Water loss but how?

[Stinkwheel]

OK, im bemused, my cars dissapeared its water.

I got in the 14TE yesterday morning, having not used it for 4 days (been driving the cortina for a change) started up no problem as you would expect. But the low water/coolant level light was on. Checked it, definitly low. It doesnt leak out anywhere that i can see and the car isnt using water when running, so what the hell happened there then?

I checked for oil in water and water in oil, nothing at all, pulled the plugs just to see if they happened to be off colour (i,e. getting wet) no, all fine.

I topped up the water and all is well now, no issues at all.

Just What happened there then?

[ken newbold]

Have you checked the carpets in the drivers footwell

[Stinkwheel]

I have Ken,

Should have said, i did think, hmmm heater matrix, but all dry inside as well, i hope this isnt going to be a weird where does the water keep going issue.

[anorthfield]

Similar thing has happened to me. water gets low over a long period of time, unnoticed. Engine gets a little hotter than normal and dumps some water. Air lock appears. Car unexpectedly dumps water when you're out somewhere (not at home where you see it), because of the air lock. On start up the warning light comes on.

It might be worth bleeding from the thermostat housing if this recurs. it worked for me.

[kiwi]

OK, im bemused, my cars dissapeared its water.

I got in the 14TE yesterday morning, having not used it for 4 days (been driving the cortina for a change) started up no problem as you would expect. But the low water/coolant level light was on. Checked it, definitly low. It doesnt leak out anywhere that i can see and the car isnt using water when running, so what the hell happened there then?

I checked for oil in water and water in oil, nothing at all, pulled the plugs just to see if they happened to be off colour (i,e. getting wet) no, all fine.

I topped up the water and all is well now, no issues at all.

Just What happened there then?

Two probabilty I can see here.

1. The Good one could be a random Airlock, Good in the part that the problem has for now gone.

2. The Bad One is that you have a leak in the headgasket that is leaking water into the engine. Not necesarily it will show up in the Oil especially if it leaks into a cylinder.

Reason I say could be leaking into the cylinder is because of the symptoms you described being similer to how I eventually discovered my headgasket was shot.

Situation was I parked up the car for over a week, went to start it and it would not go. Prior to that I had this same problem of missing water however the extending period of standing idle meant that enough water leaked into the cylinder bore to stop a spark. All the traditional signs of HG failure we believe were not there including the pressure fault test which passed.

Of course the other cause maybe a knackered thermostat or Radiator Cap needs replacing. Also depends on the driving conditions prior to noticing of water loss i.e. stuck in traffic, heavy engine loading (towing, hill climbing etc) causing the water to expand past that radiator cap.

[Stinkwheel]

its still not lost anymore again. weird, a litre low but now no sign of any troubles at all.

*touches lots of wood*

if it is the HG im bunging a 1600 TU in it from a XZ or something.

[Tim Leech]

its still not lost anymore again. weird, a litre low but now no sign of any troubles at all.

*touches lots of wood*

if it is the HG im bunging a 1600 TU in it from a XZ or something.

Weird that, I changed the coolant when I had it im sure and all was well, I wouldnt change the 1.4 the cheap tax and sweet TU lump is part of its appeal.

[mat_fenwick]

If you were so inclined, a 1600 TU looks very much the same as a 1400...
I wouldn't do it personally, but you can see why people would be tempted, especially as now you have to have a report from a qualified person to state the change in engine capacity so the DVLA can change their records. Even going UP in capacity! Fortunately my friendly garage wrote me a letter for nowt.

[Matt H]

I you were so inclined, a 1600 TU looks very much the same as a 1400...

Not with a 16v head on it

[mat_fenwick]

True, but they did do an 8 valve version...does the XZ refer to a 16v varient then?

[Stinkwheel]

nope XZ refers to typing too quickly and mis spelling a 2 letter word

[mat_fenwick]

I can't talk, I managed to completely miss out the letter 'f' from the word 'If'.