Coolant leak C32

[John_Doe]

Well I have a coolant leak, a bad coolant leak lol. I haven't had a chance to even look underneath yet but I thought I would get a few suggestions beforehand.

So I keep losing coolant fluid but it usually only needs a top up every few weeks. The car has been off the road for about 2months so driving it today I noticed the coolant message pop up. I thought I would top up when I got to my work but I had to pick someone up first. While waiting I heard rushing water behind the dash so I turned down the stereo to listen properly and it sounded like it was flushing through. I looked under the car and found water dripping and a puddle with antifreeze present. Had a little look under the bonnet at the time but could only see a little bit of water on the front under the rad. I drove it straight to a petrol station to fill it up and it was empty. I drove it about 4 miles home fairly quickly and it was empty again when I got home.

The interior is fine, no water inside.

She has been running a bit funny for a while and I don't think its anything to do with this problem but shall explain briefly just in case. I have the fierce gear change from 1st to 2nd, tried to work this out before but all searches just bring back "live with it". Star Diag doesn't bring up any faults about it and a mechanic reset it to test but still does it. Autobox fluid level was fine last time tested. So I feel she don't run right, bit hesitant, lumpy, and obviously the gear changes.

 

[John_Doe]

Oh and on the way home while i was accelerating up hill and basically running on empty I heard something that sounded like I lost something from the underside of my engine lol. But will need to investigate that.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Sounds like you could have coolant in your transmission. Try searching for "glycol contamination". Fingers crossed it's something else but in the worst ase then it's a gearbox flush, replacement torque converter and new rad.

As I say, fingers crossed.

 

[John_Doe]

Well I jacked her up this morning and refilled. Lowered her back down to check for leaking but there's nothing major. There is a constant drip coming from the passenger side bottom of the radiator but its like a drip very second. Yesterday I emptied the whole rad in few mins. I'm letting the engine run now and trying to get her warm to see if this makes any diff. So far up to 90 according to the engine coolant temp

 

[John_Doe]

I got more drips now leaking from this

 

[marty359]

I had a coolant scare a few weeks back. The cars now used daily and the wife rang to say theres a low coolant warning on the dash so I topped it up when I got home, another week went by and the same thing happened but this time half the bottle had gone so topped it up with antifreeze.

Took it straight to my indie thinking oh no this is'nt good but after a pressure test everything seemed fine so he added some red dye and said bring it back in a week or so but its not used a drop since and covered 600 miles.

Hope you get it sorted.

 

[Starky]

This thread has got me worried. Yesterday my car has given me the coolant low message, I hope it nothing to serious.

 

[Neil Mackay]

Isn't the coolant sensor on the same leg of the loom as the washer fluid sensor? Mines done that in the past and the coolant on inspection has been fine and ended up being low washer fluid!

Edit...what i mean is i think slight corrosion can give a false signal and it gets confused!

 

[John_Doe]

Well she is in with a merc mechanic that a few people have used on here, so I shall see what he comes up with tomorrow. Quickly looking he said it looks like its just the rad but can only price one up at the mo for about £300

 

[John_Doe]

Well I managed to find a cheap rad from nissens and I've dropped it over to the mechanic. Lets hope it's the right one.

I thought it was about time I had a few things sorted so he is replacing auto box filter, flushing and putting in new merc oil. (I mentioned about a torque converter replacement at somepoint and he said he would put in some oil that apparently works as a repair. No idea what that will do.) And he is doing my B service while he is replacing the rad anyway. Then obviously reset everything inc the box. Works out around £500 plus the radiator