micaela_durant
02-07-2004, 00:13
I know this isn't directly 200SX related but I just posted the below on Rovertech and thought it a timely warning for everyone as I almost copped a huge bill...
Malcolm (Micaela's hubby)
_________
Lifted the bonnet on my 820 Vitesse Sport yesterday and realised my coolant had dropped a hell of a lot over the past week (350ish miles). The reservoir was almost empty in fact...
Much digging around revealed my head-gasket was still intact and there were two pretty innocuous looking weeping leaks that were the cause;
1. The coolant reservoir was weeping from the seam but you could only see this from a muddy stain on one bit; conveniently the bit almost hidden by the inner wing. Usefully, it doesn't leak unless it is pressurised but it is a steady trickle...
2. A large-bore rubber hose that runs from the water-pump along the base of the radiator to a metal pipe had been abrading against the asbestos heat-shield protecting the radiator-fan motor from the turbo's heat; it had turned part of the hose porous. This only showed as a weep after a run...look too soon and the resdiual heat will evaporate the leaking water; look too late and the hose will have "resealed" and there's nothing to tell you it's leaking...
Sorting the coolant reservior was easy. Trip to a breakers relieved a KV6 825 of an exceptionally clean tank.
However I couldn't find an 820 (turbo or non-turbo) in a breakers in Eastbourne and not wanting to cook my engine, I tried MG Rover themselves as I often get trade prices there. They ordered up the appropriate pipe only to find out that thanks to the transfer of parts supply from Unipart to Catapiller the hose is currently unobtainable. Had the same hassle with my exhaust...
Have bodged on a vaguely similar length of hose from a Sierra (fooking tight squeeze although it looked okay at first and my arms are shagged by the asbestos rubbing against them ) but it will last about a week. The hose is much too curvy and now rests right against the asbestos heat-shield. Off to breakers in Hastings tomorrow...top way to spend the last couple of day's of my holiday...
Lesson...especially in the heat check your cooling system really, really carefully for leaks.
Malcolm (Micaela's hubby)
_________
Lifted the bonnet on my 820 Vitesse Sport yesterday and realised my coolant had dropped a hell of a lot over the past week (350ish miles). The reservoir was almost empty in fact...
Much digging around revealed my head-gasket was still intact and there were two pretty innocuous looking weeping leaks that were the cause;
1. The coolant reservoir was weeping from the seam but you could only see this from a muddy stain on one bit; conveniently the bit almost hidden by the inner wing. Usefully, it doesn't leak unless it is pressurised but it is a steady trickle...
2. A large-bore rubber hose that runs from the water-pump along the base of the radiator to a metal pipe had been abrading against the asbestos heat-shield protecting the radiator-fan motor from the turbo's heat; it had turned part of the hose porous. This only showed as a weep after a run...look too soon and the resdiual heat will evaporate the leaking water; look too late and the hose will have "resealed" and there's nothing to tell you it's leaking...
Sorting the coolant reservior was easy. Trip to a breakers relieved a KV6 825 of an exceptionally clean tank.
However I couldn't find an 820 (turbo or non-turbo) in a breakers in Eastbourne and not wanting to cook my engine, I tried MG Rover themselves as I often get trade prices there. They ordered up the appropriate pipe only to find out that thanks to the transfer of parts supply from Unipart to Catapiller the hose is currently unobtainable. Had the same hassle with my exhaust...
Have bodged on a vaguely similar length of hose from a Sierra (fooking tight squeeze although it looked okay at first and my arms are shagged by the asbestos rubbing against them ) but it will last about a week. The hose is much too curvy and now rests right against the asbestos heat-shield. Off to breakers in Hastings tomorrow...top way to spend the last couple of day's of my holiday...
Lesson...especially in the heat check your cooling system really, really carefully for leaks.