C180 Coolant Use.

[IslanderRE]

Drive a 94 C180 manual 150,000 miles with a full service history. Problem is that once a week on average, the coolant light comes on thus requiring the rad to be topped up. Is this normal or am i looking into a head gasket job???? Car is goin brillient otherwise and only major work i've had with to in the last 5 years was to fit a new Viscous fan.
Also anyone know where i can get my hands on a brown leather gearstick at a reasonable price????? Must be one that screws on!!!!

Thanks everyone.

 

[Dieselman]

Not necessarily a head gasket job.

Check the rest of the system for leaks before condemning the head gasket.

A simple test for a blown head gasket is to have your local garage waft the emissions tester pickup over the expansion tank, with the cap off. If the gasket is gone there will be combustion gasses in the water so the tester will detect this.

You can also but detector kits on ebay.

 

[bagman1971]

hi
just remove coolant cap and fit a coolant pressure tester and pump up to between 7-10psi if pressure drops over a couple of mins you have coolant leak i.e hoses etc is the coolant temperature guage goes above normal operating point. If so thermostat or waterpump maybe suspect. hope this helps