Howdy
I have a small trickle of water reaching the bottom of the engine at the back. Is there anything else apart from a frost plug that this leak could be springing from. I can see water at the bottom of the block, approx in line with 3rd cylinder to left of gearbox.
???.

Is your coolant level dropping at all?


Are you 100% sure it's water and not oil? I assume you have touched it and it's not oily?

Other than the head gasket or core (frost) plug, the only other things that could be causing water in that area are coolant pipes (heater pipes into the bulkhead pass close to the area you mention) or possibly the inlet manifold. I can't remember if the FIRE inlet manifold is water heated or not, but if it is then it is then that is a possible source of the leak. I've just had a look in the Haynes manual and the coolant diagram doesn't show the manifold as being heated by coolant so maybe it's not.

Another possibility may be the windscreen washers? Is the pipe going to the bonnet jet leaking anywhere near the area you have a leak?

If none of the above then I can only suspect core plug or headgasket. As Ucof mentioned above, check your coolant level. If it's dropping constantly then it's almost certainly a core plug or headgasket that's gone.

Let us know how you get on

1986Uno45S said:

....possibly the inlet manifold. I can't remember if the FIRE inlet manifold is water heated or not, but if it is then it is then that is a possible source of the leak.....

Click to expand...

Our 999 FIRE 1.0 i.e. has a water heated inlet
The SPI coolant temp sensor screws into the inlet manifold above that sort of area
It could be leaking from there?

EDIT: Oops
Just re-read your thread
Yours is a Mk1 [from your avatar]
AND you say 3rd cylinder from gearbox...which to my me is cylinder No2
So it could be your heaters pipework leaking....

Cheeers. So going tgo the back of the fire in line with cylinder 2 are heater pipes, frost plug and gasket? These are the 3 things? Its a carb so I don't think it has a water heated inlet manifold.
Cheers for all the info, I think it's time to get in there with a mirror!