates for a half second or so and revs drop off before revs increase again as normal. Especially when recently started...
 
a pin hole in the pipe above the exhaust manifold will allow coolant to escape and it often vaporises before it is spotted. A weak coolant resovoir cap will allow coolant to escape slowly and they weaken with age and the seals perish. A small bottle attached to the end of the pipe that exits from the filler neck will identify this.
 
worth looking at the plastic elbow that takes the small bore pipe from the front of the water pump up to the expansion tank. I've had a leak at this joint a couple of times, fixed first off by me flatting off the joint to make a peoper seal, and then by my Indie replacoing the elbow and its O ring. With the engine off, you might fell wetness underneath the joint. Was bad enough on mine to almost run dry on one occasion.
 
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