Yin and yang

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 10:18 pm

Off I go in the GTi today and have a hoot. I thought, "this is going really well"... Sure , the engine was sweet, and it was riding well. Then stop at the lights and see steam issuing forth from the engine compartment.

"Oh". I said (or words to that effect|).

It's spraying water fron somewhere around the rear of the engine on the nearside, but it was dark so all I could see was where it had been spraying over the PAS ram and engine block. It was running but I couldn't see anything gushing out, although it was leaving a drip,drip of coolant.

I have lost probably about 250 ml of coolant.

However. I think I was slightly over zealous in filling the cooling system last weekend and wondered, if you put a tad too much in, where does it overflow to???

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:03 pm

Dunno on a petrol but on the diesel, there's a small hole in the radiator filler, just below the cap. If it was down the back on the engine, I'd be concerned about heater pipes.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:08 pm

I think this means getting it up on a ramp at first, then. There are three outcomes I can think of: First it's a split pipe that cannot be repaired and I need to find a replacement. Second it's a repairable hole/split at the clip, which might be overcome by cutting and repositioning or third, it's something I cannot foresee

Ah well

Post by **docchevron** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:16 am

if it's round the back towards the centre of the car I'd think it would be the heater pipe that goes round the back of the head and down to the heater matrix?

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:21 am

I shall report back...

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:52 am

I had a similar thing when I started using the 16v... It was one of the small hoses round the back, and it was just slightly splitting when the car got up to temperature, and being picked up and sprayed everywhere by the HP belt. Luckily I had the full hose kit in the car at the time

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:37 am

Matt H wrote:Luckily I had the full hose kit in the car at the time

Coincidence, or pessimism?

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:49 am

It'd been under my desk at work for ages, then I decided to bring it home, in my Audi 80... This car was moved on as soon as I bought Tim's car, and the contents of the the Audi switched over to the BX... which included a very nice Alpine head unit, and a BX 16v silicone hose kit, which I had forgotten to remove from the boot.

I don't know what you call that

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:52 am

Matt H wrote:....a BX 16v silicone hose kit

I don't know what you call that

I'd call it expensive!

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:05 am

What can I say... I'm a bit of a nutjob!

Also, not as expensive as you think. I tried getting a new heater matrix hose for my AX and it was more than £50. A full set for the Valver, from a Citroen dealer, I imagine is NLA... And would cost rather a lot more than I paid for these

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:55 am

I've found the leak, it's at the top of the hose that goes in at the top of the head. It's a pinhole near the clip. It's not a jubilee it's one of those horrid circlip thingies, but if I raid my box of bits I might find a suitably sized jubilee and then cut the end of the pipe off to where the pipe is intact, (it seems there's enough 'give') and reconnect. At least that should be OK until I can source a new/replacement pipe.

messerschmitt owner · Post by **messerschmitt owner** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:03 pm

Philip Chidlow wrote:I've found the leak, it's at the top of the hose that goes in at the top of the head. It's a pinhole near the clip. It's not a jubilee it's one of those horrid circlip thingies, but if I raid my box of bits I might find a suitably sized jubilee and then cut the end of the pipe off to where the pipe is intact, (it seems there's enough 'give') and reconnect. At least that should be OK until I can source a new/replacement pipe.

over the past few years, every time I need a few nuts or bolts, or spring clips, or nails or jubilee clips, I have been buying a box full of said item - has come in handy quite a few times now and buying a box from screwfix is often cheaper than a packet from Halfords or Screwfix's owners (B&Q).

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:27 pm

Talking of Jubilee clips!

When I went into our local motoring supplys and asked for a Jubilee clip they looked at me blankly finally asking me what it was for. Once explained the response came back as "oh a Hose Clip"

All these years living in a foreign land that speaks a form of english and now I find myself asking why do we old worlders call them Jubilee clips

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 8:19 pm

kiwi wrote:Talking of Jubilee clips!

When I went into our local motoring supplys and asked for a Jubilee clip they looked at me blankly finally asking me what it was for. Once explained the response came back as "oh a Hose Clip"

All these years living in a foreign land that speaks a form of english and now I find myself asking why do we old worlders call them Jubilee clips

http://www.jubileeclips.co.uk/

It was a brand name that quite quickly became a generic name for the product class, eg hoove, or biro. That above factory, home of the worm drive clip, is just down the road from me.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:14 am

All fixed. Pressure test revealed no other leaks. Those clips though are a bugger.