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[Marks DTM Calib]

A word of warning to all who have read and responded to this thread.

1) Never top the coolant system up with water only!

2) The chemical coolant system testers which claim to be able to detect head gasket failure are VERY prone to false readings particularly with modern anti freeze.

3) You all know that the V6 head gaskets done tend to go.

What the garage should have done is a pressure test on the cooling system when the engine is cold......and then look for leaks!

[Doodley]

A word of warning to all who have read and responded to this thread.

1) Never top the coolant system up with water only!

2) The chemical coolant system testers which claim to be able to detect head gasket failure are VERY prone to false readings particularly with modern anti freeze.

3) You all know that the V6 head gaskets done tend to go.

What the garage should have done is a pressure test on the cooling system when the engine is cold......and then look for leaks!

the test I had done had nothing to do with coolant, the tube goes in the header tank (but does not get coolant/water in it) and only works on fumes, it has nothing to do with the coolant or water.

[Mr Hagon]

In terms of topping up the coolant I think I've alway just put in coolant and never water.  I'm sure the manual says to not dilute it.

I'll have to check to be sure.

Mr Hagon

[Doodley]

Off topic mark, what number is your DTM? Have you put it on the DTM register on clubcalibra.net?

[Jimbob]

Off topic mark, what number is your DTM? Have you put it on the DTM register on clubcalibra.net?

This was sold a long time ago, meega's only now

[Doodley]

ah right cheers!

[Marks DTM Calib]

ah right cheers!

Yes, a white turbo DTM Calibra on an N plate originaly supplied by Steve Thompson Cars of Litchfield.....LONG since sold.

[edwardmickey]

A word of warning to all who have read and responded to this thread.

1) Never top the coolant system up with water only!
2) The chemical coolant system testers which claim to be able to detect head gasket failure are VERY prone to false readings particularly with modern anti freeze.

3) You all know that the V6 head gaskets done tend to go.

What the garage should have done is a pressure test on the cooling system when the engine is cold......and then look for leaks!

Apart from diluting the fluid - rendering it prone to freezing on cold days, is there any other reason (sorry to be thick   :-/)

[Kevin Wood]

More important than preventing it freezing, antifreeze inhibits corrosion in the engine. In a mixed metal engine this is vital.

Kevin

[TheBoy]

Exactly as KW says above, corrosion inhibitors. This is vital, even over short periods.

[Marks DTM Calib]

A word of warning to all who have read and responded to this thread.

1) Never top the coolant system up with water only!

2) The chemical coolant system testers which claim to be able to detect head gasket failure are VERY prone to false readings particularly with modern anti freeze.

3) You all know that the V6 head gaskets done tend to go.

What the garage should have done is a pressure test on the cooling system when the engine is cold......and then look for leaks!

the test I had done had nothing to do with coolant, the tube goes in the header tank (but does not get coolant/water in it) and only works on fumes, it has nothing to do with the coolant or water.

Yes, correct, they do not touch the coolant but, they are not hugely effective at testing because if the coolant is hot you get steam and vapour which corrupt the test.

And its rare for a mechanic to ensure the engine is cold when carrying out such diag work.

[edwardmickey]

Have managed to replace the HBV today.  No more leaks, no more steam, thanks to everyone for their help and advice  

What's gonna go wrong next? .......

[Kevin Wood]

What's gonna go wrong next? .......

I know you've had the emissions light...

Had the crank sensor yet?

Kevin

[edwardmickey]

What's gonna go wrong next? .......

I know you've had the emissions light...

Had the crank sensor yet?
Kevin

I hope that's a joke  

I do have EML on.  TheBoy tech2'd it and we reached an inconclusive verdict....  It then passed MOT with both Cats functioning correctly.

The light then reappeared.  I had to disconnect the battery for about 30 mins while I changed some instrument panel bulbs.  The light stayed off....... for about 3 days.  It's back on now.

When I wear my sunglasses  8-) it's hardly noticable  

In all seriousness, it does need sorting as I'm gonna sell up and get a more economical car...

I love this bloody government.  "We've got to keep inflation under control by limiting public sector wage increases to under 2%"  they say.  Then they rob us blind at the petrol stations....  There's another 2p per litre duty increase in April  

Petrol price increases are the mother of inflation!!  Brown's a robbing w@nker!  First, he sells our gold reserve for 10% of its value.  Then he freezes pensioners' state pensions.  Then he shafts private sector pensions as he raids them for 'investment' leaving them in pieces.  Now he's pushing up inflation by keeping fuel duty rises in place while blaming the likes of me for being greedy when I just want to earn the same pay - relatively as I did last year!  

I'd love to meet the ugly greasy haired boring gruesome disfunctional control freak down a dark alley one night......  

Have I gone off thread?

 [smiley=grin.gif]

[Kevin Wood]

I know, I know Must sort out some LPG kits. They'll shaft us on that eventually, of course, but they've got less of a head start.

.. and Brown defines the word "snake" IMHO. he's looted everything in this country to prop up his famously "good economy", and how that's not his job any more we stand to suffer the consequences.

Anyway, when you say the light has been on do you mean the emissions light? (picture of engine). Mine has been on recently but before I got round to reading the codes it went out again. Came on after I drained the tank to vapours then filled up at a different garage to my normal one. Came on within 1/2 a mile of taking on fuel, and cleared after a week or so.

Having said that, I have seen trouble codes relating to the cat efficiency appear on my car without the light. I think they have to occur with a certain freqency to light the light but are stored regardless. At 60k miles I find it hard to believe there's a real problem and the emissions at MOT were down in the noise.

Mark posted some thoughts about this being due to the pre-cats (which is what are monitored) being a bit marginal on a 3.2 and thus they trip the warning every so often. Because emissions are taken after both cats, the second cat cleans up anything that the pre-cat doesn't, so MOT emissions are never an issue.

Apparently a dose of cataclean helps, so if you are thinking of passing the car on, that might be an idea, followed by a reset of the light. IME, sticking to one brand of fuel helps too. Maybe it allows the long term fuel trim to stabilise.

Kevin