Coolant leak

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neilf104

Coolant leak

Post by neilf104 » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:24 pm

Hi,

Had a new water pump fitted a couple of weeks ago. Coolant bled & re-filled exactly according to the instructions in the fact sheet. Had a couple of trouble free weeks, but when I got in from work this morning there was coolant about 3ft by 1ft on the drive starting underneath the the drivers door right under the sill, about level with the door handle. It seems to be dripping, not at any great rate, but enough to gather a pool that size overnight, from an inaccessible area on the sill.

Has anyone got any ideas, I'm starting to get rather wistful for my old VW & the air-cooled days!

Cheers for any help.

Neil
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Peg leg Pete
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Re: Coolant leak

Post by Peg leg Pete » Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:05 pm

could be a pin prick leak from one of the hoses :(
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mikeonb4c
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Re: Coolant leak

Post by mikeonb4c » Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:22 pm

Peg leg Pete wrote:could be a pin prick leak from one of the hoses :(
Well as long as it isnt a prick leaking on one of the hoses :lol:

But seriously, the last time I heard symptoms like this, it was the water pump. Which makes me wonder, since it was done only 2 weeks ago, if there's been some problem with the work they did. If it was a garage, I'd take it back pronto and say "Oi you, fix it" (but perhaps more politely). Haydn Callow, if you ask him nicely, might sell you one of the small bottle of coolant u/v dye, plus a u/v torch, which you could put in the system in order to try and trace the source.

I assume by the way that you are certain it is coolant (i.e. header tank is needing regular top ups)? :roll:
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Re: Coolant leak

Post by Dabs » Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:27 pm

Check the hose that goes from the rear heater matrix to the engine block over the starter motor,they can be prone to serious heat damage up near the engine block.
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neilf104

Re: Coolant leak

Post by neilf104 » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:10 pm

Hi,

Thanks for the advice, I think I've found the source of the leak, and I do feel a bit of an arse! On friday I took my wife to the Dr's, & I waited outside with my 5 & 2 year olds. They were playing around in the boot. This morning I opened the boot up & noticed my bottle of coolant lying prone, with hardly any left in it! Hoping like mad that this was the source of the leak I followed a green tail that ended directly above where it was leaking out! Got a bit of drying out to do but it's a damn sight better than what I was thinking!

Moral of the tale, never trust your 5 & 2 year olds with a bottle of coolant!

Cheers
Neil : #-o
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Re: Coolant leak

Post by francophile1947 » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:12 pm

neilf104 wrote:Hi,

Thanks for the advice, I think I've found the source of the leak, and I do feel a bit of an arse! On friday I took my wife to the Dr's, & I waited outside with my 5 & 2 year olds. They were playing around in the boot. This morning I opened the boot up & noticed my bottle of coolant lying prone, with hardly any left in it! Hoping like mad that this was the source of the leak I followed a green tail that ended directly above where it was leaking out! Got a bit of drying out to do but it's a damn sight better than what I was thinking!

Moral of the tale, never trust your 5 & 2 year olds with a bottle of coolant!

Cheers
Neil : #-o
Lucky they didn't try drinking it :shock:
John
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haydn callow
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Re: Coolant leak

Post by haydn callow » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:44 pm

Coolant is poison with a Capitol P
http://www.coolantalarm.co.uk
Developer of the Mazda Bongo Coolant loss Alarm
Also BMW Clocks
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