She Dumped water!

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pinfold
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She Dumped water!

Post by pinfold »

was driving my 1991 16v home from work last night and upon a quick thrash up past Tatton Park and the usaul blip of the "Stop" and "Coolant" warning lights, (having been at the top of the rev counter in third), the two came on constant!

After a brief stop to look round the car and noticeing that she had dropped about two pints of coolant on the road i carried on home (~only 5 mins away)

after a cooling down period, and me having my dinner i went out to investigate, but could not find any visible leaks!

filled the header tank back up, ticked her over til fans krept in (must be about 95 on temp gauge) but still no water leak, went for thrash round to mates farm, tick over again til fans kicked in again, and still no water laek!

Any ideas chaps? Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Matt
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XANTIA SDX 1996 ESTATE
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Vanny
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Post by Vanny »

I used to loose a little coolant from pin prick holes in the radiator, wasn't a huge amount of water, and it only lost any on really hot days! when i swapped to 'pink' antifreeze in my car (G12+ same as Audi's and top end VW's) i found when it leaks out, even a little tiny bit, it leaves a white residue! Makes it very easy to detect!

To swap to the G12+ you have to pretty much scrub out the insides of the engine, but perhaps you might be able to find some residue from a leak? It wouldn't surprise me if Antifreeze was flourecent and maybe black light could help?
pinfold
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Post by pinfold »

thanks for that!

I think its a bit more than a pin prick though, it was coming out from somewhere with quite a drip.

But i just dont know where, itwas a ridiculously hot day though yesterday and the car was extremely hot after a day in the sun, so maybe there is a connection.

Not sure how i would get on thrashing up the coast road from St Tropez at 31 degrees though!
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jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

Any possibility its blown it out? I think it would blow out of the header on a 16 valve like a TD.

If it has there are a couple of possibilities - one is the bottom hose has gone soft and under stress collapses - so blocking off the flow!

The other is the sludging of the radiator - its crossflow and so the tubes sludge from the bottom - and it goes unnoticed until either one too many blocks or the system is stressed. You may be able to feel that the bottom of the rad is cold. Flushing may help - and may not.

Whereabouts was the water coming from?
pinfold
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Post by pinfold »

Not quite sure where it was coming from, in my haste to get home quick i jumped backed in a nand drove off, upon my return home approx 10mins later there was no trace of where it had come from1

I know i should have had a look there and then, :-(
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Cornishbx16v
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Post by Cornishbx16v »

it sounds like its blown out the cap! when really hot hte water will pressure up a little more and especially at top end in 3rd!!! chances are the system didnt refill as quick and it simp[ly blew out excess??? keep an eye on it for a few days and see what happens????
Timmo.

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