Coolant loss and then no coolant loss.....I am very confused

Becs512 · 29th April 2010, 09:41

Help........

Rover 75 1.8T
28,000 miles

I have been checking my water levels daily and almost without fail after two days of local driving I need to top up the water level.

Never overfilling, using T-cuts photo as my guide.

My big concern : Is it developing HGF
But, there is no mayo to be seen, when the engine is nice and hot and the coolant loss isn't getting any worse and the car runs lovely.
The car was serviced last month by the dealer that the previous owner used for 5 years and they didn't mention anything wrong with the old engine oil.

I have already changed the cap (140 spec) and bought the Gerry T piece and plan to fix it along with maybe a (small...but, very expensive) top hose this weekend.
I have also looked (I think in the right place) at the inlet manifold, and I can't see any water down by the dipstick.

But, the really confusing thing happened the other day.
I had to make a longish drive to pick up my son, a 150 mile round trip.
I was really worried about water loss and maybe even the engine blowing up but..........not a drop of coolant was lost...

Has anyone any idea as to where to look for this elusive leak ?
Could it still be HGF in the making?
And why would I lose water on shortish about town trips but, on a long one nothing disappears.....

One very confused camper.....

T-Cut · 29th April 2010, 10:16

Can you smell OAT after a run? It's a dead giveaway that it's leaking externally.

YC

pab · 29th April 2010, 17:42

it has been reported that cooling system on these engines sometimes use small amounts of coolant then stop.

coolant usually leaks when the engine is cooling,so that's the best time to check.

check for the white deposits on the engine block and on hoses etc.

drewbie · 29th April 2010, 18:31

Mine settles just below the LOW mark but never falls any lower, if i top it up it will just be blown out the cap on next trip.

kaiser · 29th April 2010, 19:43

There is a chance that you are loosing water at the water pump. that will happen mainly behind the cam-belt cover, and can bee seen at the bottom of the engine near the pulley.
Also, I had similar losses, which became permanent, loosing water at the liners.
The best thing to do is to keep a close eye on it. The water pump can be erratic in the way it leaks. Once it dumped two liters of water after parking, yet after a top-up, lost nothing on the journey back!
The water loss I had via the liners gradually built up until you could spot water under the oil filler cap, which then became mayonnaise and then contaminated engine oil. You can burn off only so much water in the engine, but you can burn off some!
If you keep an eye on it, it will not run away with you. Once you find the cause, then you can act.
It need not be difficult or expensive!

Andtan · 29th April 2010, 19:56

I have just had a new engine fitted and have been checking my coolant level every day, the first two days I added water as I was not sure where the correct level was, each morning their was a small wet patch under the car, on the third day I never added any water but had a wet patch in the morning on the forth day I never added any water NO wet patch in the morning but water level constant, on looking around the engine I have found that their is water present on the Turbo pipe on the T piece ( a Gerry 'T' is on order) my conclusion is that I overfilled the first two days, the T piece leak is very small and will be rectified as soon as Gerry's 'T' arrives.

300 miles done on the new engine, and running beautifully

pab · 29th April 2010, 21:02

this cooling system seems to find its own level,not necessarily on the max mark in the header tank.

top up to the max tab in the tank..not over it and see if you can maintain a consistent level.

rrobson · 29th April 2010, 22:05

make sure when you check the level, you do it when the engine is stone cold. leave it at least a couple of hours. that way you will get a true reading, as the level can rise a fair amount when warm

Becs512 · 30th April 2010, 09:08

Thanks to everyone that has replied.....

Took my son back to Hastings late last night and apart from a brief 5 minute stop over I drove 150 miles straight...with no water loss....

I will look out for smells, leaks around the water pump and drips from any other crevice I can find......and have a good look after a run, as the engine starts to cool.

I hopefully will be putting on the rubber gloves and attempting to fit the T piece at the weekend.....might help the water loss.
Oh......should I change the clips at the same time ???

stevemac · 30th April 2010, 11:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becs512

Thanks to everyone that has replied.....

Took my son back to Hastings late last night and apart from a brief 5 minute stop over I drove 150 miles straight...with no water loss....

I will look out for smells, leaks around the water pump and drips from any other crevice I can find......and have a good look after a run, as the engine starts to cool.

I hopefully will be putting on the rubber gloves and attempting to fit the T piece at the weekend.....might help the water loss.
Oh......should I change the clips at the same time ???

You will need to change to jubilee clips if not already fitted.

