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[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Coolant has now started to leak. I jacked the car up a bit and the leak appears to be in two places almost parallel with the cat converters around a sump box. Not quite sure what the box is for though. But that area does seem quite far back.

The leak is around both sides of the sump box.

Anyone know if this is a common issue and expensive to fix?

[Welung666]

Get your hand round the back of the heads to see if it's coming from the HBV.

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Stuck my hand around the back of the engine, couldn't immediately feel anything wet. However, engine wasn't running although still damn hot, burnt my fingers in the process. 

[mathewst]

HBV  or heater matrix probably

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

If it was the heater matrix, then wouldn't the leak be internal?

[feeutfo]

most common water leak on the 3.2 would be hbv imho. Mine and a couple of others went as you describe and have done a couple on earlier engines. It is possible to get your hand in there and feel the hbv and hence any wetness. Also check associated pipes which can also spilt and leak.BUT YOU WILL NEED TO BE CAREFUL. They do heat up bloody quick so suggest test from engine cold. If no leak change the heater settings to hot or cold, which ever. This can have an affect.

 If you want you can remove the scuttle first, for access. You will have to to change hbv anyway.

Come back if no joy, but i would bet on hbv. Hth

Ps. Some on here carry a spare. They fail quite regularly.

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Thanks again Chris. I'll try this procedure from cold. I've noticed that I lost about 1 to 1.5 litres over two days.

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Sorry to bump this up, but it is definately the Heater bypass valve. While the engine was hot I stuck my hand round the back and it got damp on the hbv.

But one funny thing I noticed was it doesn't always leak continously, it's intermittent. Becuase after driving for 5 minutes I parked up and had a look under the car and it was bone dry no dripping. Did some shopping and came back after 20 minutes and noticed a load of coolant had leaked out.

Anyone changed the HBV without removing the scuttle?

[RobG]

Sorry to bump this up, but it is definately the Heater bypass valve. While the engine was hot I stuck my hand round the back and it got damp on the hbv.

But one funny thing I noticed was it doesn't always leak continously, it's intermittent. Becuase after driving for 5 minutes I parked up and had a look under the car and it was bone dry no dripping. Did some shopping and came back after 20 minutes and noticed a load of coolant had leaked out.

Anyone changed the HBV without removing the scuttle?[/quote]
For what it takes to remove not worth struggling with it in place

[Jimbob]

Sorry to bump this up, but it is definately the Heater bypass valve. While the engine was hot I stuck my hand round the back and it got damp on the hbv.

But one funny thing I noticed was it doesn't always leak continously, it's intermittent. Becuase after driving for 5 minutes I parked up and had a look under the car and it was bone dry no dripping. Did some shopping and came back after 20 minutes and noticed a load of coolant had leaked out.

Anyone changed the HBV without removing the scuttle?[/quote]
For what it takes to remove not worth struggling with it in place

yes, just lifyt out its mount and pull to the side, yank out the brake hose and more than enough room to change it without removing anything else