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[TheBoy]

Thought it may be HG, not so sure now.

Seems to be a coolant leak from somewhere around the back of the block.  Doesn't appear to be from coolant pipe as far as i can see.  Seems to collect on g/b before dripping down sump.

Can't seen to locate it, and now just put my shoulder out

Anyone know what else is behind there?

[JamesV6CDX]

Thought it may be HG, not so sure now.

Seems to be a coolant leak from somewhere around the back of the block.  Doesn't appear to be from coolant pipe as far as i can see.  Seems to collect on g/b before dripping down sump.

Can't seen to locate it, and now just put my shoulder out

Anyone know what else is behind there?

There is a coolant transfer pipe, runs from the waterpump, around the back of the block, and over the bellhousing towards the front, to which it connects to the Rad Hose...

[TheBoy]

Thought it may be HG, not so sure now.

Seems to be a coolant leak from somewhere around the back of the block.  Doesn't appear to be from coolant pipe as far as i can see.  Seems to collect on g/b before dripping down sump.

Can't seen to locate it, and now just put my shoulder out

Anyone know what else is behind there?

There is a coolant transfer pipe, runs from the waterpump, around the back of the block, and over the bellhousing towards the front, to which it connects to the Rad Hose...

Thats the coolant pipe it doesn't appear to be

[Markie]

yes theres a few pipes there, one being metal and prone to corrosion...

Ive a few of these engines in the garage, let me look tonight and photograph if required..?

[gmp]

Just found a post I made from when we had a 1.8 freelander and seemed to be a not uncommon problem with K series. May help

We recently had problem with leak from expansion tank hose where it joins main coolant rail in T joint. Perished pipe end not water tight with jubilee clip holding it on. Only leaked after engine and coolant properly warmed up. Loss of coolant was almost not noticable but always chance it can get lot worse quickly. Only noticed on those rare days duing the winter that it didn't rain ! The coolant was running along coolant rail dripping onto engine bay plate and fiinishing up on floor about 2ft from where it was actually coming from!

[TheBoy]

yes theres a few pipes there, one being metal and prone to corrosion...

Ive a few of these engines in the garage, let me look tonight and photograph if required..?

That would be excellent

Left it idling for an hour, no more coolant dripping, but possibly it evapourates before dripping?  Only drip was from exhaust join near backbox.  Revving it spat a bit of water out the exhaust, I guess the full exhaust wasn't heating enough to stop condensation build up, rather than coolant getting in exhaust?

[TheBoy]

Just found a post I made from when we had a 1.8 freelander and seemed to be a not uncommon problem with K series. May help

We recently had problem with leak from expansion tank hose where it joins main coolant rail in T joint. Perished pipe end not water tight with jubilee clip holding it on. Only leaked after engine and coolant properly warmed up. Loss of coolant was almost not noticable but always chance it can get lot worse quickly. Only noticed on those rare days duing the winter that it didn't rain ! The coolant was running along coolant rail dripping onto engine bay plate and fiinishing up on floor about 2ft from where it was actually coming from!

Thanks. I did check that earlier.  Although doesn't look the best connection, it seems dry, as does the entire metal coolant pipe from stat to bleed screw/top hose.  No easy to see around there, even from underneath with a mirror.  And I've done my shoulder in (old injury from ZX10 acrobatics), so cant get into contorted shapes.

[theowletman]

Thought it may be HG, not so sure now.

Seems to be a coolant leak from somewhere around the back of the block.  Doesn't appear to be from coolant pipe as far as i can see.  Seems to collect on g/b before dripping down sump.

Can't seen to locate it, and now just put my shoulder out

Anyone know what else is behind there?

If it has a plastic inlet manifold there is a rubber O ring type gasket to seal the manifold onto the block, looks like the Audi logo. They cost about a fiver and can give the same symtoms as a head gasket problem. The K series engine in our 20 years of experience is an absolute disaster, ever wondered why adverts for Rovers sometimes say " Honda Engine ". We have seen them with blown head gaskets at 4 and 5 thousand miles. If you are fixing this as a paid job please tell the customer that you cannot guarantee the work as it will only last about 6 months. If you do change the head gasket have a look at the Land Rover Freelander 1.8 petrol, they have introduced their own modified gasket as the Rover one is not up to the job. Type of antifreeze is also vital, as always. We reckon that the real problem is the design of the engine and in particular the location of the head bolts, too far away from the edge of the block.

