Help Tracing a Coolant Leak - 1.8

Gigagator · 23rd December 2020, 12:28

Hi all,

I know this has been done to death but I was hoping for some advice tracing a coolant leak on my 75 Kettle series non-turbo.

I am currently having to put about a 2L bottle full of coolant into the system roughly once a month due to coolant loss. Excessive you will agree and it has definitely worsened over the last 6-12 months.

My understanding is the head gasket has been replaced prior to my ownership but I do not believe there is an issue with the head gasket as there's no indication of coolant in the oil or vice versa.

Problem is I am not seeing any coolant drops on the floor underneath and going around the engine bay with a torch yields no trace of lost coolant.

I replaced the expansion tank cap with a genuine new one purchased from DMGRS last year so don't think it's that.

One obvious point is to look at the inlet manifold gasket.
I had this problem on my Rover 25 1.4 K-series which had an obvious problem as it used to misfire like mad on start up.

My 75 doesn't do that though so I'm thinking its probably not the IMG?

Can anyone give me any pointers as it obviously needs fixing asap.
If I forget to do my weekly check I'm worried it will be game over for the Kettle.

Thanks in advance.

roverbarmy · 23rd December 2020, 12:34

I trust that you are not overfilling the header tank, or it will just push the excess coolant out past the overflow. The MAX mark is at the BOTTOM of the header tank. If you can't see the MAX letters, then it is most likely overfilled. If coolant is not being lost via a leak, it can be passed through the engine and you may see excess steam from the exhaust even after the initial start up.
See pic in post #7 here:-
https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...=coolant+level

Yorkshire GOC · 23rd December 2020, 13:04

When i have a leak i get her up on ramps at my local garage. and run the engine - on one occasion it took 65 minutes for the leak to manifest itself - the IMG and obviously only leaking when the engine was very hot.

Or try this - i recently purchased this as a standby after a heads up on this site by T-Cut

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UV-Dye-To...IAAOSwugJeguXK

LeRich · 23rd December 2020, 17:43

Chasing leaks is a pain but at least if you're loosing coolant you can be satisfied it is going somewhere!

The cooling system is weak and has numerous common failure points. The IMG is a common one - it's worth replacing even if you're not 100% sure it's your cause. Water pumps and radiators leak; the elbow at the top of the rad can fail; the expansion tank can sometimes fracture (not overly common); the thermostat housing can leak; any of the pipes can split.

It's worth considering the heater matrix too as these can leak, although at your rate of loss I would expect this to be obvious through the odour and steamy windows.

GaryGee · 26th December 2020, 16:11

Have you removed engine under tray?
Mine was losing coolant and couldn't see where. Then I removed tray to do oil change and found it. There's a strip of foam under the rad, the rad was leaking but being absorbed by this foam, with heat / air flow it was drying off so no drips visible etc

drewbie · 27th December 2020, 10:53

Took me over a year to find a leak on mine, turned out to be the plastic tee piece positioned at the top of the rad. Replaced it with an ally one and havent lost a drop for months. Must have only leaked when hot and just flashed off as there were no signs of a leak and when I inspected it once removed one of the hose connections was oval, probably due to someone fitting a jubilee clip and over tightening.

23rd December 2020, 12:28	#1
Gigagator Avid contributor Rover 75 Saloon, Rover 25, Mazda 6 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Cardiff Posts: 219 Thanks: 143 Thanked 112 Times in 49 Posts	Help Tracing a Coolant Leak - 1.8 Hi all, I know this has been done to death but I was hoping for some advice tracing a coolant leak on my 75 Kettle series non-turbo. I am currently having to put about a 2L bottle full of coolant into the system roughly once a month due to coolant loss. Excessive you will agree and it has definitely worsened over the last 6-12 months. My understanding is the head gasket has been replaced prior to my ownership but I do not believe there is an issue with the head gasket as there's no indication of coolant in the oil or vice versa. Problem is I am not seeing any coolant drops on the floor underneath and going around the engine bay with a torch yields no trace of lost coolant. I replaced the expansion tank cap with a genuine new one purchased from DMGRS last year so don't think it's that. One obvious point is to look at the inlet manifold gasket. I had this problem on my Rover 25 1.4 K-series which had an obvious problem as it used to misfire like mad on start up. My 75 doesn't do that though so I'm thinking its probably not the IMG? Can anyone give me any pointers as it obviously needs fixing asap. If I forget to do my weekly check I'm worried it will be game over for the Kettle. Thanks in advance.

