HELP - Water leak

Post by **nexttouseless** » 13 Jun 2006, 21:36

evening all.
Got a '86 autosleeper with a minor water leak somewhere very central above the exhaust. Trouble is we're away this weekend and the guy that does my servicing is away.
Someone suggested using a bottle of K-Seal (an updated version of Radweld), which should sort out the problem.
Anyone got any experience of using this stuff??????

Thanks

Post by **ermie571** » 13 Jun 2006, 21:46

don't think you are supposed to put anything in the cooling system as it does untold damage bunging everything up.

Anyway, someone will come along to give you the definitive answer - in the meantime, if you search on radweld, you may find your answer.

Good Luck

Emma

Post by **T'Onion** » 13 Jun 2006, 21:48

no to rad weld .. it will take some right washing out ..
have a look at the rad bottle (not the one behind the number plate) could be something as easy as a loose or fubarred cap or the bottle its self .. could be a knackered sender seal

Post by **nexttouseless** » 13 Jun 2006, 21:56

Wow! thanks for the quick responses.
I've had a look under the lid in the boot and there is no sign of anything coming out of the joints around the expansion tank. The only place i could see anything was towards the right hand side where the coolant pipe goes into the engine block.

Post by **T'Onion** » 13 Jun 2006, 22:03

ok as you look into the engine bay (from the rear) which side of the engine ?
are we talking petrol or diesel ?

Post by **nexttouseless** » 13 Jun 2006, 22:11

It's a 1.9 DG petrol.
As you look at it from the back it is the pipe that enters the right hand side cylinder bank, presubably it is either the flow or return for the right hand water jacket( it enters on a tight 'elbow'

Post by **T'Onion** » 13 Jun 2006, 22:19

Ok
could be that the joint has 'furred up' or the clip is furbarred .. or the pipe is on its way out
you could try a new clip if that doesnt help then taking the pipe off and cleaning up the joint would be your next step

Post by **nexttouseless** » 13 Jun 2006, 22:33

does that involve a full drain down (which reading Haynes/Wiki resource sounds a bit daunting as we are away in the van this Friday)?

Post by **Jonni** » 14 Jun 2006, 20:31

I have the exact same van and engine and had a small leak coming out of my expansion tank the other day. It was a really hot day, but I had only done about 5 miles around town. It hasn't happened since, but it hasn't been really hot either, so I reckon the coolant is not being circulated properly, faulty water pump or belt not tenssioned properly. Then again I could be way off beam.

Post by **Dan Wood** » 14 Jun 2006, 20:38

Jonni,

Do you mean expansion tank (left hand side under engine cover), or do you mean the little top up tank behind the number plate?

If it's from the tank behind the number plate, don't worry too much. As the water expands under pressure it goes from the main tank to the little tank. As it cools, it gets sucked back. If you already have some water in the little tank then it could overflow...

Just keep a close eye on the water levels in both tanks for a bit.
If your temperature guage settles to about the same spot once warm, and doesn't fluctuate a lot AND your heater works then things are probably doing what they should.

Post by **nexttouseless** » 15 Jun 2006, 08:19

Thanks everyone.
Think I'll just risk it, and carry a bottle of mixed coolant with me this weekend to top up as it needs it. Heater works fine, temp guage sits bang in the middle of the scale, so it's not looking like overheating at the minute.
last time I topped it up we were away in it and I used a high concentration of anti freeze. I'm told that this higher concentration is more likely to find any little leaks, so perhaps it's just my fault for being overcautious last time round.

Anyway back to the original question.... Would anybody recomend the use of 'K-Seal' (similar to radweld), for sealing minor coolant leaks??

Post by **TYG** » 15 Jun 2006, 10:53

Would anybody recomend the use of 'K-Seal' (similar to radweld), for sealing minor coolant leaks??

personally i would sort the leak , putting rad weld in will cog up your rad and cause you more problems

Post by **kevtherev** » 15 Jun 2006, 12:46

I wouldn't recommend it's use apart from tipped into a ramblers flask

Post by **nexttouseless** » 15 Jun 2006, 14:57

Thanks guys.
Suppose i'll just have to get off my a**e and do a proper job