29th April 2010, 09:41	#1
Becs512 Loves to post MG ZT Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Harlow Posts: 384 Thanks: 87 Thanked 19 Times in 11 Posts	Coolant loss and then no coolant loss.....I am very confused Help........ Rover 75 1.8T 28,000 miles I have been checking my water levels daily and almost without fail after two days of local driving I need to top up the water level. Never overfilling, using T-cuts photo as my guide. My big concern : Is it developing HGF But, there is no mayo to be seen, when the engine is nice and hot and the coolant loss isn't getting any worse and the car runs lovely. The car was serviced last month by the dealer that the previous owner used for 5 years and they didn't mention anything wrong with the old engine oil. I have already changed the cap (140 spec) and bought the Gerry T piece and plan to fix it along with maybe a (small...but, very expensive) top hose this weekend. I have also looked (I think in the right place) at the inlet manifold, and I can't see any water down by the dipstick. But, the really confusing thing happened the other day. I had to make a longish drive to pick up my son, a 150 mile round trip. I was really worried about water loss and maybe even the engine blowing up but..........not a drop of coolant was lost... Has anyone any idea as to where to look for this elusive leak ? Could it still be HGF in the making? And why would I lose water on shortish about town trips but, on a long one nothing disappears..... One very confused camper..... Last edited by Becs512; 29th April 2010 at 09:42.. Reason: Missed out a word.

29th April 2010, 10:16	#2
T-Cut This is my second home Rover75 and Mreg Corsa. Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sumweer onat mote o'dust (Sagin) Posts: 21,753 Thanks: 341 Thanked 3,660 Times in 2,924 Posts	Can you smell OAT after a run? It's a dead giveaway that it's leaking externally. YC

29th April 2010, 17:42	#3
pab Banned MG ZT V6 190+ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Leeds Posts: 33,223 Thanks: 41 Thanked 1,614 Times in 1,416 Posts	it has been reported that cooling system on these engines sometimes use small amounts of coolant then stop. coolant usually leaks when the engine is cooling,so that's the best time to check. check for the white deposits on the engine block and on hoses etc.

29th April 2010, 18:31	#4
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	Mine settles just below the LOW mark but never falls any lower, if i top it up it will just be blown out the cap on next trip.

29th April 2010, 19:43	#5
kaiser This is my second home 75 Tourer 2.5 Auto, 1.8T, 75V8ZT Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Johannesburg ZA Posts: 6,200 Thanks: 1 Thanked 859 Times in 613 Posts	There is a chance that you are loosing water at the water pump. that will happen mainly behind the cam-belt cover, and can bee seen at the bottom of the engine near the pulley. Also, I had similar losses, which became permanent, loosing water at the liners. The best thing to do is to keep a close eye on it. The water pump can be erratic in the way it leaks. Once it dumped two liters of water after parking, yet after a top-up, lost nothing on the journey back! The water loss I had via the liners gradually built up until you could spot water under the oil filler cap, which then became mayonnaise and then contaminated engine oil. You can burn off only so much water in the engine, but you can burn off some! If you keep an eye on it, it will not run away with you. Once you find the cause, then you can act. It need not be difficult or expensive!

29th April 2010, 19:56	#6
Andtan Newbie MG ZT 1.8t Firefrost Red 2004 Facelift Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Blackburn, Lancashire Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I have just had a new engine fitted and have been checking my coolant level every day, the first two days I added water as I was not sure where the correct level was, each morning their was a small wet patch under the car, on the third day I never added any water but had a wet patch in the morning on the forth day I never added any water NO wet patch in the morning but water level constant, on looking around the engine I have found that their is water present on the Turbo pipe on the T piece ( a Gerry 'T' is on order) my conclusion is that I overfilled the first two days, the T piece leak is very small and will be rectified as soon as Gerry's 'T' arrives. 300 miles done on the new engine, and running beautifully

29th April 2010, 21:02	#7
pab Banned MG ZT V6 190+ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Leeds Posts: 33,223 Thanks: 41 Thanked 1,614 Times in 1,416 Posts	this cooling system seems to find its own level,not necessarily on the max mark in the header tank. top up to the max tab in the tank..not over it and see if you can maintain a consistent level.

29th April 2010, 22:05	#8
rrobson I really should get out more....... 75 tourer cdti, MG ZS 180, nissan terrano & 1.8t rover 25 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pontefract Posts: 2,643 Thanks: 17 Thanked 295 Times in 218 Posts	make sure when you check the level, you do it when the engine is stone cold. leave it at least a couple of hours. that way you will get a true reading, as the level can rise a fair amount when warm

30th April 2010, 09:08	#9
Becs512 Loves to post MG ZT Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Harlow Posts: 384 Thanks: 87 Thanked 19 Times in 11 Posts	Thanks to everyone that has replied..... Took my son back to Hastings late last night and apart from a brief 5 minute stop over I drove 150 miles straight...with no water loss.... I will look out for smells, leaks around the water pump and drips from any other crevice I can find......and have a good look after a run, as the engine starts to cool. I hopefully will be putting on the rubber gloves and attempting to fit the T piece at the weekend.....might help the water loss. Oh......should I change the clips at the same time ???