Technical Bravo 2.0 Coolant Leak

[quilterconnor]

Afternoon all,
I've been struggling with a coolant leak over the past few weeks in my 2.0 Bravo. The leak is coming out of the front of the engine block, to the right of the exhaust manifold, right under the dipstick. I can see exactly where the leak is (as I used some K-seal to try and fix it, which failed but at least left some red residue to highlight the leak), but I can't seal it.

I've tried multiple different epoxy putties and coolant additives like K-seal and others to seal it but to no avail. Before I put the epoxy putty on it I could see a very small hairline crack in the part that I've highlighted in the images. The part feels metallic to me, possibly black anodized aluminium? I have no idea what this part could be... I've contacted several fiat breakers and no one has the 2.0 litre engine in stock for me to try and find the part.

At first I could make it a few days without topping up the coolant. However I now have to add 1.5 litres of water every time I want to drive it which is getting a bit ridiculous as I need the car daily.

I'm hoping there's one of you clever folk out there that could tell me what this part is so I can continue my search for parts at least knowing what I'm looking for. And I am also welcome to suggestions on better ways to seal the existing leak.

Open to any input and suggestions

(my mechanic keeps telling me to scrap my car and get a Focus or something boring like that, but I have the 2.0 Bravo with full-leather interior in Maserati Blue and I would hate to scrap such a great car because of a stupid coolant leak).

Thanks again in advance!

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi

Is this a 2.0 m.jet diesel?

I am thinking maybe its a cooler.. but ideally you want access to the ePER parts system

 

[quilterconnor]

Hi

Is this a 2.0 m.jet diesel?

I am thinking maybe its a cooler.. but ideally you want access to the ePER parts system

Yes the 2.0 mjet sport diesel

I'm not familiar with ePER. Is this something I could have my mechanic look up for me?

 

[varesecrazy]

I have to ask..

If youve got a mechanic:
Dont they know what the part is?
Havent they tried to check the actual leakpath??

ePER is the official FIAT group parts system

But the forums version is OLD

 

[varesecrazy]

Is this your style of motor.. with the black gridded component the item in question ?

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

FIAT CROMA TURBO DS FL.90 (1990-1996)

eper.fiatforum.com

 

[quilterconnor]

I have to ask..

If youve got a mechanic:
Dont they know what the part is?
Havent they tried to check the actual leakpath??

ePER is the official FIAT group parts system

But the forums version is OLD

haha, that is a very valid question. The long story short is I have my preferred mechanic from where I grew up who knows my family quite well. I had my car in with him for an MOT a few weeks after the leak started. He suggested using the k-seal as at that time the location of the leak was unknown, and he made the assumption that whatever was leaking would be costly to repair if sourced directly from Fiat (he made this assumption based on the fact that a few years ago we got a quote from Fiat for a new front offside hub for over £3000).

The k-seal slowed the leak for a while but didn't fix it in the end, and I haven't had the car back with him since I discovered the exact location of the leak (thanks to the k-seal). Unfortunately the mechanic who's been working on my bravo since I bought it (over 6 years ago) and knows it better than I do is in North Wales where I grew up, which is about a 2 hour drive for me. Which means for me to book it in with him I have to take time off work for a long weekend, and I haven't been able to get the time off as of late.

I suppose now that I know where the leak is coming from he'd have a better chance of finding the part than I would, but if his assumption is right about Fiat, it won't be available off the shelf and will need ordering at what I can only assume will be dear. Although if anyone knows this not to be the case I would love to be corrected!

Hope that kind of made sense.

Either way, a quick google search for ePER resulted in a cool parts finder. Haven't taken too long to browse it but I will do now!

 

[quilterconnor]

Is this your style of motor.. with the black gridded component the item in question ?

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

FIAT CROMA TURBO DS FL.90 (1990-1996)

eper.fiatforum.com

Apologies, not sure what you mean by your style of motor, but yes the black gridded thing in the photos is the item in question.

I guess I was pretty naïve to assume there was only one 2.0 litre variant, but according to ePER there are many!

I filled in my car details as best I could and this is where it brought me on the website I found:
2010 Bravo 2.0 Multijet Sport 165 198 Diesel

The link above didn't take me to the page that I intended it to, but that is the data I used to find my engine. I had a photo of my VIN but I can't seem to find it right now, will grab a new one in the morning.

 

[jackwhoo]

Thermostat housing Fiat Ducato 2.0 D 115 Multijet - 552756650 250A1000

Used Thermostat housing with part number 55275665 Engine code 250A1000 with part number 55275665 Months of warranty 3 mo., Year of construction 2013, Classification code B1, Type of engine Diesel (Turbo), Engine capacity 2,000 cc, Gearbox 5-speed, Odometer reading 84,684 km Offered by Maresia Parts

www.proxyparts.com

The pictures may help , the part numbers quoted may not be correct

 

[quilterconnor]

Thermostat housing Fiat Ducato 2.0 D 115 Multijet - 552756650 250A1000

Used Thermostat housing with part number 55275665 Engine code 250A1000 with part number 55275665 Months of warranty 3 mo., Year of construction 2013, Classification code B1, Type of engine Diesel (Turbo), Engine capacity 2,000 cc, Gearbox 5-speed, Odometer reading 84,684 km Offered by Maresia Parts

www.proxyparts.com

The pictures may help , the part numbers quoted may not be correct

Ahh yes, the pictures look very similar! I had an inkling it could have been the thermostat housing, but that was based on nothing more than a hunch so it's nice to see some physical evidence! Thanks so much!

