Right, ive just noticed that my car has a leak, its the coolant for sure, cos i can see the colour of the anti freeze in it! Thing is, its not a big leak (well not so that i can see its losing water in the header tank), and only seems to leak very little when the car is running. The place where it is coming from seems to be underneath this blue thing on the side of the head lol (ive pointed to it in the pic).



Any ideas at all? Is there a gasket that could have gone where this part sits? or is there a chance the head is cracked??

 

have u checked the pipe aint leakin where it connects near the dizzy, that happned to mine once

 

Yes mate, pipe seems to be fine, ive checked all pipes.

 

There is a paper gasket between the head and the thermostat housing (the blue thing in your pic). Try replaceing the gasket also make sure the coolant temp sensor (in the head just to the right of the turbo) and the fan switch in the thermostat housing are not leaking.

 

Cheers moonie i will check later! Anyone else got any ideas?

 

Kev, I would agree with Moonie, check the thermostat first, have you ever removed one? They are piss mate, 3 X 10mm bolts 2 on the top one underneath (IIRC) there is a paper gasket which is used and also a rubber ring which is next to the thermostat insdie the housing.

Check this first and see wha happens, You should be able to see it leaking when running from the stat housing if you get ur head far enough under the car

HTH

Ad

 

Cheers Ad, i take it i need to drain the coolant system??

 

Yes mate, well, it will drain a fair bit when removing the thermostat housing anyway Also, dont be too forcefull removing the thermostat housing bolts, if they are old and shitty they have a tendency to snap (I only snapped one before tho)

 

evn though u said the waters cumin from near the thermo housing also check if water pump is leakin as this introduces a small steady leak and its hard 2 c wher its cumin from, also check the radiator aint leakin, best of look mate

 

water pump is on the other side of the engine, so i doubt it'll be that, i would bet money on it being the thermostat housing gasket. just do yourself a favour and change the thermostat whilst your changing the gasket. for the few quid it costs you may as well do it. presuming it hasn't been changed recently