Another weird coolant issue!!

[oddnumber]

Morning all, apologies for polluting the board with yet another issue but I'm properly confused by this.

Changed thermostat and flushed system over the weekend. Had to top up the header after a run, but not too bad. Parked up last night, let it cool right down then checked the level again. Before I did that I glanced underneath for any leaks etc - nothing.

Topped the header tank up a small amount. When brimmed right to the top it drops very slightly after a minute or so - never stays right at the brim. This is the weird thing though - when I looked underneath, there was a dribble of coolant from under the bottom pulley

I'd not started the van, nor spilled any coolant at all. I can't see any leaks either.

Anyone else had this or have an idea where it might be coming from? This van is testing patience already

[Ian Hulley]

Bottom (crankshaft) pulley or water pump pulley ? If the latter then it's the gland in the pump that allows coolant to leak when it's failed.

Ian

[oddnumber]

Thanks Ian - the coolant seems to drip from beneath the crankshaft pulley - can't see it anywhere else. The engine wasn't running either which i considered odd.

[Ian Hulley]

There is a pipe (ok actually a flange short hose and then a pipe) that cross behind the crankshaft pulley, any leak may manifest itself by dripping off the low point ... behind the pulley

Sorry, you have (or should have) the early cooling system where there is a metal pipe with multiple outlests on it that cross above the pulley ... that would be my first port of call.

Ian.

[kevtherev]

indeed there is an O ring that is the usual suspect
I'd be removing the pulley and taking a look

[oddnumber]

Thanks chaps, much appreciated. Would coolant drip from that pipe or its junctions even if not under pressure?

E D I T - just thinking about this further, is it possible that a failing water pump might contribute to my other issue (temp gauge reading higher than usual)?

[Ian Hulley]

is it possible that a failing water pump might contribute to my other issue (temp gauge reading higher than usual)?

It does sound like you have a number of issues, possibly related to the coolant leak and therefore air in the system. Sometimes you just need to strip the thing down and get to the bottom of it ... that said though early waterpump/thermostat housings along with their complex (and frequently rotten) pipework are a minefield.

Ian

[oddnumber]

Thanks Ian - i'll check the pipe behind the crankshaft pulley initially, fingers crossed that I'll spot something there.

What are the symptoms of a failing pump? My rad is getting hot eventually so water is being pumped around.

Interestingly I notice that nowhere has old-styled water pumps available

[Ian Hulley]

Early pump :- http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/t ... early.html

A failed waterpump usually has a dribble of coolant out of the gland on the underside behind the pump pulley.

Ian

PS Here's the pipe I was talking about ... http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/t ... -seal.html

[oddnumber]

Can't believe I missed that!!!

Would a failed pump offer a gradual decrease in efficency or would it be more immediate?


Thanks for your help Ian, you're a star

[Ian Hulley]

Would a failed pump offer a gradual decrease in efficency or would it be more immediate?

It depends how observant you are ... I have known them to slacken off but usually it's either rumbling bearings and no leak (which oddly I've seen on 2 vans recently) or the more common dribble from the gland and the flashing light telling you the coolant in the header tank's down below the sensor.

Ian

[oddnumber]

Awesome, thanks again.

So ... i'll have to repair my coolant level light first so I can keep an eye on my water pump failing

Priorities, priorities!

[Ian Hulley]

Another thought for you ... our's had been creeping up on the guage for the past 2 or 3 years on long summer motorway runs (France and Bashtie mostly) so we swapped the radiator and the difference that's made is quite startling. If somebody's been filling the cooling system up with radweld or other gunge or the system's just generally a bit manky from never changing the anti-freeze that may be blocking the rad up ?

Ian

[oddnumber]

It's certainly a possibility on our van, the coolant was a right old mess. We backflushed it on Saturday though so should, in theory, have gotten rid of most of it. The gauge had sat at about a quarter way up, which is what prompted the thermostat change as I thought it was staying open. New thermostat in and the gauge sits higher now. it could be a faulty thermostat, or the temp gauge is reading high (and the old thermostat worse than I thought).

This dribbling coolant issue is now compounding the problem though!

[Ian Hulley]

It's almost always a case of chasing all the old owner's bodges and neglect out of the system till you know your own van, expensive and time-consuming at the time but well worth it in the end.

Ian