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[amba]

1998.v6 2.5 elite I drive about 700 miles a week and most weeks I need to add about 1/4 pint of water to header bottle as level has dropped.I always add 50/50 anti freeze mix so have no issues with correct mixture but am wondering if this is acceptabe due to normal evaporation???had thought as sealed system water would always remain at a constant level...have had good look around engine bay and no signs of leaks..checked hbv and all pipes clean and dry with no water marks so is it just evaporation under pressure

[Kevin Wood]

The water system is indeed sealed, or should be, so topping up indicates a problem of some sort.

Either the system is losing vapour because the expansion tank cap is relieving pressure or there is a leak.

Is there a crack around the expansion tank cap?

Any signs of coolant staining, particularly around the bellhousing?

No signs of oily residue in the water or excessive mayo in the oil?

Any smells of coolant after a hot run?

Might be worth popping the aux belt off and feeling for the condition of the water pump bearings.

As long as the system is topped up with 50/50 mixture and not water the best course of action is probably to keep an eye on it for now. If something is on its' way out it will become more obvious given time.

Kevin

[TheBoy]

not normal...

[amba]

Thanks for advise....will keep an eye on it as was going to give system a flush out before winter months set in..in meantime will have a good look around for any signs of water marks...even though ammount is small would like it fixed..also expect as if i keep topping up with 50/50 mix it should not create any issues

[TheBoy]

Thanks for advise....will keep an eye on it as was going to give system a flush out before winter months set in..in meantime will have a good look around for any signs of water marks...even though ammount is small would like it fixed..also expect as if i keep topping up with 50/50 mix it should not create any issues

if its hbv, it will be spraying over DIS pack, and that won't like it much....

[Kevin Wood]

Thanks for advise....will keep an eye on it as was going to give system a flush out before winter months set in..in meantime will have a good look around for any signs of water marks...even though ammount is small would like it fixed..also expect as if i keep topping up with 50/50 mix it should not create any issues

if its hbv, it will be spraying over DIS pack, and that won't like it much....

True. Well worth establishing that the DIS pack is staying 100% dry as it will be a much more expensive fix if that goes.

Kevin

[cem_devecioglu]

When you switch the heater on, do you smell coolant...Can also be heater matrix..

Also around oil cooler little leakage evaporates very quckly..Only you can see small traces..

[ians]

I think HBV would go more dramatically than that but defo worth checking for staining in the vicinity.

[amba]

I think I may have traced some of the problems? looked at front of car this morning and there was a damp patch on ground under front nearside just below the front bumper..looks like coolant so laid under car and could see small droplet on the bottom corner of bolt which appears to secure radiator..when felt around could feel slight dampness but only on bottom corner..could it be the red screw in rad plug? but this does seem really tight...checked water level in header bottle and still in same place as yesterday despite 150 miles driven yesterday...do i assume the rad plug has a washer..if the radiator had a hole it would surely leak all time..this only seems to be when parked up over night.

[ians]

might only leak when hot or under pressure..

i've never had the red tap out (its not a plug - isn't supposed to be removed - the coolant comes out of a separate hole nearby).  If someone has overtightened I guess it could have damaged something.   Can you undo it with your fingers?

[amba]

No red p[lug seems to have been tightened with a screw driver so would need undoing the same way i suspect..can see a tap arrangement so assume that when plug is undone coolant comes out of that..the area of dampness is at the very bottom of rad and makes the mounting wet as well..so not really sure if plug is leaking or rad has a very small hole..which as you think may only come out under pressure or maybe when car cools down as would have thought it would have evaporated if it was hot ...so my thought is towards a leak when stood over night but only after use..if that makes sense..when it is cooling down or even cold.....dont want to put rad treatment in and find it clogs everything up

[ians]

coolant won't evaporate that quickly (unless dripping on exhaust).  Remember that things contract when cold so a crack would close up.

Maybe best to run it up to temperature and have a look then. Wipe everything off with a rag to give yourself a chance to seeing where its coming from.  If its the drain point, should be easy to see.

[amba]

will give it a good clean in morning and have a closer look..if it is rad need to make decision as to replacement..or might just continue with slight top ups with 50/50 antifreeze..that is easies and cheapest..but peobably only delaying the inevitable