water leak

[BaaaadSlider]

Hi i am running a 1.9 watercooled 1985 t25 petrol engine with lpg conversion.
A couple of weeks ago my water light came on and I found the coolant reserve tank was empty and the header tank was half empty. I filled back up the main header tank with coolant and topped up the reserve tank.
Since that day, i keep losing water.
Have checked the main water pipes and nothing is apearant, have tried to stand it on dry ground to see if any pools/drops form, but nothing.
I replaced the coolant header tank cap with an aftermarket cap from brickwerks, now the main header tank has lost about half the water again on two seperate occasions. BUT the reserve tank remains full.
Now before i buy a new header tank and reserve tank and replace the hose part that runs from the header tank to the reserve tank, i wondered what else i could try please?
As said all main water pipes seems dry and nothing has an obvious leak.
Should i have bled the system after the first loss of half tank of water? or should i do it now?
And also my heaters dont seem to be as warm as they normally are, but i know its been very cold and didnt know if that has anything to do with it?
Any help would be greatfully appriciated

[Oldiebut goodie]

Check that the tank sensor isn't leaking - mine has just failed and the water p***es out of the electrical connection!

[BaaaadSlider]

Check that the tank sensor isn't leaking - mine has just failed and the water p***es out of the electrical connection!

ok please could you advise me as to where that is
Blonde female with limited knowledge
Thanks
Katie

[Ian Hulley]

As Mr Oldie says also check the front of the t/stat housing, coolant can run from there onto the exhaust and just disappear and also the mekal pipe along the left side of the engine bay from the pump to the t/stat housing ... these are a failing and may look good as new on the top but be as rotten as a rotten thing underneath and where the likkle pipe comes out at the back at the stat end.

Ian

PS tank sensor is the level sensor which screws into the header tank.

[Hacksawbob]

Might be a small leak that only becomes a leak on high temperature and pressure, ie when van is running the two that I have had were the shoulder of the header tank had a tiny weep as I had over-tightened the cap while hot leading to tiny stress fractures in the bottle. The other was the core plug that is on the underside of the carburettor manifold pipes I needed to get the torch and a mirror out to see where it was coming from. If there is a small leak then the header tank will suck in air on cool down rather than replace lost coolant from top up bottle.

[BaaaadSlider]

thanks for the info, i will have a looksie when poss.
Would a small leak effect my heaters though?
Katie

[Ian Hulley]

There isn't a damp patch inside is there ? Could be the heater core ? Do you have a rear heater as well ?

Ian

[BaaaadSlider]

There isn't a damp patch inside is there ? Could be the heater core ? Do you have a rear heater as well ?

Ian

no damp patches inside (sniggers).
Yes we have a caravell rear heater but nothing damp round that either

[Ian Hulley]

no damp patches inside (sniggers).

Had to ask

[BaaaadSlider]

no damp patches inside (sniggers).

Had to ask

i know

[Hacksawbob]

Heaters could be a separate issue. blocked with something or the vavle above the spare wheel is not operating fully. Maybe an airlock caused by the leaks is affecting the flow rate?

[BaaaadSlider]

There isn't a damp patch inside is there ? Could be the heater core ? Do you have a rear heater as well ?

Ian

Further to my recent thread, the water seemed to have stopped losing as much and was only topping up every 2 weeks but i found a damp patch in front of the rear heater in the van yesterday, what does this mean please?
Thanks
Katie

[Ian Hulley]

Has Will sprung a leak ? OR the rear heater matrix could be fooked

Ian

[BaaaadSlider]

Has Will sprung a leak ? OR the rear heater matrix could be fooked

Ian

I would of questioned the first comment lol but Will wasnt anywhere near the van lol.
Rear matrix? are they easy to replace or best to get rid?
Thanks Ian
Katie

[Ian Hulley]

Rear matrix? are they easy to replace or best to get rid?
Thanks Ian
Katie

Sorry Katie, I've had nothing to do with rear heaters

On the other hand good that Will's watertight

Ian