coolant loss .or not ?

[olliesgrandad]

Every week for the past six weeks or so I'm having to top up my header tank, not much never more than half a litre. Fearing the worst, oil checked, perfect ,no snot on the filler cap either ,can't find no signs of any leaks anywhere ! Anyone else had this?!! Its getting on my ****:}

[T-Cut]

Every week for the past six weeks or so I'm having to top up my header tank, not much never more than half a litre. Fearing the worst, oil checked, perfect ,no snot on the filler cap either ,can't find no signs of any leaks anywhere ! Anyone else had this?!!

Oh yes. I drive a Turbo Sieve too, so very familiar with coolant loss that isn't obvious. But loss it is and from what you describe, fairly serious. The 1.8 only holds around 6 litres of coolant so any loss is potentially serious.

Check all the usual suspects: Upper T-piece, pressure cap, water pump, all hose clips, check for OAT smell under the bonnet (when hot), steamy exhaust with a lumpy startup. A fix asap is vital.

I'm assuming you're topping up to the correct 'MAX' mark in the header tank. If not, over-filling will create an apparent leak.

TC

[roverbarmy]

Mine was a faulty pressure cap on the header tank. New one from DMGRS saved the day. ;)
Mike

[Chuckles]

OK by the sounds of it a different engine, but ... I had coolant loss for a long time. It was originally thought to be the heater as the new replacement was not a very good fit and those joints in the pipework? ... Don't go there.

I did pressure tests, had all the top end covers off looking for traces of coloured coolant, I was even topping up with straight pink stuff hoping that will show the way. (stronger colour)

In the end the leak became more than a pint or two so left the engine running in the workshop, all (Workshop) lights out an AC running flat out.

Eventually with the aid of a torch I fond steam vapour. After taking off the front found a very tiny leak in a radiator that was only three years old ... tops.

The leak was concealed by the air con units and all the rest of the gubbins under the bonnet - it is not easy to find. Strange it never showed up with a cooling system pressure test 1.5 times higher than working pressure!

It was definitely a temperature related leak.

[SD1too]

Ian,

Don't forget to do the 'demist' test to check that your radiator cooling fan is working properly. If it isn't, and the engine is getting very hot, the temperature gauge won't warn you.

Simon