hey guys i really need your help
on my mk1 punto the coolant on the radiator keeps dropping quickly two things i need help with
how do i find the leak or the problem with it whatever it may be and also what should i keep topping it up with in the mean time

please help

cheers
jake

could be the head gasket inlet gasket or one of the bleeding screws are loose mine kept dropping due to the head gasket the problem is now solved fore me hope this helps

If you can't spot the leak (run the car up to temperature and crawl underneath it with the engine running), suspect head gasket failure. A compression test will reveal all.

Most likely sources for a "hidden" leak on a FIRE engine are the water pump, the water rail at the front of the engine (or the O ring which seals it to the water pump), or corroded core plugs.

To top up, use a 50/50 inhibited anti freeze and water mix. If the level drops below the minimum mark, bleed the cooling system after topping up.

Heres the deal, Ive might have had the same problem, the radiator was leacking on my fiesta a bit, the service man told me to buy a new wan over 200 euros, but a friend of mine told me bout Sonax Radiator Sealant might work, he got success for 3 years with that stuff...so here we go :idea: Ive put it and 2 years and counting no problems here )))
Also put new and a bit CONCETRATED antifreeze in the coolant, thats change it be4 you put the Radiator Sealant, it worked for me 100%

Cheers, and good luck.
ps. I got punto. also :devil:

I'd never use radiator sealant in any car I intended to keep. Can clog up the water passages dreadfully. Sometimes they seem to use a soluble oil which doesn't exactly help cooling. Rads are cheap!

fingers99 said:

I'd never use radiator sealant in any car I intended to keep. Can clog up the water passages dreadfully. Sometimes they seem to use a soluble oil which doesn't exactly help cooling. Rads are cheap!

Click to expand...

well i presume its a matter of opinion, Im very pleased and supprised of Sonax Radiator Sealent... The the (concetrated a bit, not to put the whole concetrated bottle in it) antifreeze and the sealent did the job like a charm, and the the whole system is good, also the mechanic was like :O he didnt belive it, never the less for bigger leaks you should replace the whole thing, mine was very small...

Glad it worked for you, but, all said and done, it's a bodge.

Basic sealants like Barrs Leaks are ok but cant be trusted long term. The so called hitech selants alleged to seal head gaskets are very bad news. They can permanently clog the waterways water pump etc and probably wont seal the blown head gasket.

The best option is to drain the coolant and refill with water. If the level keeps dropping with no signs of leaks its the head gasket. Water wont damage the Lambda and catalyst like coolant. Cylinder compression tests will confirm if the HG has failed.

If the HG is not leaking, chemical flush the cooling system with RadFlush and replace anything that leaks afterwards. This not as daft as it sounds because thiose parts have already failed and be about to let you down on the road somewhere.

Replace the parts and pour in 2 litres of red coolant. Top up with water and bleed it properly.