Loosing Water

[Thurlo Squire]

I am loosing water but my problem is I can't work out where it is coming from as the symptoms are quite strange.

Even in the hot days we have had recently the temperature is fine and the car never gets hot beyond around 90 degrees. When it is hot there is no leak and it can be parked up for hours after a run without a spot of water underneath.

Here's the strange bit:shock::shock:......When I park it up for the night in the garage and everything cools down, each morning I have noticed a small pool of water on the floor below the front of the car underneath the radiator. I would have thought that the leak should be more noticeable when the system is hot and under pressure but I cannot see a single drop.

I am reluctant to put rad weld in given that my cooling system is normally really well behaved and I don't want to do anything that might risk upsetting this but this leak is starting to baffle me. Anyone experienced anything like this?

Nigel

[singapore stag]

imported post

Hi Nigel, I had a leak of a similar sort that does not show under pressure sometimes..have you checked the top hose jubilee clip water can leak out just underneath it, also I fitted a revotec thermo switch and did not realise it had a slight leak once the pressure was off it.....yes it can be simple things of these sort.

[Guest]

imported post

Thurlo Squire wrote:

I am loosing water but my problem is I can't work out where it is coming from as the symptoms are quite strange.

Hi Nigel, my bet is the bottom hose, awkward to get at and often gets ignored, try a new hoseAND newclips. On many rads, the spouts are made of thin metal which can go out of round, easy way to check is to find a close fitting socket that just fits inside. Martin.

[Thurlo Squire]

imported post

Thanks Martin

Tonight I have been around all of the clips at the front of the car to tighten them up. They were tight anyway but no harm in an extra turn as it must be coming from somewhere.Still no sign of water even after a good run again tonight. It will be interesting to see if there is a small pool underneath again in the morning.

Whilst messing tonight thought I would also renew the filters and change the oil so some good work done this evening. Apart from this little leakthe car is running fantastically at the moment.

Nigel

[Thurlo Squire]

imported post

Sorted

When I checked all of the clips last night although I couldn't see any water I lifted the rubber that sits underneath the Kenlowe capillary that passes through the top hose joint and sure enough it was a bit damp:shock::shock::shock:. Can't be sure that is was leaking from there but it now seems likely as there is no small pool of water this morning.

I reckon thatwhen the car was warm the water was evaporating by the time it reached the bottom of the rad. When you stop the system is still under pressure and as the rad cools so the water then just very slowly runs down the rad and across the lip at the bottom of the radiator and drips to the floor. In time I guess it would have started to stain the outside of the rad which would have given further clues.

Nigel