[Kevin Wood]

Was just about to say, IIRC there's water heating around the inlet manifold / throttle body, and probably a water connection or two that pass through the inlet manifold-to-head gasket.

Might be worth trying to pressurise the system cold (schrader valve in an old length of heater hose or expansion tank cap) if it seals up when hot.

Kevin

[TheBoy]

Thought it may be HG, not so sure now.

Seems to be a coolant leak from somewhere around the back of the block.  Doesn't appear to be from coolant pipe as far as i can see.  Seems to collect on g/b before dripping down sump.

Can't seen to locate it, and now just put my shoulder out

Anyone know what else is behind there?

If it has a plastic inlet manifold there is a rubber O ring type gasket to seal the manifold onto the block, looks like the Audi logo. They cost about a fiver and can give the same symtoms as a head gasket problem. The K series engine in our 20 years of experience is an absolute disaster, ever wondered why adverts for Rovers sometimes say " Honda Engine ". We have seen them with blown head gaskets at 4 and 5 thousand miles. If you are fixing this as a paid job please tell the customer that you cannot guarantee the work as it will only last about 6 months. If you do change the head gasket have a look at the Land Rover Freelander 1.8 petrol, they have introduced their own modified gasket as the Rover one is not up to the job. Type of antifreeze is also vital, as always. We reckon that the real problem is the design of the engine and in particular the location of the head bolts, too far away from the edge of the block.

This is my car, HG down a year ago, about 12/14k

I'm fairly certain its not HG.

The K series suffers because it was an early all ali engine with a tiny cooling system.  The ali block to head with gasket combination is good to about 900C before a reaction takes place.  Combustion temps around 1200C.  The tiniest glitch on cooling system seems to be what causes the problems, hence why modified HG make only slight differences.

It should have been retired years ago, as as a very early design of this type, there were lessons to be learned.

However, when even now, it embarrases Ford's equivilent Zetec, and Vauxhall's Ecotec, Rover (and Landrover, and Lotus) still think there is life lift in it.

[TheBoy]

The inlet to head rubber gasket (green iirc) was changed last year when we did the head.  Don't recall coolant system there, but could be wrong

[JamesV6CDX]

The inlet to head rubber gasket (green iirc) was changed last year when we did the head.  Don't recall coolant system there, but could be wrong

I remember on an early K series with a metal inlet manifold it had coolant flow, but I don't THINK that's the case with the plastic ones like yours...

[TheBoy]

The inlet to head rubber gasket (green iirc) was changed last year when we did the head.  Don't recall coolant system there, but could be wrong

I remember on an early K series with a metal inlet manifold it had coolant flow, but I don't THINK that's the case with the plastic ones like yours...

need to check in daylight again, too dark/cold to start looking now. Plus I'm off to ABS meet shortly, as soon as this stupid linux box gets a grip and starts to respond (load average 170 )

[motmann]

well from someone who does these headgaskets on a weekly basis (i kid you not!) inlet manifold can crack, the manifold gasket can fail, waterpump leaks were the stat housing pushes into the back of it (1 o ring). the two bigproblems with these engines are the stat sticks shut,boils the water and screws the headgasket or the bypass pipe from the cylinder head(by the dipstick tube) back to the header tank blocks up so you get no flow round the engine with the same results.. we have done the h/g on a 3000mile old MGtf but also have a few 200 and 400s running about with 130,000/140,000 miles on them and never been touched!! sometimes no rhyme or reason with this engine!!!

[theowletman]

well from someone who does these headgaskets on a weekly basis (i kid you not!) inlet manifold can crack, the manifold gasket can fail, waterpump leaks were the stat housing pushes into the back of it (1 o ring). the two bigproblems with these engines are the stat sticks shut,boils the water and screws the headgasket or the bypass pipe from the cylinder head(by the dipstick tube) back to the header tank blocks up so you get no flow round the engine with the same results.. we have done the h/g on a 3000mile old MGtf but also have a few 200 and 400s running about with 130,000/140,000 miles on them and never been touched!! sometimes no rhyme or reason with this engine!!!

Totally agree. The only Rovers worth buying are diesels and the v6's.