Front angle missing and coolant leak

[mj04uk]

Hi all,

Noticed last night a small puddle forming on the driveway beneath the car (heart missed a few beats...) Pulled the car into the garage and had a look underneath to find the metal angle not there any more and where it was fixed to the bodywork, a small amount of coolant was present.

I got a rag and dried the area and left it overnight. This morning there were no drips on the floor ?

Two questions for you -

1) What would be the possibility of there being a leak in the cooling system?
2) How much will it cost for a new angle, and how is it fixed?

Thanks

Mark

[apache]

it'll leak again once it warms up and gets up to pressure, sorry. What is an angle?

[heliox]

I think you mean the front spoiler?
If its been ripped/dropped off then there may be a chance that water thats collected below the rad may be seeping out of the holes left by the screws.

If your loosing fluid, or the fluid is the same colour as your coolant then assume you have a leak somewhere

heliox

[RCA]

New front spoiler is just under 15 quid from main dealer and fixes on with 5 screws, most likely self tappers. Am fitting a new one on mine in the morning so will let you know how easy it is!!!

[mj04uk]

Defiantly a leak, small one, but a leak. It appears that loosing the front spoiler just made a path for the coolant to find a way to the floor.

Had a look and the coolant is collecting on the passenger side, beneath the radiator. I've had a look at the rubber hoses, when cool enough, but can't find the cause - possibly the rad ?

Booking the car in to be sorted out - will let you know the problem.

[Trefor]

Are you sure the water is coming from the cooling system? Water does collect and hide in the 'folds' of the GRP - I thought I'd drilled through my radiator when I fitted a splitter a while back. If the car has been out in the rain or been washed recently this still could be it.

I suggest trying to collect a bit of the coolant and see if it is water or anti-freeze mixture.

Radiators are a consumable BTW ... mine seems to get through them every 4 years. Must be the vibration.

T/.

[heliox]

quote:



Radiators are a consumable BTW ... mine seems to get through them every 4 years. Must be the vibration.

That or flex or bad instalation,

from reading the posts on here, there seems to be a tendancy for the core's to split at the point where they join the side chambers, and the side chambers are held in at the botton in 2 recess's on rubber mounts and are bolted at the sides,
IMHO if the sides arent flat/parallel you are effectively distorting the rad when you tighten down on the side bolts and this in turn fractures the solder,eventually.

heliox

[mj04uk]

Defiantly coolant as it is blue and doesn’t taste too good

[RCA]

speaking of leaks, mine does not seem to have a visable leak but uses quite a lot of water!!!, is this normal? The oil is fine, hardly uses any, and the water has not got any oil in so I don't think it is the head gasket, any ideas?
cheers
Richard

[hut49]

It's got to be going somewhere if it uses as much as you suggest. If it's a recently developed problem I think I'd have a careful look at the hoses when the engine's hot - I said careful! Good luck.

Hutch

[RCA]

no, its always had it since I have had it, nearly a year, but yes it does use quite a lot, maybe an old hose that it evaporates from???, might replace all the hoses and see if that cures it??

[simon.b]

I suspect the loss of your spoiler and the leak my be connected.

I hand a good whack under my Griff a few weeks back which severely damage the spoiler and within a few day's I too noticed a small coolant leak.

I've changed the rad before, numerous times, but the penny has just dropped as to what may be causing it to fail. Each time it is the matrix coming away from the end caps at the bottom corner.

I think I'll remove the two bottom spigots and add an angle somehow to let it float a bit more.

Any other thoughts ?

Cheers,

Simon.

[heliox]

quote:


I hand a good whack under my Griff a few weeks back which severely damage the spoiler and within a few day's I too noticed a small coolant leak.

tsk..tsk..tsk..bet your mates call you "Slim".

>> Edited by heliox on Monday 26th August 23:56

[simpo one]

Poke about in the Griffith threads a couple of months back - I started threads on both these subjects and got good response. The spoiler is now back and the leak is fixed.

[mj04uk]

My beloved is booked in with Motorvation for this friday, there's a few other minor niggles to iron out, then happy happy days again !!!

[shpub]

quote:

I think I'll remove the two bottom spigots and add an angle somehow to let it float a bit more.

I use some rubber to create a thick washer between rad and bodywork. Helps isolate the vibration and when tightening up. make sure the rad doesn't get twisted.

Steve