1.6 td. Coolant loss from base of dipstick tube??

[waltraud]

Why would water leak from the base of the dipstick tube whete it meets the head on 1600td block? The dipstick tube can be moved a bit for and after.

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We think an additional problem may have been a faulty dalek cap that will not quack. Could this have caused water leaking into block in some way? Cheers

[Oldiebut goodie]

Do you actually know which bits of the engine are which - I have to ask because the dipstick shouldn't go to the head, it should go to the bottom of the block! If that is coolant that is sparkling there it could have come from anywhere higher up. Those coolant hoses look as though they could be suspect no.1 with maybe water pump as suspect no.2. There wouldn't be a water leak from the dipstick tube as it just goes directly into the sump.

[Westy End]

thanks for posting on my behalf tim - I must get a better camera phone!

couple of extra facts - coolant loss has been significant - emptied both header and expansion tanks twice in a morning.

temperature gauge has only read slightly high

no discernible loss of engine power

dalek cap wont quack - just gurgles on blow and I can suck through it (just). New one ordered from Brickwerks

[Westy End]

thanks oldie - yes - Tim means the block. the fluid is coming out of the dipstick hole in the block - when you wiggle the dipstick tube it allows the fluid to spurt out. This I am guessing is bad.

Oil not mayonnaise by the way.

[Oldiebut goodie]

On some dipstick tubes there is an o-ring performing the seal people say, there hasn't been one on the last 3 blocks that I have dealt with and the seal is just by an interference fit. It may be that yours just needs knocking back in. (put a small jubilee clip round it low down and tap it down on the clip ) Any water that you see there will be from somewhere else and has just settled there. Have you checked the hoses? Have you got pink coolant in there - if yes it looks as though it is coming from the end of one of the hoses going to the water pump.

[Westy End]

thanks oldie - am taking it into garage today - really looks like coolant is actually being forced out of the block - we will find out soon!

[waltraud]

Any news? Ironically, two days after looking at Patrick's leak I came back from a loal shopping trip to a flashing red coolant light and smell of coolant...... after some checking I panicked as we were due to drive 100 miles to a friends 50th party to play (in a band)....... anyway i quickly dashed underneath and found that the heater pipe coming off the back of the O/S head had perished and was spurting out. thank god I carry a pare silicone repair fitting for just this purpose.... added to a bit more 5/8th hose it was done with 2x hose joint fittings and bled in 2 hours. Phew.

Patrick, I hope it was as straightforward as Bill has said and that you will be running well again!!

[Westy End]

pretty straightforward - split in the pipe just as Oldie had suggested.

I am now on a mission to fix my LDA (see separate post) whatever that is......