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15-08-2010, 12:07 PM | #1 | ||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,584
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OK I will take it to the garage tuesday but I was interested in your thoughts before doing so. Basically I seem to be loosing around half the top coolant tank (clear plastic one) every time I let the car sit over night after a long drive.
Thing is though, while its driving it stable, ill go for a long drive and the level is the same. Temp sits on "O" and doesn't budge and its running just fine. But eveytime I come home and then drive it the next day there is a small puddle under the car. My guess is that there is something that must expand when the car heats up, or that the pressure increases so the leak stops. But when it cools down (overnight) then a crack or something opens as the part constricts and then water comes out. Its not effecting the performance at all, but I bit disconcerning putting ~1L in a day. Definitely not a HG issue as there is no rough running, no steam out the exhaust etc and the "leak" seems to be towards the front. Any ideas?
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15-08-2010, 12:11 PM | #2 | ||
Just another mock-up..
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: In an AU Fairlane somewhere...
Posts: 9,966
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Faulty cap...?
Where's the water leaking from...? front of the header tank or front of the engine..? Could be leaking through the water pump... mine was only dripping slightly from it.. There's a hole at the bottom of the water pump that when it starts to leak through there it knida means its on its way out...
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Desire isn't driven by the heart, the mind or the wallet. Desire comes from another place. It's created by the smell of burnt fuel under full throttle and the look a car gives you when you're washing it alone at night... see my car here: Built my own TL50!!! [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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15-08-2010, 12:30 PM | #3 | ||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,584
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Hmm I haven't played with the car, unfortunately some issues arised after getting the car repaired through insurance from a minor bump to the front.
Cap, dont know, should be stock, how do they fail, the seal? Not 100% sure where its from as it happens when I am not watching, wet trail over the front of the block IIRC but I looked nearly a month ago. Ill have to check the pump, but who knows, its due for a general service so I was just going to let them deal with it but thought id check here to see if anyone else had something similar.
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15-08-2010, 12:39 PM | #4 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ACT
Posts: 4,028
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could be the heater pipe 'o' ring near the thermostat, but would leave tell tale signs of it leaking around it.
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Current Rides: 2000 AU 5L XLS ute; 1970 Mustang project |
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15-08-2010, 12:55 PM | #5 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pit Lane
Posts: 11,867
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Have seen waterpumps that may only leak at certain temps, get under the car and see if you can see at evidence of coolant coming from the bleed hole.
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Pit Lane Performance 20 Rosella St Frankston 03 9783 8122 Authorised Streetfighter, Pcmtec , SCT & HP Tuners Tuning Agent,
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15-08-2010, 12:58 PM | #6 | ||
Just another mock-up..
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: In an AU Fairlane somewhere...
Posts: 9,966
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that's the hole i was talking about.. the bleed hole..!
Also, caps can deteriorate over time and not hold their full pressure, although it sounds most likely water pump mate...
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Desire isn't driven by the heart, the mind or the wallet. Desire comes from another place. It's created by the smell of burnt fuel under full throttle and the look a car gives you when you're washing it alone at night... see my car here: Built my own TL50!!! [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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15-08-2010, 01:13 PM | #7 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Melb north
Posts: 12,025
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lots of nooks and crannys you can`t see, a cooling system pressure test they can pump a bit more pressure in and usually show the fault, can also test the cap.
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15-08-2010, 02:04 PM | #8 | ||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,584
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hmm ill check the pump, cheers guys.
Funny thing is when I found out that the company that fixed my car under the claim had stuffed something I went back and got it pressure tested, found nothing and all was fine according to them. And thats the problem, whenever I take it to someone it shows no sign of leak/fault, and so I go home ****ed off because in the morning I know ill have a puddle waiting for me.
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15-08-2010, 05:10 PM | #9 | ||
Donating Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,528
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Most of my AU's would sit halfway between Max and Min, if I filled it to max it would spit it out, so long as it is not too low
Start with the cap, cheapest first, they do fail, then look at water pump |
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15-08-2010, 06:16 PM | #10 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pit Lane
Posts: 11,867
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A cap or too high coolant level would loose water while the car is warm at operating temp and not leave water under the car overnight.
it will be cheaper to diagnose it correctly and only replace what is necessary rather than just chucking parts at it one at a time.
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15-08-2010, 06:18 PM | #11 | ||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,584
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Ratter Im spewing you are in Frankston as I am after someone to look over my Emer kit (due for its first service) and give the car a general service.
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15-08-2010, 06:27 PM | #12 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pit Lane
Posts: 11,867
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I'm sure there are plenty of good shops close to you to look after the car for you, but we are more than happy to help if you ever need it.
If you contact the AAFRB, they could put you onto a good LPG shop in your area. Your coolant problem, maybe you would be wise to leave the car with a shop overnight so they can pressure test the system at different temps to locate your leak
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Pit Lane Performance 20 Rosella St Frankston 03 9783 8122 Authorised Streetfighter, Pcmtec , SCT & HP Tuners Tuning Agent,
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15-08-2010, 07:50 PM | #13 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: NSW
Posts: 1,802
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welsh plugs???
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15-08-2010, 10:01 PM | #14 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Geelong, Victoria
Posts: 4,440
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I'd put money on the heater pipe o-ring at the back of the water pump. The o-ring seals when pressurised, but once it cools right down, starts a small drip. If you had green coolant in there you would see the tell-tale salt building up around the leak, but sounds like its probably running on near straight water by now. Fix it and get proper coolant in there, before it rusts out and you blow a head gasket or something. Can happen pritty quickly.
