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[terry paget]

My 2.2 four pot was losing coolant. Changing head gasket has cured that. This 2.0 has been losing coolant somewhere. I have found a pinhole in radiator header tank at top near top hose pipe. I changed radiator for a 2.5 radiator, which then lost coolant via a crack in almost the same place. Compression test shows all 4 cylinders about 12.5 bar. Now looks like radiator to me, easy cure. I think you are agreeing, Al. Am I right?

[05omegav6]

Indeedy

[terry paget]

Am fitting new radiator. I have transferred the sensor plugs and fan from the original radiator, but find I have 2 12mm id threaded holes on radiator right hand tank which were not on the original radiator, or indeed on the 2.5 rad, How do I plug them?

[steve6367]

Am fitting new radiator. I have transferred the sensor plugs and fan from the original radiator, but find I have 2 12mm id threaded holes on radiator right hand tank which were not on the original radiator, or indeed on the 2.5 rad, How do I plug them?

Unused internal gearbox fluid cooler? If so no need to block.

[05omegav6]

Am fitting new radiator. I have transferred the sensor plugs and fan from the original radiator, but find I have 2 12mm id threaded holes on radiator right hand tank which were not on the original radiator, or indeed on the 2.5 rad, How do I plug them?

Unused internal gearbox fluid cooler? If so no need to block.

Exactly

[terry paget]

Thank you.

[Nick W]

Stick some duct tape over the holes to keep dirt out of the cooler. Just in case you need to reuse the radiator on an automatic car.

[05omegav6]

If they are present you can leave the plastic bungs in place, just visible in pic (note only top fitting visible bit there are definitely two ). Alternatively for piece of mind, a suitable bolt cut short will plug the holes, but really isn't necessary. Put this way, if anything comes out of those holes, you need a new radiator

[terry paget]

Job done, all OK, holding coolant, no leaks. Looks like it was not head gasket after all. My thanks to all.

[steve6367]

Job done, all OK, holding coolant, no leaks. Looks like it was not head gasket after all. My thanks to all.

Good news 

[sjc]

I've had 2 radiators failed in the same way with the tank cracking on the top hose side, I'm convinced they go brittle with age/use.

Strangely enough, I had also salvaged a spare from a car I'd scrapped and only found out it was cracked when I needed to use it. A new one was my solution too 

[terry paget]

Thanks for that sjc. It gives me added confidence in my belief that I have cured my car. I have more radiators in my spares pile, I guess they are all junk too. At £50 for a new radiator it's obvious, at Vx prices (£160?) it's not.

[terry paget]

It has made a fool of me. This morning SWMBO took it to Tesco's  I watched its departure. It was running on three, and steaming. Apparently it steamed all the way to Tesco's, other cars hung back in alarm. Coming home it ran better. I checked water level - very low. I fear head gasket has gone after all.

[steve6367]

At least thec HG is an easy job on the 4 pot 

[terry paget]

Now here's the mystery. Compression test showed all cylinders about 12 bar; conclusion, head gasket is OK. So I change the radiator for new, all seems well for a while. Last Friday wife takes car to Tesco's, firing on 3 and leaving trail of steam behind it, on examination header tank level very low. New conclusion - HG gone after all. Car not moved since then. This morning, thought I had better run engine before cylinder fills up with water and hydraulic locks, fires immediately on all 4. What is going on?
I reckon coolant only leaks into cylinder when under pressure but engine not running, i.e. on hot stop. Left for 6 days the coolant  drains past the rings into the sump, then starts on all 4.
Any more ideas?