Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Markiii on 25 January 2012, 23:42:05

Title: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Markiii on 25 January 2012, 23:42:05

Hi chaps

Hate to leap in with a first post asking for help, but been lurking for a while without registering

I have a 2003 diesel manual estate

HBV was replaced a year or two ago

I've had a minor untraceable coolant leak for a few months, requiring periodic top up

However this morning on the a1 I looked down to find a temp gauge on max and red temp warning light. Fortunately I almost immediately found a handy petrol station. Pulled in and checked the coolant. Having let it cool down I topped up. Took a little over 1.5 litre.

However as I topped up this time I spotted a rather rapid leak from below the drivers headlight. Managed to get home with periodic stops for a top up, (must have put 3 liters in on the way home) and need to have a closer look in daylight.

So I guess the obvious is radiator or radiator drain plug, or hose down there.

Anything obvious I'm missing?

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: RobG on 25 January 2012, 23:49:07

Quote from: Markiii on 25 January 2012, 23:42:05

Hi chaps

Hate to leap in with a first post asking for help, but been lurking for a while without registering

I have a 2003 diesel manual estate

HBV was replaced a year or two ago

I've had a minor untraceable coolant leak for a few months, requiring periodic top up

However this morning on the a1 I looked down to find a temp gauge on max and red temp warning light. Fortunately I almost immediately found a handy petrol station. Pulled in and checked the coolant. Having let it cool down I topped up. Took a little over 1.5 litre.

However as I topped up this time I spotted a rather rapid leak from below the drivers headlight. Managed to get home with periodic stops for a top up, (must have put 3 liters in on the way home) and need to have a closer look in daylight.

So I guess the obvious is radiator or radiator drain plug, or hose down there.

Anything obvious I'm missing?

Check HBV again, that`s where it lives on the diesel

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 26 January 2012, 09:08:56

Also check the diesel heater under the drivers wing.

I trust you have not been topping it up with just water for the past few months?

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Markiii on 26 January 2012, 18:02:31

no its been topped up with coolant, other than yesterdays emergancy issue

thanks chaps, I'll taek a look shortly and report back

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Markiii on 26 January 2012, 18:50:34

ok this appears to be the culprit

(http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m583/montechristo358/8eedf3b0.jpg)

any idea what it is? coolant seems to be leaking from the area of the bolt coming off the side of the vertical pipe

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: twiglet on 26 January 2012, 19:03:30

thats the diesel heater mate.  :y

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Markiii on 26 January 2012, 19:18:26

thanks, sounds expensive

are these a known weakpoint or just bad luck?

looking at it, it looks modular, with long allen bolts holding it together, I'm guessing its a seal rather than teh casing, any chance the seals are available?

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Markiii on 26 January 2012, 21:06:52

Ok so it seems all this does is help heat the coolant on cold days

Knowing this and how long it takes for my heater to get warm somedays I doubt  it's been working anyway

So I assume no issues with bypassing it?

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: twiglet on 26 January 2012, 23:27:17

I've got a spare diesel heater here if you need one mate. Just send me a PM.  :y

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 27 January 2012, 08:20:50

If anybody has a spare diesel heater then I am after one.....working or not.

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Markiii on 27 January 2012, 08:48:35

thanks chaps

found a few similar discussions with people quoting £500 for the pre heater. And also discussions about bypassing it. However can;t finfd anyone who says they have actually done it.

any thoughts as to whether this would cause a problem? Can't really see the logic in spending that amount of cash on a car worth so little

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 27 January 2012, 09:08:20

You can bypass it.

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: twiglet on 27 January 2012, 09:21:29

Markiii, you have a PM.  :y

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: VXL V6 on 27 January 2012, 18:04:28

Easy enough to bypass, simply join the inlet and outlet pipes together with a 90 degree elbow and two jubilee clips, pull off the diesel fuel pipe and seal the end and unplug the loom from the heater unit.

Remove the heater unit and jobs done.

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: twiglet on 27 January 2012, 20:42:39

Out of interest, do these heaters kick in on cold startup everytime, or only when the air temperature is below a certain level?  I would imagine they can be heard running, even over the noise of the engine?

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: RobG on 27 January 2012, 20:57:11

Quote from: twiglet on 27 January 2012, 20:42:39

Out of interest, do these heaters kick in on cold startup everytime, or only when the air temperature is below a certain level?  I would imagine they can be heard running, even over the noise of the engine?

5 deg. C

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: twiglet on 27 January 2012, 22:18:00

Thanks Rob, that explains why I couldn't get the one on SWMBO's Vectra C to fire up this morning!! Way too mild dan sarf!!  :y

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: markspark on 28 January 2012, 22:22:01

the heater on my 2.2dti does come on at below 5 c and sounds like the fans are running at the front of the car also from time to time you will see a little smoke comming from around the front wheel  1st time i saw this i s**t myself thought car had caught fire

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: Markiii on 29 January 2012, 09:22:57

Thanks chaps

Now bypassed and oddly the heater is actually better without it

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: aaronjb on 29 January 2012, 20:14:16

You'll be pleased to know I remembered to wash the coolant off the bread knife before I used it next  ;D (even washed the grill pan, so the next bacon sarnies won't come complete with festering fat flavour ;))

Title: Re: Coolant leak 2.2 diesel
Post by: twiglet on 29 January 2012, 21:19:41

Quote from: twiglet on 27 January 2012, 22:18:00

Thanks Rob, that explains why I couldn't get the one on SWMBO's Vectra C to fire up this morning!! Way too mild dan sarf!!  :y

It was an indicated +2 degrees this morning when I fired up SWMBO's Vectra, and I could definately hear the heater running, so all is good!  :y