23rd December 2020, 12:34	#2
roverbarmy This is my second home Roverless + 1.7D Sportage Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: East Norfolk Posts: 7,050 Thanks: 729 Thanked 2,021 Times in 1,449 Posts	I trust that you are not overfilling the header tank, or it will just push the excess coolant out past the overflow. The MAX mark is at the BOTTOM of the header tank. If you can't see the MAX letters, then it is most likely overfilled. If coolant is not being lost via a leak, it can be passed through the engine and you may see excess steam from the exhaust even after the initial start up. See pic in post #7 here:- https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...=coolant+level __________________ Oil in my veins! Last edited by roverbarmy; 23rd December 2020 at 12:37..

23rd December 2020, 13:04	#3
Yorkshire GOC I really should get out more....... Rover 75 connoisseur se v6 auto Join Date: May 2014 Location: Hull Posts: 2,069 Thanks: 1,842 Thanked 623 Times in 469 Posts	When i have a leak i get her up on ramps at my local garage. and run the engine - on one occasion it took 65 minutes for the leak to manifest itself - the IMG and obviously only leaking when the engine was very hot. Or try this - i recently purchased this as a standby after a heads up on this site by T-Cut https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UV-Dye-To...IAAOSwugJeguXK __________________ She came off the Longbridge Line on 20-05-2003 The Silver Machine was the 13th of 160 Rover 75's to come off the production line that day and is the 100th of 527 Starlight Silver Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur SE Auto saloons listed in the build records produced world wide.

23rd December 2020, 17:43	#4
LeRich Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Cont SE 1.8T Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Cheshire Posts: 1,082 Thanks: 215 Thanked 232 Times in 178 Posts	Chasing leaks is a pain but at least if you're loosing coolant you can be satisfied it is going somewhere! The cooling system is weak and has numerous common failure points. The IMG is a common one - it's worth replacing even if you're not 100% sure it's your cause. Water pumps and radiators leak; the elbow at the top of the rad can fail; the expansion tank can sometimes fracture (not overly common); the thermostat housing can leak; any of the pipes can split. It's worth considering the heater matrix too as these can leak, although at your rate of loss I would expect this to be obvious through the odour and steamy windows. __________________ Rover 75 1.8T Contemporary SE Auto Starlight Silver MBB

26th December 2020, 16:11	#5
GaryGee Avid contributor MG ZT-T Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Crewe Posts: 102 Thanks: 9 Thanked 47 Times in 36 Posts	Have you removed engine under tray? Mine was losing coolant and couldn't see where. Then I removed tray to do oil change and found it. There's a strip of foam under the rad, the rad was leaking but being absorbed by this foam, with heat / air flow it was drying off so no drips visible etc Last edited by GaryGee; 5th January 2021 at 10:36..

27th December 2020, 10:53	#6
drewbie Loves to post Rover 75 Club SE 1.8T 03 plate. Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tenterden Posts: 277 Thanks: 28 Thanked 41 Times in 37 Posts	Took me over a year to find a leak on mine, turned out to be the plastic tee piece positioned at the top of the rad. Replaced it with an ally one and havent lost a drop for months. Must have only leaked when hot and just flashed off as there were no signs of a leak and when I inspected it once removed one of the hose connections was oval, probably due to someone fitting a jubilee clip and over tightening.