8 replies to this topic

[MiniNev]

Hello all.
I have a rather head scratcher of a problem with my coolant that I am hoping people can help with before I go mad.
I had been losing a little coolant and so topping up whilst trying to find the source but couldn’t spot it.
Then one morning there was at least a pint deposited on the garage floor. I topped up and ran the car until warm but no leaks.
I drove approx 8 miles to work and checked again. No leaks.
Checked after work and it had deposited another pint on the ground. Topped up went home and checked. No leaks. Checked in the morning, no leaks.
Went out in the evening, no leaks but next morning wet floor again! Arrgghhh…
Each time I cannot see where it is coming from, any thoughts o more intelligent people than me?
I’m on the verge of dousing anything water connected with talc and see what that shows.
Thanks all!

1985 Mini Mayfair 998

[stuart bowes]

I think I read somewhere that the brake easy bleeding kit (pumps up pressure) also fits on the header tank, so you can use that to pressurise the system and see leaks in action.

Or did I read that on the volvo forum.. hmm

Either way it sounds like a reasonable idea, what pressure you'd go to though I've no idea.

Just one possibility to consider maybe

[Quinlan minor]

The symptoms match a failing pressure cap or other pressure leak.

The cooling system works tolerably well with the water pump running until parked with a hot engine. The hotspots boil the coolant and it overflows through the cap /drain.

If you wait five or ten miutes after you've parked it in the garage, you'll see it happen.

Edited by Quinlan minor, Yesterday, 03:41 PM.

[MiniNev]

Thanks for your thoughts both. Just to add I have replaced the pressure cap so happy with that. I also have the overflow pipe going into a plastic bottle as that was another thought and there is nothing going in there either. Water pump doesn’t appear to be dripping out of the tell tale and the bypass hose is fine. There is no steam during or after running the car either. Once I get home tonight I will try checking it every now and then.

[JXC Mini GT]

I had a similar type of problem, where when the engine was warm I had no leaks, but when parked up and the engine had cooled down it would dump its water, it turned out that i had a small hole in the radiator which sealed itself when hot but when cold it would leak.

[nicklouse]

Which side of the car is the water landing on the floor?

[MiniNev]

Interesting JXC - feeling I just have to sit there and watch it! Didn’t manage to check again tonight other than an hour later and it was fine. Water is coming from radiator side nicklouse.

[timmy850]

How much are you filling the radiator when it’s cold? If it’s right to the top it’ll normally expel a bit once it heats up

[Ethel]

It's defo coming from the cooling system? Check the level as soon as it's cooled enough after running & see if you can catch what's being lost in a container. I know the weather's been unusually dry just now, but it could be coincidence.

 

Otherwise, I'd suspect the water pump bearing. See if you can pack some kitchen paper inside the pump pulley when you park up. Probably best to remove it before running the engine again.