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[allen25]

Might be worth seeing how it goes for a while (as long as you can get home if the worst happens and that you are loaded with extra coolant). Personally, I'd be expecting it to become worse over time and maybe presenting more evidence? Hope it is not HG but you would do that job no doubt if minded to do so.

[ffcgary1]

sometimes amber the pressure test does not show rad leaks up because they are not up to temp, run up the engine and then pressure test.

[amba]

If I was of the mind to attempt HG replacements it would now need to wait until spring at the earliest due to needing to work outside andneeding car for work.

Will ponder some more and have another play with the pressure tester also maybe taking off plenum/fuel rail/lower inlet for abetter look.

Expect the theory of coolant finding the gaps when its hot is the most likely but not too sure if its a good idea getting it up to temperature then doing a pressure test as most reports say only to do on a cold engine.

[cem_devecioglu]

amba , your shortest route to solution can be : color dye (or a coolant already having it),  uv light and a dark garage..

[amba]

Cheers cem...trouble is I have tried all the more obvious and easier accesable fixes up to now and all that is really left is possibly the HG as an option.

Dont really know if I want to have it officially confirmed  as I doudt I will ever be replacing it at the mileage/age of my poor old car 

[albitz]

If I read it correctly the plenum & manifold were in place when you did the pressure test ? If so,I would remove them and  repeat the process,probably as one last roll of the dice before finaaly accpeting head gasket - providing your certain its not the rad,header tank etc.

[amba]

I will be "rolling that dice" during the week Albs when I have a look at that o/s cam cover/gasket, as I  needed to do some other work today so that has taken a back seat until mid next week.

[robson]

If you should need the use of a garage give me a call not too far away I can probably  get a head gasket at a good price.

[feeutfo]

If the coolent level stops at a cirtain level, would that imply that is the height of the leak..? Project that level accross the engine bay and cooling system and look above that level, as a first off i suppose...? Very odd that it holds pressure to that point too... Although it may take a cirtain amount of pressure to leak by, ie only leak above that psi. I've seen loose jubilees do this as they have a flat on the inner circumference, although no jubilees are used as stock.

I'd say removing scuttle, plenum, inlet and plastic wedge would be vital to a thorough pressure test, although you'll need to plug the throttle body collant pipes or use those to pressurise the system.

As said though that year doesn't bode well, so be prepared to clime up on the engine and look round the back of pot 6. There's core plugs between the head and coil PAC bracket, and bulkhead, lifting eye and surrounding gubbins all conspire to block your view of the back of the head. Mirror on a stick...?

It's also worth a look from under the car and up eround the back/top of the bell housing. Many an omega has the pink(or whatever colour of your coolant) residue dribbling down there like candle wax, but never actually reaching the floor due to heat evaporating it off first.

Might also be worth checking the coolent bottle and cap for leaks cracks or residue around the neck having cleaned it first. Caps are known to play up.

Does the engine temp vary? Is the oil milky on the dip stick? Any more mayo on the filler neck than normal? And mayo in the breather system or plenum inlet..? Hope not.

[05omegav6]

Fwiw, my rad leaks intermittently, and doesn't seem to vary with use, ambient temp or heater settings

It can go for days without a top up then suddenly might take a litre over 100miles.

The point being that they can fail almost unnoticed, so don't condemn the headgaskets just yet 

[amba]

As I had a spare hour on a nice dry Sunday afternoon I decided to have another play around.

Removed bottle cap,fitted pressure adaptor and pump system to 19 psi and stood back and waited  .After a few minutes noticed a slight puddle forming on the inside of the plastic engine  under tray,so feeling a bit better I was onto something decided to have a good search around with a LED torch  .Was also relieved as atleast that was well away from the likely HG area .After tracing the height of the coolant drop and where lower position of coolant seemed to be appearing from eventually found slight moisture around the top hose where it connects to the stat transfer pipe.Further checking found that the spring clip wasn,t very tight so removed the hose and replaced with all that I had to hand being a new jubilee clip and tightened with socket.

Bingo....the drip has stopped and holding steady 18psi for over 1 hour now without any drop ,so fingers crossed that may have atleast been part if not all of the problem and been bugging me for months now  .Doudt I would have ever found it without doing cold pressure test as coolant is just getting blown back when driving onto a hot exhaust and causing the burning smell I have had when topped bottle.

Pointers on level seem to bear out the problem as dropped coolant level is consistant with position of the transfer/top hose point..being quite a bit higher than HG joint.

My fingers are crossed that may have been the problem and a fairly simple fix although I  will monitor it during this week and see what happens.I do need to do some other stuff on the engine so will carry out further pressure test when plenum etc are removed but my initial findings look promising so thanks for all who have offered advise and motivation.

Not too happy about top hose to transfer pipe being secured with a jubilee clip now but I suppose if its holding tight then leave it well alone as those spring clips are a PITA to get at in that restricted place.

[albitz]

Hopefully that simple problem is all that has been causing your worries.That would be a right result.

[amba]

Fingers crossed all is water tight now as have nipped up several jubilee clips on and around the radiator area.

Will attack the o/s cam cover hopefully in the week and cure the other minor incontinent problem my poor old car has  ...weather permitting 

[YZ250]

Fingers crossed all is water tight now as have nipped up several jubilee clips on and around the radiator area.

Will attack the o/s cam cover hopefully in the week and cure the other minor incontinent problem my poor old car has  ...weather permitting 

Hopefully good news then.  The top hose to transfer pipe is a right pig to get at isn't it. Everything is in the way. 

[amba]

Top hose to coolant transfer pipe is a real pain to get at,so think I will just leave the jubilee clip on now as don,t fancy pulling that lot to bits again just to fit the spring type  ...even though I accept they are the recognised correct part.

Fingers crossed the "levy holds" now