Discussion
What do people regard as normal....?
Car is running fine, temp fine etc etc.
Checked coolant level last week and found it was v. low. Topped up. Checked again this weekend and level has gone down again - not dramatically, but measurably.
Car has been used 2 or 3 times in the week, not much "enthusiastic" driving, but a fair amount of stop start in traffic getting warm.
No evident leaks - nothing on garage floor....
So, is this what I should expect, or do you think there is a small leak somewhere that I should be trying to find.....???
TIA
Car is running fine, temp fine etc etc.
Checked coolant level last week and found it was v. low. Topped up. Checked again this weekend and level has gone down again - not dramatically, but measurably.
Car has been used 2 or 3 times in the week, not much "enthusiastic" driving, but a fair amount of stop start in traffic getting warm.
No evident leaks - nothing on garage floor....
So, is this what I should expect, or do you think there is a small leak somewhere that I should be trying to find.....???
TIA
I'd say the later one I'm afraid.. its got to be going somewhere and I'd rather know where its going than not.
Have a look at where the top hose joins the radiator, that is a popular spot for a slow weep (look for blue corrosion on the rad).
Don't panic yet, it might well just be a jubilee clip that needs a tighten somewhere.
Cheers,
Matt
Have a look at where the top hose joins the radiator, that is a popular spot for a slow weep (look for blue corrosion on the rad).
Don't panic yet, it might well just be a jubilee clip that needs a tighten somewhere.
Cheers,
Matt
M@H said:
Thanks for the responses.
No panics yet.
It seems that it is more like that described by Mr Hut....but I'm monitoring it.....
..you did start with "Checked coolant level last week and found it was v. low."
..what do you call v. low..?
Cheers
Matt
you're right! Well it was barely showing in the expansion bottle......but then I don't know where it was previously, or when it had last been checked - twas first time I looked....
So, I'm also trying to establish where its "natural level" is....
Hope that makes a bit more sense....
I suspect that you do have a small coolant leak somewhere. Surprised that there was no evidence of coolant on the garage floor? A coolant loss from a leaking pipe, water pump, radiator or pressure cap usually leaves some traces.
The places that leak less obviously are the pipes connected to the heater and the heater matrix itself. Have you found any damp patches on carpet inside the car around transmission tunnel? Perhaps you put this down to a leaking roof or seal?
In my experience the most likely cause of leaks are firstly the hoses particularly those connecting the bottom of the radiator (most difficult to get at and for garages to check properly).
Next the radiator itself. My own radiator was pressure checked and stated to be OK by a specialist repairer. But he did say that this did not guarantee that it did not leak when hot - which it did?
Lastly, the pressure cap itself will often fail to hold the correct pressure and allow coolant to blow past. Particularly if the temp rises in a traffic queue say and the fans had to cut in a few times.
So suggest you check all hoses and jubilee clips, top up system as per SH bible and fit a new pressure cap. These are all simple low cost solutions. If this fails to either identify or cure your problem, then get car tested by a garage who can do a pressure test, check for contaminates in coolant in case head gasket has failed and so on.
The places that leak less obviously are the pipes connected to the heater and the heater matrix itself. Have you found any damp patches on carpet inside the car around transmission tunnel? Perhaps you put this down to a leaking roof or seal?
In my experience the most likely cause of leaks are firstly the hoses particularly those connecting the bottom of the radiator (most difficult to get at and for garages to check properly).
Next the radiator itself. My own radiator was pressure checked and stated to be OK by a specialist repairer. But he did say that this did not guarantee that it did not leak when hot - which it did?
Lastly, the pressure cap itself will often fail to hold the correct pressure and allow coolant to blow past. Particularly if the temp rises in a traffic queue say and the fans had to cut in a few times.
So suggest you check all hoses and jubilee clips, top up system as per SH bible and fit a new pressure cap. These are all simple low cost solutions. If this fails to either identify or cure your problem, then get car tested by a garage who can do a pressure test, check for contaminates in coolant in case head gasket has failed and so on.
I have never had to work on the heater matrix so cannot comment on the problems of repairing same - but others have, so hopefully we will get a reply.
However, I think you should make sure that the damp patch is not from the usual seal and bulk head leaks first. This is still the most likely cause of the damp particularly if the car is kept outside a lot.
If you are convinced that the heater is at fault, you might try taking the heater matrix out of circuit to see if your coolant loss and damp patch persists. Although you might want to leave this until the spring as running without a heater will be damned cold!
If you can identify under the bonnet the two hoses coming from the engine that feed to & from the heater, you can simply join the engine pair together to complete the loop. Do this by inserting a suitable length of pipe between two existing jubilee clip points. Then blank off the now open hoses connected to the heater to stop leaks. All temporary joins will need to be properly leak and/or pressure proof.
After refilling the cooling system as per the bible, run the car for a few days to see if the coolant loss & damp problems have disappeared. If yes, this would be a good indicator that there is a leak in the heater matrix or its connections. So stripping out the dash to get at it might then become necessary.
