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[star_whites]

I hate water leaks.

Been having water leaks for about 5 weeks now and think I have shares in antifreeze.

Previosly we have replaced the hollow bolts on the coolant bridge and oil cooler and of course new seals. Another week found the oil cooler had not sealed properly. Now it appears even worse as uses 1 litre of water over about 10 miles (water pouring from rear of engine on passenger side.

Have stripped plenum and injector rail and manufactured pressure cap to test system. On presurising there are no leaks from coolant bridge, oil cooler or hbv. Checked all hoses on hbv and all ok.

However the water leak is still there and water is running down the gearbox and is dripping off onto floor, also appears to be running down the passenger side of engine.

Anyone got any ideas and pics as I still have her stripped and am begineing to pull my hair out.

[TheBoy]

I have a theory about 1998 3.0l HG. Pressure it up to around 10psi, and see (from underneath) if its leaking between block and head, passenger side, back corner.

[star_whites]

I have just been having a closer look and have been able to squeeze my hand down the right hand side from above. When feeling around I have found that it is wet in the rear corner above the oil filter and it seems to be coming from what it looks like (in haynes manual) as a core plug.

Im just reassembling the system and then I will jack her up and presurise her again and see what I can see from underneath.  

Will post back shortly  :-/

[Darth Loo-knee]

If it is a core plug it will come out as fast as you put water in. Core plugs are found at the back of the engine right behind the engine lift bracket in front of the Coilpack so you will need to take it out.
I would go with the rear transfer pipe check it also has the bolt at the side to hold the pipe solid seen one without this bolt and so the transfer pipe was moving, water then ran around the head then dripped down.

[star_whites]

Ok, jacked her up and presurised to 13. Got under with torch and water is clearly visible running over manifold and down past oil filter also down gearbox. Put hand up as far as I could and you could feel water on block above manifold.

I have never stripped a 3.0 so unsure where the joint is between block and head. However that was as far as I could get my arm anyway.

I checked the large steel pipe directly in the middle rear of engine and that appeared ok. i could get my hand directly on to it and felt all around for fluid but it was all dry. So I think its either hg or core plug. Just a case of which one.  

[Darth Loo-knee]

Remove the dispack four small torx headed bolts or an 8mm slim deep socket does the trick undo the to bolts that hold the engine lifting bracket and you will see the core plugs, you may even find them or one down the back.
Like I said before though if a core plug has gone, as soon as you pore water into the reservoir it will pore out within seconds.
Remove the plenum, inlet and pressurize it again putting a few bolts into the water pipes, you may find it down in the V still

[star_whites]

I did presurise with the plenum off and the injector manifold off so I could see the coolant bridge and oil cooler. They are all ok. I purchases a striaght pipe joint and connected the two front pipes together. Well worth 25p.

I also checked the hbv at the same time and all the hoses to and from it. I also checked the large steel pipe that comes around from the drivers side of the engine to the rear and thats ok too. However I could not get my hand down below the dis pack to check if that was where it is leaking from as not removed the dis pack on the 3.0 before. Ive only ever worked on a 2.0.

[Darth Loo-knee]

I did presurise with the plenum off and the injector manifold off so I could see the coolant bridge and oil cooler. They are all ok. I purchases a striaght pipe joint and connected the two front pipes together. Well worth 25p.

I also checked the hbv at the same time and all the hoses to and from it. I also checked the large steel pipe that comes around from the drivers side of the engine to the rear and thats ok too. However I could not get my hand down below the dis pack to check if that was where it is leaking from as not removed the dis pack on the 3.0 before. Ive only ever worked on a 2.0.

Ok, remove your scuttle panel which make access a little easier. You should then be able to remove the four bolts, a little time consuming but not to bad. lift dispack out of the way. I then used an old interior mirror to help to see the torx headed bolts (two I think) remove them and push it back slightly you will then be able to see the core plugs easy with the mirror to see if they are leaking

[star_whites]

Think that will be next weeks job then as I have already put her back together and dont want to get caught out if it goes dark early. Will strip her fully down on saturday morning and then it will give me sunday if anything goes wrong.

Thanks for all the advice. If anyone has any photos showing where the core plugs are they would be greatly appreciated.

[Darth Loo-knee]

Might be a bit difficult to get a camera around there
I will see if I can find a picture with an engine out

[star_whites]

Well when I strip mine down I will attemp to take a couple of pics as I have a really small camera. It will depend on if it can take clear enough pics so close.