Leaky V8 (Serp ) Header Tank

[dumbfunk]

My 1998 Griff started making a noise that sounded much like a blowing exhaust last night and checking it out in the daylight I found water jetting out of a pin hole on the aluminium coolant header tank. It looks like at some point the power steering pump pully has contacted the underside of the formed inlet coolant tube and worn through.

This may or not be the source of the noise but I need to sort it out first and have been advised to just get it welded up rather than replace it. Has anybody experience of whether this is a difficult task (pressure tests?) and better still, of a recommendation to get it done somewhere near the West Midlands.

(For reference my tank looks like this one with the slotted brass screw.)


Thanks in advance



dumbfunk

[chrispitman]

Sounds like an engine mount has failed in the past, causes the pas pump to hit the tank pipe. Worth checking the engine mounts tho. Cheapest solution would be to weld it up if the damaged area isn't too big.

[RAS]

I have just had a similar problem with the header tank, the one with the blue top.

My problem was corrosion which had produced a small pin hole at the bottom. I tried several places and failed to find a new one, so took it to a local welder who cut the bottom of and welded a new one on, unfortunately when preasure tested there were a few holes further up the body, so he ordered some ally pipe and manufactured a new one for me, salvaging and using the old bracket and screw thread from the old one, so far it works a treat and cheaper than buying new, if I had found someone with one in stock.

[dumbfunk]

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll hit the yellow pages then!

[hiltonig]

RAS said:

I have just had a similar problem with the header tank, the one with the blue top.

My problem was corrosion which had produced a small pin hole at the bottom. I tried several places and failed to find a new one, so took it to a local welder who cut the bottom of and welded a new one on, unfortunately when preasure tested there were a few holes further up the body, so he ordered some ally pipe and manufactured a new one for me, salvaging and using the old bracket and screw thread from the old one, so far it works a treat and cheaper than buying new, if I had found someone with one in stock.

I had the same problem and did the same thing !!!, they are impossible to find at a sensible price S/H

[dumbfunk]

Just to wrap this thread up I found a guy in Wolverly near Kidderminster who was able to weld and polish my header tank in a day for just £25! He's in the yellow pages as "D-Tech Products" and well recommended.


df