 

[quilterconnor]

Just in case it helps anyone:
VIN: ZFA19800004275255
Engine: 198A5000
Parts no.: 4275772

You've all been super helpful so far thanks a million!

 

[jayart]

Afternoon all,
I've been struggling with a coolant leak over the past few weeks in my 2.0 Bravo. The leak is coming out of the front of the engine block, to the right of the exhaust manifold, right under the dipstick. I can see exactly where the leak is (as I used some K-seal to try and fix it, which failed but at least left some red residue to highlight the leak), but I can't seal it.

I've tried multiple different epoxy putties and coolant additives like K-seal and others to seal it but to no avail. Before I put the epoxy putty on it I could see a very small hairline crack in the part that I've highlighted in the images. The part feels metallic to me, possibly black anodized aluminium? I have no idea what this part could be... I've contacted several fiat breakers and no one has the 2.0 litre engine in stock for me to try and find the part.

At first I could make it a few days without topping up the coolant. However I now have to add 1.5 litres of water every time I want to drive it which is getting a bit ridiculous as I need the car daily.

I'm hoping there's one of you clever folk out there that could tell me what this part is so I can continue my search for parts at least knowing what I'm looking for. And I am also welcome to suggestions on better ways to seal the existing leak.

Open to any input and suggestions

(my mechanic keeps telling me to scrap my car and get a Focus or something boring like that, but I have the 2.0 Bravo with full-leather interior in Maserati Blue and I would hate to scrap such a great car because of a stupid coolant leak).

Thanks again in advance!

Hi, did you find out what that part was called. I wonder if that's where I've got a leak from. Thanks in advance.
Regards Jason

 

[quilterconnor]

Morning Jason,
I did find out thank you! The part is the EGR cooler cover. I found one on ebay for £29.99 and had it repaired in around 2 hours. Could probably be done in an hour if you know what you're doing.

Here's the link to what I bought:

EGR VALVE COOLER POT REPAIR KIT FOR FIAT BRAVO DOBLO FREEMONT PUNTO IDEA SEDICI | eBay

EGR VALVE COOLER POT REPAIR KIT FOR FIAT BRAVO DOBLO FREEMONT PUNTO IDEA SEDICI.

www.ebay.co.uk

My coolant was leaking for weeks before I knew where the leak was coming from. I put some RadSeal into my coolant to try and fix it. While it slowed the leak for around a week, it did not fix it, but it did show me exactly where the leak was coming from. I attempted, numerous times, to patch it with epoxy putty and the likes, which never worked, but as I couldn't find the right part, I figured this was the best route. It wasn't. I let the leak continue for far too long which ultimately caused another leak from my radiator as a result of frequent overheating. Replacing the radiator was an absolute pain, 100x worse than changing the cooler cover, so I'd suggest finding out where your leak is coming from ASAP before any further damage is caused.

If your car is leaking from the cooler, here's a quick heads up of what to expect if you're wanting to tackle it yourself:

There are 5 machine screws holding the cover in place, 4 around the perimeter and one that is around 10cm into the plastic through an opening in the front. Not bad to get to with an extender. I believe they are T30 torx screws, but don't quote me on that.

To get better access to it I suggest removing the high-pressure air pipe leading into the top-right of the engine, mine was fastened with a couple of hex-key screws. This is a rigid plastic pipe, around 2 foot long, connected to a rubber pipe by a factory jubilee clip. You'll need a flat head screwdriver to pry open the jubilee clip (this can be done from the top of the car) and then you'll have to replace the jubilee clip with a standard one when you're done, as the factory one is crimped on. I also suggest removing the heat shields from the exhaust manifold. It's just 2 covers and a handful of bolts, with one nut on the front of the manifold that is easily forgotten. Some people suggested removing the battery, but I didn't find this necessary.

With these removed (should take like 10 minutes if you know where everything is) you can start removing the cooler. If you haven't drained your coolant already, then I'd suggest removing your undertray and placing something to catch the coolant in your system (you want your undertray off for the last few screws anyway). (I found draining the system like this easier than accessing the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator, but that's just me). The top 2 screws are best accessed from engine bay, and middle screw, buried within the part, is fiddly, but can also be accessed from here. Then the bottom 2 screws are best accessed from beneath the vehicle (but may be possible from the top if you're particularly skilled). Make sure your car is on proper jackstands if you're climbing under there. Before the cover will come free there are a couple of (what I assume are) vacuum hoses attached. These just pull straight out, but take note of where they belong so you can put them back!

The new part comes with a new seal, make sure to use this. The EGR cooler itself is just freestanding within the cover, so put this in the new cover before reinserting, and make sure to give everything a good clean with some part cleaner too. bolt the cover back on, attach the vacuum hoses. Then put your boost pipe back on with your new jubilee clip, put the undertray and exhaust manifold heat shields back on, fill up your coolant and then the job should be a good'n!

