tzd coolant leak...

themildbunch · Post by **themildbunch** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 6:39 pm

Hi...

Just noticed a coolant leak this morning... dripping off the back lip of the sump near the rear / bottom engine mount...
Needed to top it up this morning but by about 500ml. Hasn't needed any more but the leak's still there. It seems less than this morning at a cold start..

I'm guessing it might be the water pump.. typically didn't get it changed when the head was off 3 or 4 months ago!

Can't get it up on ramps for a few days... any other likely causes?

Thanks

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 7:10 pm

Could be the bottom hose or one of the heater pipes at the back of the engine

Water pump could be the better option

themildbunch · Post by **themildbunch** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 8:50 pm

Thanks..

It is the water pump which is a right pain as the head was off for a new headgasket only 4 months ago!

Just when it's going to get cold again too!

Any risk of the pump shaft breaking, snapping the belt and causing more grief?

Post by **Defender110** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 9:09 pm

Not normally, it is usually just the seal that goes first.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 11:20 pm

In extreme cases, the wear in the water pump shaft can cause the belt to lose tension, after that anything could happen.

KevR · Post by **KevR** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 10:53 am

From experience, the pump could go on in this state for ages with no problems other than the need to top up requently. However also from experience, the seal can suddenly fail big time, resulting in complete loss fo coolant and possible head gasket failure. Not worth the risk - time to change the pump I reckon.

themildbunch · Post by **themildbunch** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:27 pm

Well - The weather's warmed up and the car is on stands - coolant drained -
Going to remove the belt and replace the pump in the morning..

Leaking didn't get to the catastrophic phase but it did seem much worse at startup then slow down a little..

I'm feeling pretty confident about the locking etc but do you need to remove the intercooler plastic ducting to get the time belt covers off?
I can see that a section of turbo trunking above the top mount needs to come off...

One other query-- at the bottom of the rad on the bleed screw side there's another plastic screw... this, like the bleed screw only turns 90 degrees..
Is this the radiator drain plug? It doesn't seem to do anything - is it one of those types that needs pulling up? Gentle finger force didn't do much?

thanks

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:37 pm

Don't think you need to remove the intercooler. The pipe that's in the way will move enough for you.

The radiator drain plug does unscrew, it's a very coarse thread and pulls out as it unscrews, I have used pliers for this job (but carefully) and keep pulling as you unscrew. It might also pay you to keep tightening it back in, in order to lubricate it or work it loose.

Just make sure you've bled it correctly before going for a drive in it afterwards.