Help needed

[crazymatelot]

Hi guys, hope someone can help me. I got recovered back to my house yesterday from Portsmouth (1998 4.2). 2 days after a 12000 service. I am losing quite a lot of water, and did not want to chance driving back to Mid Wales (246 Miles topping up every couple of miles) the recovery guy had a quick look couldn't find where the water was coming from and said "It must be the water Pump". I can't see where the water is coming from, but it does seem to originate somewhere above the big square plate under the engine. Where is the water pump? Another place it could be coming from is somewhere under the fibre glass apron that sits in front of the engine over the steering gear etc. By the way it simply drips slowly until the thermostat opens and then it turns into a substantial trickle. But being water it could be coming from anywhere and just runing all over the place, where is becomes visible could be a long way from the problem. for now can anyone tell me where the water pump is? thanks fellas

[BLUETHUNDER]

Sorry for being blunt.But how can you have a Cerbera.And not have a basic knowledge of mechanics..Sorry!!.Getting back to the topic.The water pump is at the front of the engine.Could also be your rad,as they dont tend to last long in any TVR.

Edited by BLUETHUNDER on Sunday 21st September 15:01

[crazymatelot]

BLUETHUNDER said:

Sorry for being blunt.But how can you have a Cerbera.And not have a basic knowledge of mechanics..Sorry!!.Getting back to the topic.The water pump is at the front of the engine.Could also be your rad,as they dont tend to last long in any TVR.

Edited by BLUETHUNDER on Sunday 21st September 15:01

As it happens I do have more than a basic knowledge of mechanics. But not on Cerbs. Usually the water pump will have a couple of water pipes on it. The AJP8 is by no means a conventional engine, it doesn't even look like any other engine I have seen. Besides I would normally buy a workshop manual to help me when working on any car, but unless you can point me in the right direction, all that seems to be available is some very poor quality stuff on biker28i web site. Don't get me wrong I am grateful for that. But nowhere in that is there even a reference to water pumps.

[BLUETHUNDER]

I would check the rad first.Take a look around both end caps,as this is where they tend to go most.And near the bottom.

[crazymatelot]

BLUETHUNDER said:

I would check the rad first.Take a look around both end caps,as this is where they tend to go most.And near the bottom.

Thanks for the advice.

[Malam]

If it's the water pump...........Good luck!

[Byker28i]

crazymatelot said:

...Besides I would normally buy a workshop manual to help me when working on any car, but unless you can point me in the right direction, all that seems to be available is some very poor quality stuff on biker28i web site.

Yup we're working on that.

Meanwhile - you have mail

Edited by Byker28i on Sunday 21st September 16:34

[Byker28i]

Thinking about this - try checking the water manifold that's under the forward engine cover - the one with the 6 bolts. Mine was pitted badly - it could be this. It's exposed to all the weather etc and is just made of mild steel.

[crazymatelot]

Byker28i said:

Thinking about this - try checking the water manifold that's under the forward engine cover - the one with the 6 bolts. Mine was pitted badly - it could be this. It's exposed to all the weather etc and is just made of mild steel.

Thanks for taking the time biker, I will have a look tomorrow, have run out of time today - things to do etc.

[Tanguero]

If you take off the forward engine cover you can see almost all of the pipework that is likeley to be leaking, from above. It shouldn't be too hard to see where it is coming from.

There are a couple of hose joints that were troublesome on mine (until I replaced the hoses) right at the front of the engine, where the hose is at a quite tight stretch.

Run it up and have a look around with a bright torch. It makes wet pipes a bit more obvious.

[jbvipercerb]

As above, take the front fibreglass panel off under the bonnet and check all the steel and rubber cooling pipes and the bottom of the radiator. If you cant see anything and it was leaking alot, make sure the water is topped up and run the engine till its warm to pressurize the coolant and the jet of water will be very apparent!
By the way, you've just had the car serviced, did they do anything to the cooling system, if they have maybe it just something loose?
Good luck.

[ridds]

Just serviced?

My money's on the hose they disconnected to drain the coolant not being quite sealed.

If it spews when the stat opens then it's likely to be offside transfer pipe that hoins the lower radiator, cab heater outlet and water pump inlet pipes.

[crazymatelot]

ridds said:

Just serviced?

My money's on the hose they disconnected to drain the coolant not being quite sealed.

If it spews when the stat opens then it's likely to be offside transfer pipe that hoins the lower radiator, cab heater outlet and water pump inlet pipes.

I'm feeling better already, one of the jobs done was to change the heater hoses. So they would have drained and refilled the system. I checked the hoses they changed and they were okay. I replaced one of the water manifold pipes under the F1 cover last year. The other did not look too bad, but on reflection it could be the problem. Thanks lads.