KV6 looks like coolant leak
 

Hi all came out today and my new ZT is leaking what looks like red coolant onto the drive. Most is dripping off the sump. After an hour of searching I caught sight of red fluid collecting below the alternator but in toward the engine side (right side as you look at the engine from the front) the belts are clean. From there it must be dripping down - it's difficult to see down there without removing the alternator and there are no other obvious leaks. Any ideas?

Remove the top engine cover and shine a torch into the V of the engine. that is where the usual culprit of thermostat or thermostat O rings live. if this is dry then from the position you describe the coolant then it could be a water pump which is a big stripdown :(

Great thanks stocktake - the water pump was done with the belts not so long ago - hopefully it was done correctly and that's not the issue

Great news - definitely looks like the thermostat leaking! I'll fit a new one... Thanks again 👍

It might look like the thermostat is leaking Billy but it won't be. All you need is a set of four inexpensive 'O' rings (CDU 3858) and to look up my past posts concerning setting the straight pipe clips properly. :D

Simon

You CANT say it won’t be leaking until it’s removed and inspected, it could be the o rings, or it could be a break in the plastics.

By telling folk it will be the o rings could just delay their repairs, if they order o rings on your say so, then find the plastics are broken, they will have another delay while new parts are en route.

Remove everything and inspect the parts.

Hi guys thanks for the advice. I spent a couple of hours last night looking through posts on the forum after exchanging a couple of messages with a really knowledgable and trusted member on here. Lots to consider - replace the O Rings but risk breaking the thermostat when trying to remove it as many have done on their first attempt, replace the whole thing but the new one may be inferior to the original part, keyhole surgery, full surgery, and as for coolant... when I had a hose leak a few weeks back I replaced what was lost with red OAT but thinking about it last night I probably added that to pink and hey it probably didn't matter but maybe it did - maybe it affected that O ring or maybe no difference whatsoever. Maybe Oat in general affected it over time or maybe it was just the weight of the pipes, or the clips, or perhaps just the fact it's plastic and should be metal. Maybe it was Gremlins or Pixies or the O ring got distorted by a rift in the space time continuum.Who would have thought a thermostat could cause such debate eh!?

So here's where I'm at... I've got a 4 year old and a 15 month old. I've got a bike with a seat on the back and a kids trailer. The wife's shift working long days. The weather's naff. After cycling the kids 3 miles to school and nursery this morning I think I'm guna end up on social media with the hashtag: 'Petrol crisis - what petrol crisis?? ' after a bunch of people filmed me LOL

So I've bought what's listed as an original MG Rover thermostat kit on eBay but I've also bought 4 o rings with a view to stripping and replacing them on the original, if indeed it is even original! I'm going to do keyhole, and drain / replace the coolant with red OAT. Yes red - not pink and not blue. Not sky blue pink either. Just red. Good job I'll have a spare replacement. Maybe. Maybe not.

And when I get all that done and the missus stops whinging about my cars always being broken I'm going to ask Stocktake to refurb my VIS motors. And hey if Lizzy stops keeping me busy and getting me in a tizzy I'll fit an LPG kitty and then we'll be rockin an rollin eh lads 😉👌👍

Well done, keyhole method is easily doable, and preferable to removing the inlets.

I would flush the system and refill with blue, but thats just me and the debate on coolant is worse than 'what are the best tyres to use'

When you drain the coolant, remove the drain plug on the block, it makes thermostat replacement much nicer when there is no coolant in the way.

I would agree with you Andy if you had written "... removed, inspected and tested ..." but no-one, except me, has done that. Having then discovered that the housing seam has not, in fact, split, who has had the confidence to refit it using just new 'O' rings? :shrug: Again, no-one except me. :angel: In addition to doing this several times with my own car I've recently done it successfully with another member's car too. So I believe that I CAN say that the housing won't be leaking because it's well known that the cause is the flattening of the 'O' rings.

Regarding your other suggestion of a "break in the plastics", as Billy rightly says this can happen on removal of the old parts until the right technique is discovered to avoid it. The risk is also increased using the "keyhole" method so, if asked, I would always recommend removing the manifold chamber and one inlet manifold for full, unimpeded access and visibilty. Unfortunately such breakages can be incorrectly attributed to failure in service when they have, in fact, occurred during the removal process.

Have a good day Andy.

Simon

Simon you cant say it is not the thermostat as you have not seen the car have you? For the price of the parts and about 1.5 hours labour using the keyhole method why not just change everything for new parts while doing the job, If you tell someone they only need o rings then they take it to a garage and they say it is the thermostat and they say I've been on the owners club Simon says it is the o rings they do as you say and it is the thermostat leaking after all will you pay for the second correct repair?
In my years with MGR I have changed loads of these that have leaked on the seam or even split in half