With engine cold make sure coolant level is above minimum. Use car until engine is hot and you'll see the level rises. This is normal.

If you set the level to full with the engine cold the excess coolant will be blown out of the system as it expands with temperature. The level will then be lower when the engine has cooled down.

Take the car to any good independent mechanic. They will do the professional tests - compression, hydrocarbons in coolant, UV stains and Mk1 eyeball.


There will be costs associated. If the car is found to be all good you pay those costs. If its not you get an estimate for repairs and talk to the seller.

Fingers crossed it hasn't lost any water in the last few days ,the mechanic thinks it was air in the system as if it had been drained and refilled ,the dealer says they didn't do any work on it so I'm just keeping an eye on it for now .Thanks for all your help.

There is a bleed screw in the heater hose, near the bulkhead. Open it with care, as they can break easily.
With engine hot, allow all the air out, taking care not to scald yourself.
There's another bleed screw in the top of the radiator. Take care of this one too.
Both bleed screws are plastic, and they get hot and cold, and get brittle.

Thanks I'll do that .

If a bleed screw breaks they can be removed with a left had drill. A normal drill will turn the broken fragment until it drops into the pipe. This is not ideal but not really a problem - the thread is standard M6 so you can use a short stainless socket head screw and washer.

Vancam said:

Fingers crossed it hasn't lost any water in the last few days ,the mechanic thinks it was air in the system as if it had been drained and refilled ,the dealer says they didn't do any work on it ..

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If only I had thought of that..

Vancam said:

Thanks I'll do that .

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If the level stabilises.. and the heater gets HOT.

Personally I would leave well alone.

You tinkering..and potentially breaking things..

Wont do a potential warranty claim any favours