Is it time for the G word
Discussion
I have noticed a pool of fluid under my car recently. It is not oil and I dont think it is steering fluid so it must be coolant although it is clear in colour. Does it mean its gasket time. The car will be over a pit next week for the MOT so I will be able to have a look from beneath. Am I right in assuming there will be tell tale streaks running down the block. There is a current thread running on the VCA which is very similar and that turned out to be the gasket. I do not have any steam in the exhaust which is encouraging but if I do need one would I be able to leave it until the winter. I have checked the coolant header tank and that is not too low but is there an overflow bottle hidden somewhere as on a 91/92 and if so how do I get to it. The manual is not much help. Luckily I took advantage of the VCA bulk gasket buy as I have all the service receipts and there is no mention of it having been changed. The car has done 30,000 km.
k do i know Dr-Bob said:
fishboy said:
i have been told the water pumps go on older RT,s. i know the one
on my old RT went after sitting for a while.
Not the water pumps but Thermostate housing gaskets...on my old RT went after sitting for a while.
Leatherman said:
Dr-Bob said:
fishboy said:
i have been told the water pumps go on older RT,s. i know the one
on my old RT went after sitting for a while.
Not the water pumps but Thermostate housing gaskets...on my old RT went after sitting for a while.
Edited by Viper on Monday 20th April 07:55
Viper said:
Leatherman said:
Dr-Bob said:
fishboy said:
i have been told the water pumps go on older RT,s. i know the one
on my old RT went after sitting for a while.
Not the water pumps but Thermostate housing gaskets...on my old RT went after sitting for a while.
I had better swat up on the burp proceedure then.
Edited by Viper on Monday 20th April 07:55
As noted above Tony it is quite likely to be the thermostat housing gaskets, this is especially likely considering you mentioned that the leak appears to be central, and you have no obvious signs of steam from the exhaust.
This was happening on mine when I bought it and was pretty much the first job I did on the car, (With the help of Dr Bob I might add) it is a bit of a pain to do, as the thermostat housing on the GenI is at the back of the engine under the windscreen, which meant I needed to remove the intake manifold to get to it, and whilst I was in there I ended up replacing all manner of other bits, just because I could... I ended up putting in a lower temperature thermostat, and replacing all the coolant hoses with silicone, (with the addition of the burp valve on the top hose) also new coolant etc as everything was drained, replaced a couple of sensors that are attached to the thermostat housing as the leak had obviously been happening for a while and had corroded one of the temp sensors, which meant my temp guage wasn't working.
The overflow bottle is in the front fascia, it can be viewed by removing the large rubber gromit infront of the right front wheel (passenger side) and get a torch in there to see the level on the bottle, it should be about half full. It can be topped up by removing the correct thin hose from the main coolant bottle on the right hand side of the engine (I use a small funnel which fits into the hose).
As a further thought, (if you didn't already know), it is a known issue is a fixing bolt on the underside of the fascia, which is directly below the overflow bottle, if you hit anything like a speed bump, which might push the fascia up from underneath it has been known for the bolt to get pushed up through the bottom of the bottle. It's worth removing the bolt and cutting it down a bit, in order to assist in avoiding this from happening.
And please make sure that you have a powersteering fluid bottle vent tube installed, Link, as it has been well documented for the power steering fluid cap to come loose and fall off, the resultant issue was fluid splashing on the exhaust headers causing catastrophic fires.
edited to add: Chuck can supply all the relevant gaskets you will require for the job.
This was happening on mine when I bought it and was pretty much the first job I did on the car, (With the help of Dr Bob I might add) it is a bit of a pain to do, as the thermostat housing on the GenI is at the back of the engine under the windscreen, which meant I needed to remove the intake manifold to get to it, and whilst I was in there I ended up replacing all manner of other bits, just because I could... I ended up putting in a lower temperature thermostat, and replacing all the coolant hoses with silicone, (with the addition of the burp valve on the top hose) also new coolant etc as everything was drained, replaced a couple of sensors that are attached to the thermostat housing as the leak had obviously been happening for a while and had corroded one of the temp sensors, which meant my temp guage wasn't working.
The overflow bottle is in the front fascia, it can be viewed by removing the large rubber gromit infront of the right front wheel (passenger side) and get a torch in there to see the level on the bottle, it should be about half full. It can be topped up by removing the correct thin hose from the main coolant bottle on the right hand side of the engine (I use a small funnel which fits into the hose).
As a further thought, (if you didn't already know), it is a known issue is a fixing bolt on the underside of the fascia, which is directly below the overflow bottle, if you hit anything like a speed bump, which might push the fascia up from underneath it has been known for the bolt to get pushed up through the bottom of the bottle. It's worth removing the bolt and cutting it down a bit, in order to assist in avoiding this from happening.
And please make sure that you have a powersteering fluid bottle vent tube installed, Link, as it has been well documented for the power steering fluid cap to come loose and fall off, the resultant issue was fluid splashing on the exhaust headers causing catastrophic fires.
edited to add: Chuck can supply all the relevant gaskets you will require for the job.
Edited by RT/10Dave on Monday 20th April 09:58
The housing is in two sections bolted across the V of the engine, and from what I can gather the torque movement of the engine can loosen it over time, it's not an incredibly difficult job to do as such, just a bit fiddly in places, and was the first 'major' bit of engine surgery I had ever undertaken, so the thought of removing the intake manifold was giving me cold sweats somewhat... hence the incredibly appreciated assistance of Dr Bob.
Don't also forget the long bolt syndrome !!!!!!
The coolant expansion tank is in front of the r/h wheel and if the bolt has not been cut down this can cause the bolt to pierce the coolant tank especially if its in 'Speed Hump' country.
If its not that then at least check the bolt has had the chop, it could also be that the tank is already holed andd with the hot weather the fluid that should be going there is falling on the floor.
The coolant expansion tank is in front of the r/h wheel and if the bolt has not been cut down this can cause the bolt to pierce the coolant tank especially if its in 'Speed Hump' country.
If its not that then at least check the bolt has had the chop, it could also be that the tank is already holed andd with the hot weather the fluid that should be going there is falling on the floor.
viper paul said:
Don't also forget the long bolt syndrome !!!!!!
The coolant expansion tank is in front of the r/h wheel and if the bolt has not been cut down this can cause the bolt to pierce the coolant tank especially if its in 'Speed Hump' country.
If its not that then at least check the bolt has had the chop, it could also be that the tank is already holed andd with the hot weather the fluid that should be going there is falling on the floor.
Read a couple of posts up Paul... The coolant expansion tank is in front of the r/h wheel and if the bolt has not been cut down this can cause the bolt to pierce the coolant tank especially if its in 'Speed Hump' country.
If its not that then at least check the bolt has had the chop, it could also be that the tank is already holed andd with the hot weather the fluid that should be going there is falling on the floor.
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