DRINKING WATER

[Dean 0]

What a way to start a Monday! Sat in a Q for 2 hours and only moved 500yards!

Anyway after getting going again the water warning light came on! Pulled over and there was next to nothing left in the header tank. Luckily :? There was a shell garage with in 1/4mile so I filled it back up there.

I couldn’t see any problems when I looked around but now im at work I check it again and had gone down past min again!

Ive checked the oil and all looks fine. Ive filled it back up again to get me home

Anyone got any ideas? How many times would I need to fill it up if it’s got air in?

Thanks

Dean

[ingham 5]

check pipe that goes to oilcooler.only small but a common pipe to leak,warning if it is the one be very carefull the pipe it connects to is easy to break

[stockers 1]

1.thermostat housing

2.heater matrex (any coolant coming into footwell passenger side)

3.any worn coolant pipes, the pipes can deteorate ,check for very soft/brittle pipes and all jubilee clips as this is where a split will occur

[Dean 0]

checked all of them! im wondering if it could be head gasket!

[stockers 1]

if the head was going it will have loads of sludge under the oil cap, if it had gone it would have totally fucked your engine after a load bang .

if the water isn't going into the engine it must be a leak,are all the hoses coming from the coolant tank ok?

when you are filling the expansion tank do it v.slowly when its up to nearly max turn the engine on and fill as it goes down to avoid any air pockets.

did you check thermostat housing for any leaks ,mine went and it got through a ridiculous amount of coolant from a tiny leak.

[VR6Pete 1,455]

If you fill the header tank and leave the car standing (with engine turned off) does it still go? Stick some card-board under the front of your car when it's stan ding to see if anything is leaking. As stockers says, if the H/G was gone, you'd know about it, whip a couple of spark plugs out see if they are dry.

Pete

[silverline 0]

if the headgasket was leaking in to the oil side of the block then you would get sludge in the oil but if water was leaking into the cylinder side it would just burn in the combustion cycle and come out the exhaust as steam.

be careful not to confuse steam from a leaking headgasket with normal running moisture, specialy this time of year cars will create steam any way.

you can also check for a knackered headgasket by looking for bubbles in the expansion tank with the engine running.

[Dean 0]

chears guys im thinkin its not the HG either i just worry to much! just going to check it again now as oil seems ok.

The RAC had to pic me up on way home as was sputering all over the place and wasnt runing very good at all after about 10mins of driving normaly.

wondering if its the water pump? i have tried it runing and not runing but cnt see any leaks but still drinking water!

[Dean 0]

think ive just found the problem. but as im new to the vr6 im not sure what it is?

its right by the manifold at the rear of the engine.

is it the headgasket?

Thanks for any help

Dean

[mightyvr6 0]

On the left hand side of the pic theres a small pump which circulates water around the cylinder head. These tend to spring leaks over time.

[Dean 0]

well it may turn out to be the matrix pipe to the head the sensor was peeing water out underpressure!

Thanks guys all ways good to know ppl around to help!

[RIX 0]

i would say the build in waterpump,the one on the pulley side.