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[addy]

Hello I hope that someone can help me. I have a coolant leak in my 2002 2.6 omega. I have changed the radiator because it was cracked near the top hose, thanks to advice from on here. I have checked around the infamous HBV but cannot feel anything. I have tried driving the car with heaters off to see if it makes any difference, but it still loses coolant. I cannot see any drops of antifreeze underneath the car when parked up. Where are the obvious places that leaks occur on these. I feel like getting some K-seal for it. LOL

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Addy

[dave the builder]

Hello I hope that someone can help me. I have a coolant leak in my 2002 2.6 omega. I have changed the radiator because it was cracked near the top hose, thanks to advice from on here. I have checked around the infamous HBV but cannot feel anything. I have tried driving the car with heaters off to see if it makes any difference, but it still loses coolant. I cannot see any drops of antifreeze underneath the car when parked up. Where are the obvious places that leaks occur on these. I feel like getting some K-seal for it. LOL

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Addy

NO ! 
IIRC there is a guide on mixing DIY dye to find leaks that may help your quest 
have you checked the heater matrix and pipes engine bay side ?

[addy]

I wouldn't really use k-seal, as read on here about how it causes more problems than it solves but you do get to that point. LOL

Thanks for the quick replies. Not tried the places you said, will look when wife brings it back. It's hard keeping a 1995 2ltr and a 02 2.6 Omega on the road, they are like kids always wanting money spent on them. LOL


Addy

[terry paget]

Hello I hope that someone can help me. I have a coolant leak in my 2002 2.6 omega. I have changed the radiator because it was cracked near the top hose, thanks to advice from on here. I have checked around the infamous HBV but cannot feel anything. I have tried driving the car with heaters off to see if it makes any difference, but it still loses coolant. I cannot see any drops of antifreeze underneath the car when parked up. Where are the obvious places that leaks occur on these. I feel like getting some K-seal for it. LOL

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Addy

The HBV can leak either open or closed. To test, with engine hot, system pressurised and engine running, set heater to MAX heat and watch for drips under back of engine, then set to MIN heat and check again.

[addy]

Thanks for the reply terry paget, will check as you say. The coolant bottle is clean with no oily residue, so hopefully nothing serious.

Addy

[Bigron]

I have followed the DIY leak detector guide on here - it uses several highlighter pens to donate thje dye - but isn;t as effective as the concentrated tracer dye. I got mione from ebnay, along with a UV torch: can't remember how much for.
UV light is great for showing up leaks, but after dark, of course!

Ron.

[addy]

Thanks for the info on the diy dye, will get a uv dye as suggested and hope it works. Will have to put a cover on the oneside of the bonnet to make it darker as I have a street light, right next to my drive.

Addy

[Bigron]

Just to be clear, you DO need a source of UV light for the dye to show up - it fluoresces under that light.

Ron.

[addy]

Hi Ron

Thanks for the reply. Yep got a UV light from when I was younger.

Addy

[Alnico Blue]

How much coolant are you losing?

[addy]

roughly between 4 to 6 pints. Hot weather it needs more.

[dave the builder]

roughly between 4 to 6 pints. Hot weather it needs more.

over what period or miles 

[polilara]

My 2.6 have a small leak in one corner of head gasget. It is reported here to be rare failure, but I have it, However. Hope you do not have that. I have used Stop Leak chemicals 10 years but understood they are not recommended. But it helps me. Some years ago I changed heater matrix, perhaps due to the usage of those chemicals. Usually when my HBV is leaking I can feel it in my nose as it is dripping to somewhere hot. If you are uncertain why not just to change HBV. Then you know more.

[addy]

The journey is roughly 14miles on A roads, that is what the wife who has been driving it says the coolant low warning comes on. I got a qoute for £90 inc vat abour and part to do the HBV, from a garage that is supposed to be recommended in the approved garage scheme. He said it will take roughly 1/2 hour. Everything seemed to be going well and I was about to say OK, when he said the problem is that there is only one origingal HBV in the whole of Europe. I said thank you and will get back to him, if he thinks there is only one in the whole of Europe, then either trying to get my business quick or an idiot that doesn't know about HBV fitting other Vauxhalls.

If I tackle the HBV job myself, is there a easy way to put the scuttle back on? Taking it off is easy, as removed the one on the wifes, but struggled to refit it.

Thanks for all the help.
Addy

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Dont change the HBV until you've found the source of the leak. It could easily be the oil cooler plate or the coolant bridge seals.
Throwing parts at a problem rarely ends well.