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15-08-2010, 11:02 PM | #15 | ||
VFII SS UTE
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Central Coast
Posts: 6,353
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top plastic header on the radiator had split on mine, weeped when switched off hot.
didn't leek when cold, or when running at temp only after when switched off..
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16-08-2010, 07:29 PM | #16 | |||
Donating Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,528
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Quote:
Going to disagree with you on that one.... When car is running you dont even need a radiator cap on as there is minimal pressure. Not advising you drive without one but. When car is hot and then is stopped, as in coming home from work and leaving it overnight, the heat soak increases the pressure, this is when it WILL leak from wherever is weakest. Check your car after a drive, engine running the radiator hoses will be firm but squeezable, turn engine off and wait 15 minutes, they will be rock hard, when engine is cold in the morning they will be soft. |
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16-08-2010, 08:03 PM | #17 | ||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,584
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Well I will have to wait until wednesday to find out as thats the soonest I could get it looked at. I will be dropping the car off at 5PM so it can sit in their garage for the night so they can see for themselves what happens.
I mentioned the pump and they kind of agreed it could be that, but who knows. Atleast this time it will fail and ill have proof..LOL
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17-08-2010, 12:58 PM | #18 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Burpengary, Q
Posts: 112
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My AUII Fairmont6 has experienced a couple of minor coolant leaks...
1/ one side of the radiator tank split, a very minor leak that was hard to find because of the diffuculty of actually seeing the leak, I had to replace the radiator. 2/ minor leak from the rear of the water pump, I got hold of the little modified part to fit to the end of that metal pipe which comes out the back of the pump (from Ford) and fitted that with no further problems there. 3/ another minor leak from the metal pipe coming out of the casting just below the thermostat housing, the fix was simply replacing the rubber seal. That one was easiest to find, it was dripping initially on the aircon compressor mounting bracket! Thats all the coolant problems I've had over just on 9 years (Aug01 car) and 174K, I think I'm do'in pretty well! Cheers, 4ford |
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19-08-2010, 02:19 PM | #19 | ||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,584
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OK well a little update incase it helps someone else later on, got a call this morning and the water pump was replaced. Ill ask what bit exactly failed when I picked it up but I just replaced it with a new one...so there that issue fixed.
10 points to ratter he guessed it first.
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19-08-2010, 07:25 PM | #20 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pit Lane
Posts: 11,867
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is that rep points
glad you got it sorted out, there were many valid issues pointed out but as mentioned testing correctly to diagnose is normally the cheapest way to do things
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Pit Lane Performance 20 Rosella St Frankston 03 9783 8122 Authorised Streetfighter, Pcmtec , SCT & HP Tuners Tuning Agent,
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19-08-2010, 07:48 PM | #21 | |||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,584
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Quote:
Thanks again.
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19-08-2010, 08:21 PM | #22 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Geelong, Victoria
Posts: 4,440
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Sorry to be cynical Polyal, but i just can't accept that as a diagnosis, even if they tell you it was leaking from the front seal. Yeh, they replaced the water pump, but who knows whether they needed to or not. Might have just needed a new o-ring at the back, but better for them to replace the whole pump and charge you $200 or whatever. Now if they can show you the old pump, and you can see the tell-tale rust marks coming out the little hole in the front, then it is confirmed.
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19-08-2010, 08:51 PM | #23 | ||
Starter Motor
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1
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Yeah - I had the same problem - V8 - if you look down the front of the engine behind the thermostat housing, onto the front timing cover, you will probably see one of the little nooks and cranny's with coolant in it. Only way I fixed it was to take off the frfont timing cover, and replace the gasket. Not a quick and easy job, but worth the effort.
PS You will probably have to cut the front bits off the sump gasket and replace them. |
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19-08-2010, 08:59 PM | #24 | |||
Moderator
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Location: Foothills of the Macedon Ranges
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19-08-2010, 10:43 PM | #25 | ||
The 'Stihl' Man
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TAS
Posts: 27,584
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AMB, you might be very well right but I am incredibly time poor at the moment; it might have been a quick fix but whether I would have sorted it would be another matter.
If it was just a weekend car or something then yeah id have time to look at it, but I just needed it fixed asap. Appreciate your POV though. Ill see if they kept it, I did feel a bit funny when they called and said it "was leaking at the bottom", but I was so over the issue I just wanted it done.
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21-08-2010, 12:03 PM | #26 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Geelong, Victoria
Posts: 4,440
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Hi there Polyal. Don't really care if I was right or wrong. Just needed evidence that it actually was leaking from the shaft seal. If the pump was original one, probably well worth replacing it sooner rather than later anyway.
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22-08-2010, 05:38 PM | #27 | ||
Starter Motor
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 16
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having mine replaced right now, the spigot that comes in to the back of pump only leaks when car, I6 , is cold . hope this helps, Laurie.
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23-08-2010, 09:58 PM | #28 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Geelong, Victoria
Posts: 4,440
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Quote:
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24-08-2010, 03:40 PM | #29 | ||
Starter Motor
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 16
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Yes the heater pipe. mine was found to be ok it was the water pump that had coroded, so new water pump and all is fixed. Laurie.
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