Basically my fiesta RS Turbo doesnt overheat or anything but the header tank is always empty after a journey.

If i undo the cap slightly when warm the water does bubble up so i no its completely escaping.


I have just filled coolant up to the max mark. Drove to my mates and took him out for about 30 mins ish. After the car has stopped and cooled the header tank is empty again....?

any ideas.

The oil cap has no mayo in it etc.

 

for it to lose that amount of water without a visable leak I'd say it's head/head gasket related!

 

Hmmm really? Wouldn't it be overheating or water in the oil etc? The heaters don't get warm either. They just get about 4 degrees if that. And thts if I set the speed to 1.

any ideas?

 

wouldnt it be smoking if it was headgasket failure?

its just been to MSD 3 days ago. Wouldnt they have noticed it. They said theres a small water leak at the front of the engine.

 

You definatly need to check the headgasket. if its only a small "hole" in it, the water will be evaporated out of the exhaust and theres no way you'l notice it.

i had one go on the motorway, it was using abit of water beforehand, but not enough to worry me... i should've known.

 

Sounds like your headgasket is on it's way out mine was doing the same thing, mine never smoked, or had oil mix with water till it eventually let go while coming on boost.

 

How much does it cost to sort it???

 

sounds like head gasket mate but check the water pipes on the turbo incase the cracked ect

 

use standard ford/payen gasket, new standard headbolts will be ok.
Service items etc
Head will need inspecting, skimming head.

Shouldnt cost to much if your good with tools.

 

iv just had the same problem mine was head gasket get a tester on it and it will tell you fella

 

hmmmm.... you mean you can actually get something that tests to see if the headgasket is gone or get some one to test it?

 

UPDATED:

Last night i filled the expansion tank all the way, well just over the max line.

Checked this morning and empty.... no visible leaks though and the car hasnt been started.

 

Yes a fluid tester, I actually tested mine and it showed it was ok 2 weeks later my Hg went

 

check the carpet as then ONLY place left its leaking from the heater matrix or pipes!

 

heater matrices are known for going, switch ignition on and turn demister fans on, check for water being spat out inside the car.

 

the tester is only a tube with die in it if there is carbon dioxide coming out of your header tank then the die will turn a yellow color or change color then you have fooked your head gasket

sorry about spelling
cheers johnandhissaffy

 

Thats what I'd be looking at next^^
tabetha

 

right found the leak!

Its coming from the rear of the head, underneath inlet manifold area rusty/brown water is spraying from that general area.

Will try and get a picture if i can....

 

HG it is then ?
tabetha

 

well if its spraying out water does that mean its the headgasket?

 

I was told over two years ago that because my heater wasnt getting overly warm and the car was losing a bit of water that my head gasket was probably on its way out..... 20k later and we are still on the same head gasket, the heater gets a little warmer as the car's now in daily use, but when I put the heater blowers on full, it cools down again. It still loses a bit of water but I aint worrying.

 

I cant see it being headgasket to be honest but im going to ask my local mechanic to give it a look over to be safe

 

It doesn't mean automatically it's the HG, need to see precisely where it's coming from, could just be a bad pipe near the back, hopefully.
Crap heaters are due to dicky stats normally, or blocked matrix, etc NOT duff HG, just see how hot the pipes are to hold, they should be painful to hold due to heat.
tabetha

 

yeh they are really warm the pipes.

Just want to say thanks for all the support guys Don't know what id do without you lot

 

what was the outcome on it m8?