However, I think you should make sure that the damp patch is not from the usual seal and bulk head leaks first. This is still the most likely cause of the damp particularly if the car is kept outside a lot.
If you are convinced that the heater is at fault, you might try taking the heater matrix out of circuit to see if your coolant loss and damp patch persists. Although you might want to leave this until the spring as running without a heater will be damned cold!
If you can identify under the bonnet the two hoses coming from the engine that feed to & from the heater, you can simply join the engine pair together to complete the loop. Do this by inserting a suitable length of pipe between two existing jubilee clip points. Then blank off the now open hoses connected to the heater to stop leaks. All temporary joins will need to be properly leak and/or pressure proof.
After refilling the cooling system as per the bible, run the car for a few days to see if the coolant loss & damp problems have disappeared. If yes, this would be a good indicator that there is a leak in the heater matrix or its connections. So stripping out the dash to get at it might then become necessary.
I've just had my second radiator re-core, and on neither occasion was there any evidence of coolant leak on the garage floor, just the slowly declining coolant level.
However, what you could see was a small amount of liquid in the tray underneath the radiator (not sure if it's part of the nosecone) on the passenger side.
A recore fixed it for about 2 years and now it's happened again in the same place. Grrrr....
However, what you could see was a small amount of liquid in the tray underneath the radiator (not sure if it's part of the nosecone) on the passenger side.
A recore fixed it for about 2 years and now it's happened again in the same place. Grrrr....
wwesty said:
deeen said:
top it up about once a month,
How much does it tend to need...??
Maybe half a pint? A month is 1000 miles, btw. I think I've had a tiny weep from the rad ever since I had the car, but since its never got any worse (or better) I've not done owt about it.
>> Edited by deeen on Tuesday 16th November 18:31
I have had a slight loss of coolent over the last 6 months.
This has increased slowly. Leaks were not evident but the situation got worse, requiring filling up the swirl pot every trip in the end.
Finally this weekend steam bellowed out of the radiator from a crack hidden in the fold near the top hose connection.
Im hopfull that this is the fault of the water loss all the time. As I was starting to think a head gasket had gone (but oil still good and water still clean).
I beleive the hole was so slight that coolent was only lost when very hot & evaporating without trace. Water had collected of late in the nose area but I assumed this to be rain (the only time I noticed it).
This has increased slowly. Leaks were not evident but the situation got worse, requiring filling up the swirl pot every trip in the end.
Finally this weekend steam bellowed out of the radiator from a crack hidden in the fold near the top hose connection.
Im hopfull that this is the fault of the water loss all the time. As I was starting to think a head gasket had gone (but oil still good and water still clean).
I beleive the hole was so slight that coolent was only lost when very hot & evaporating without trace. Water had collected of late in the nose area but I assumed this to be rain (the only time I noticed it).
If you arent finding any coolant on the floor, Have you tried looking in the lip below the Rad, it can sit in there and then be dispearsed as your hooning about.
Or another place it can sit is the Block valleys.
Prehaps the Caps seal has gone also so you woud be loosing it while moving, is there any sign down the expansion tank that water has been running down it?
Like others have said They do differ mine sits just about halfway in the expansion tank, fill it up any higher and it just spits it out.
BB
Or another place it can sit is the Block valleys.
Prehaps the Caps seal has gone also so you woud be loosing it while moving, is there any sign down the expansion tank that water has been running down it?
Like others have said They do differ mine sits just about halfway in the expansion tank, fill it up any higher and it just spits it out.
BB
Thanks for all the input.
Had a look last night and there is some slight dampness, not what I'd call a puddle
, on the tray underneath the rad, passenger side.
So looks like its weeping as per one of the suggestions.
Since it seems to be such a small leak, is there any problem in just continuing and monitoring for any increase/deterioration? Or should I be getting it fixed rather than end up with a bigger bill later???
Cheers all
Had a look last night and there is some slight dampness, not what I'd call a puddle
, on the tray underneath the rad, passenger side. So looks like its weeping as per one of the suggestions.
Since it seems to be such a small leak, is there any problem in just continuing and monitoring for any increase/deterioration? Or should I be getting it fixed rather than end up with a bigger bill later???
Cheers all
Interesting to see so many people with the same small coolant loss problems! I note that a lot of the comments point to cracked radiators, this seems to be an issue with both the Chimeara & Griffith.
I have recently replaced my radiator with the latest factory version, which is a fabricated design with aluminium core & plastic headers (no soldered parts). This cost around £250 plus some bits and pieces and I fitted it myself.
I am now struggling with pressure caps and fill levels to get the system totally reliable and loss free, but I am not fully there as yet.
I have recently replaced my radiator with the latest factory version, which is a fabricated design with aluminium core & plastic headers (no soldered parts). This cost around £250 plus some bits and pieces and I fitted it myself.
I am now struggling with pressure caps and fill levels to get the system totally reliable and loss free, but I am not fully there as yet.
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