Technical Mystery coolant loss

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Technical Mystery coolant loss

RoyBGood

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My wife's 2002 mk2 Punto was checked by our mechanic as it overheated recently - only one increment from the light coming on! It needed several litres of coolant to get the level back to normal and the mechanic suspected a head gasket issue, but wasn't sure. Due to the cost of fixing this, we had a second opinion and the verdict was head gasket ok. There's still a slight coolant leak - approx. 1/3 of a teacup in over a week, and the car runs fine. There's not been a repeat of the overheating since the level was put right.


If the head gasket was going, I'd expect the running to be affected, but it runs very well (it's only done 55k) and it idles smoothly and picks up normally through all gears.


QUESTIONS:
- If the head gasket IS going, what are the symptoms to look for?
- Any suggestions where to look for coolant leaks?


Thanks
 
Surprised at mechanic didn't know for sure, simple smoke test would confirm 100%. I'm guessing that the radiator on a car of this age may have small leaks & the water simply evaporates away when hot. Inspect the radiator when car is hot, get in there with a good torch. If you're handy with the spanners, an easy job.
 
I was surprised too. Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly do you mean by a 'smoke test'? - can I do check this myself?
 
Yes you can buy a detector kit on the likes of ebay. Handy to have in the tool kit. I can't do links (old git), but look this up on the web, all will be revealed.

Best of luck...:)
 
My old 1.2 stilo had a minor leak.

The bottom of the radiator had kinked (probably dye to a high kirb when i nearly ripped off the front end)...

Anyhow it was so minor that i would very rarley top up the coolant...

On short runs it was fine, on long runs over a month or so i would loose about a quater cup of coolant... it would evaporate along the bottom corners of the rad and leave a purple stain.

Car ran fine, never overheated and never lost cooling quickly.

Once in a blue moon it would leave a tiny blob on the drive and it was purple and tasted / smelt very sweet. No good for the cats!
 
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I'll try the box trick first. I did notice a small pool (approx. 1/2 a teaspoon) of liquid yesterday when I opened the bonnet - it was just below the radiator and sat on the small metal panel below it. I felt under the rad and under the hoses but couldn't feel any wetness.


If it needs a new rad, how much should I expect to pay to get it done?
 
You can buy a full panel with radiator attached for about £50. Then its literally a 20min job to swap out once front bumper is off... i have a spare front panel including both radiators for my Multijet from a donor car so i know how easy it all comes apart :)
 
Make sure the temperature sensor is working and that the fan isn't seized or the bushings gone in the fan.
 
Your mechanic should be doing a cold pressure check of the system with his mitivac or sykes pickavant tool
then as suggested confirm ideally by actuation via eobd that fan actually runs via the ecu when needed
water doesn't just go off on its holidays
most likely spots are bottom right of radiator as you lean in looking
or water pump
or steel pipe to water pump along front of engine
or dread forbid the inside heater matrix
you can change the radiator on most models by removing fan then radiator clips then it literally falls out,nice and easy peasy as ziggy would say
 
Make sure the temperature sensor is working and that the fan isn't seized or the bushings gone in the fan.
Ive just done my summer lube up job on the fan
It sounded awful over winter on the 2 or 3 occassions it did activate
On service it wasnt free at all
Lots of spray lubr into bearings and working them all - allowed the fan to get hot means mine feels free as owt again :)
 
I think jimboy meant a sniff test on the coolant, detects exhaust gases in coolant, if exhaust gases in coolant then it's head gasket problem.
 
I did notice a small pool (approx. 1/2 a teaspoon) of liquid

If you think the head gasket may be iffy - try this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=Fiat+panda+wing&LH_PrefLoc=99&_sadis=50&_fspt=1&_osacat=0&_stpos=ne63+8pw&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR7.TRC2.A0.H0.Xsteel+seal.TRS0&_nkw=steel+seal&_sacat=0

Pour it into the radiator (not the coolant bottle..).

If you think it may be the rad leaking .. try ..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Ce-Lit-Car-Radiator-Rad-Engine-Block-Cooling-System-Stop-Leak-Weld-Sealant-/332064175913?hash=item4d50913729:g:uvsAAOSwEzxYU93V

Celit has been around for 40 years that I know of.
 
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Lots of spray lubr into bearings and working them all - allowed the fan to get hot means mine feels free as owt again :)[/QUOTE]
That's part of the problem. ...they're not bearings on the fan only cheap bushings that dry out!
 
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