It's been a few months since I did this job myself, so I very well could have missed out some important details, but I think you get the idea! It's definitely a job I can recommend is doable for amateurs (as I myself am one). I'll do my best to reply to any questions you may have too if you do decide to tackle it!

Good luck,
Connor

 

[eeeno]

Personally I'd never let that mechanic even touch my car if he had recommended using K-seal. Only a very poor mechanic would recommend anything like that. I'm afraid that it will cause bigger issues within the cooling system now and the cost will be higher. On top of that you should never drive a car which leaves puddles behind, adding 1,5 litres of coolant is a major leak and it is a miracle that it hasn't over-heated just yet. Good luck.

 

[jayart]

Morning Jason,
I did find out thank you! The part is the EGR cooler cover. I found one on ebay for £29.99 and had it repaired in around 2 hours. Could probably be done in an hour if you know what you're doing.

Here's the link to what I bought:

EGR VALVE COOLER POT REPAIR KIT FOR FIAT BRAVO DOBLO FREEMONT PUNTO IDEA SEDICI | eBay

EGR VALVE COOLER POT REPAIR KIT FOR FIAT BRAVO DOBLO FREEMONT PUNTO IDEA SEDICI.

www.ebay.co.uk

My coolant was leaking for weeks before I knew where the leak was coming from. I put some RadSeal into my coolant to try and fix it. While it slowed the leak for around a week, it did not fix it, but it did show me exactly where the leak was coming from. I attempted, numerous times, to patch it with epoxy putty and the likes, which never worked, but as I couldn't find the right part, I figured this was the best route. It wasn't. I let the leak continue for far too long which ultimately caused another leak from my radiator as a result of frequent overheating. Replacing the radiator was an absolute pain, 100x worse than changing the cooler cover, so I'd suggest finding out where your leak is coming from ASAP before any further damage is caused.

If your car is leaking from the cooler, here's a quick heads up of what to expect if you're wanting to tackle it yourself:

There are 5 machine screws holding the cover in place, 4 around the perimeter and one that is around 10cm into the plastic through an opening in the front. Not bad to get to with an extender. I believe they are T30 torx screws, but don't quote me on that.

To get better access to it I suggest removing the high-pressure air pipe leading into the top-right of the engine, mine was fastened with a couple of hex-key screws. This is a rigid plastic pipe, around 2 foot long, connected to a rubber pipe by a factory jubilee clip. You'll need a flat head screwdriver to pry open the jubilee clip (this can be done from the top of the car) and then you'll have to replace the jubilee clip with a standard one when you're done, as the factory one is crimped on. I also suggest removing the heat shields from the exhaust manifold. It's just 2 covers and a handful of bolts, with one nut on the front of the manifold that is easily forgotten. Some people suggested removing the battery, but I didn't find this necessary.

With these removed (should take like 10 minutes if you know where everything is) you can start removing the cooler. If you haven't drained your coolant already, then I'd suggest removing your undertray and placing something to catch the coolant in your system (you want your undertray off for the last few screws anyway). (I found draining the system like this easier than accessing the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator, but that's just me). The top 2 screws are best accessed from engine bay, and middle screw, buried within the part, is fiddly, but can also be accessed from here. Then the bottom 2 screws are best accessed from beneath the vehicle (but may be possible from the top if you're particularly skilled). Make sure your car is on proper jackstands if you're climbing under there. Before the cover will come free there are a couple of (what I assume are) vacuum hoses attached. These just pull straight out, but take note of where they belong so you can put them back!

The new part comes with a new seal, make sure to use this. The EGR cooler itself is just freestanding within the cover, so put this in the new cover before reinserting, and make sure to give everything a good clean with some part cleaner too. bolt the cover back on, attach the vacuum hoses. Then put your boost pipe back on with your new jubilee clip, put the undertray and exhaust manifold heat shields back on, fill up your coolant and then the job should be a good'n!

It's been a few months since I did this job myself, so I very well could have missed out some important details, but I think you get the idea! It's definitely a job I can recommend is doable for amateurs (as I myself am one). I'll do my best to reply to any questions you may have too if you do decide to tackle it!

Good luck,
Connor

Hi Connor, absolutely amazing reply. I have had a coolant leak for some time, only slow, but it has increased in speed from a small top up every couple of weeks to half a litre every 4 or 5 days. Pretty sure I saw dripping from this plastic body. But as you say not easy to determine what exactly it was. Surprised it turned out to be egr cooler as egr is half way down at the back of the engine. I might change it anyway just for the laughs, not got the damage that yours had, well not obvious, must be cracked where i can't see. I also had a low oil pressure alarm too but so long back, so took off the sump to replace a rubber seal from oil pick up. Saw nothing obvious but cured alarm. Enjoyed the job as it allowed to see the bottom of the pistons, and cambelt needed changing too. Big job but do all my own work. Cheaper and I know what has been done. Thanks for the listing I'll get one ordered for that price don't matter either way. Thanks again.
Regards Jason