Leak from metal header tank cap.....

[Cruz]

1983 1.9DG

Never had any coolant system problems.

Late last week I changed one of the heater pipes that run the length of the van, as the pipe had dropped down and almost been worn through by the driveshaft under a previous owner, plus a fair few clips on other pipes such as the plastic back to front pipes etc and flushed out the old coolant.

I have bled the system quite a few time to get the air out. No air comes from the radiator, the temp gauge sits nicely on half way and the coolant pipes are not hard after a good 20 minute run which I assume means the system isn't getting over pressurised?!

However tonight I heard a sizzle and looked to see a drip of coolant drop from the bottom of the header tank. It was the metal header cap weeping.

It looks old, and what with me taking it on and off quite a few times in the last few days it's probably given up

I assume I'm just worrying unnecessarily "again" and I just need a new metal cap from Brickwerks and it's not anything more serious?

[Red Westie]

If like you say 'the pipes are not getting hard/pressurized' then the cap isn't leaking under pressure....it needs changing.
Martin

[Cruz]

They get slightly harder when they are hot than cold but I assume that's just the normal running pressure which is in turn forcing the coolant past the badgered rubber on the cap

new Cap ordered

[pocolow]

Sounds like a dodgey cap to me,swap it and see.

[Cruz]

Checked the cap this morning when the system was cold and it appeared that the large rubber sealing washer that sits directly under the cap, and seals to the neck of the tank, had come loose and was not sitting properly.

Cap now seals and new cap in the post

Live and learn

[R0B]

nowt wrong with having a spare..

Cap now seals and new cap in the post

[Cruz]

True. I am always looking out for early van stuff I can squirrel away for those inevitable failures