I have a small water leak

[Kimbers]

Dammit all to hell! Drove my S4 to work today to get it pro-valeted by one of our cleaners and after an hour I have a large (1ft) pool of coolant under the car.

I have spoken to Troy but anyone else got any thoughts?

It's in a strange place, towards the front of the engine bay, about central (if you look under the car it's just about infront of the rear wheels and an inch or 2 off to the O/S).

Any similar experiences?

On the positive side, one of our top technicians is called Jon Becker and is the only offspring of Roger Becker not working at Lotus so he'll have a look later, but if I can't find it my first major hoon with LEF may be over before it's begun!

[Guest Troy Halliday]

That definately sounds like it's coming out of the expansion tank pipe.

[iainskea]

Sounds near the water pump...maybe a hose touching a belt has cut through?

Need to start praying - that is, get in the boot with a torch and ly over the engine and peek down at the pump.

Iain

Edited November 2, 2007 by iainskea

[Kimbers]

Thanks mate, will let you know as soon as Jon's checked it. Could it be an airlock thats forcing the water out of the overflow?

[Bibs]

The vent to atmosphere overflow is behind the rear n/s wheel.

[Guest Troy Halliday]

The pipe that runs from the header tank to the expansion tank runs over the top of the airbox to the n/s. One was replaced due to it breaking down. It may need a tightening down a bit or the other pipe may have followed suit with the pipe that was replaced.

None of the other pipes were disturbed, so other than untimely failure I can't see it being one of those.

Here you go mate this may help while your having a look about.

[Simon350S]

Just keep topping her up...........

Seriously though.......

It ain't gonna be anything all that important or difficult to fix...... unless its your water pump itself thats failed......

I'm sure your man will have her sorted before you've finished for the day.....!!!

Simon

[russellbosier]

I had the chargecooler to header tank hose perrish. It was leaking where it connected to the header tank and produced an 'at first worrying' pool a similar size on the garage floor. A quick investigation found the cause and a very simple fix. Hope you find somethng as simple.

Russell.

[Kimbers]

OK,

So both expansion tank for coolant and the Chargecooler tank are down again.....crikey! Whats going on? More airlocks?

Anyway, having to take a trip over to Wilco to get yet more Extreme Green as it's down to about a 20% mix in there now.....quick question. DO you put the same Xtreme Green in the Chargecooler top up?

[Bibs]

So long as you don't mix coolant and stick with extreme green you'll be fine.

Bit odd that both are dropping, they are entirely separate circuits!

[Kimbers]

I know! Go figure!!

I think the Chargecooler is just filling up airgaps as it's not too bad. Am stumped to the water leak tho. They guys are gonna have a play on the ramps with it after closing time, means I get it cheap......I can think of worse people to be looking at my car than a Becker! B)

[russellbosier]

I could wrong here, but isnt the header tank common for both circuits on the S4, so it could point to a leak around the header tank.

[Bibs]

It's an early S4 so separate tanks.

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Simple answer is yes.

Ok if the chargecooler level is down this could be that the run has flushed the system through or that the connections onto the chargecooler pump need tightening. There were no leaks from the pump on the test runs so as you say it may be a an airlock, which is one of the reasons I advised you to check on it a few times after the service.

Here is a pic of the bleed plug.

You say the fluid is down to 20%, does that mean you have put 3Litres of water in there. If so that is some leak and no way an air lock.

[Guest Steve L]

I thought only the Space Ship Enterprize (and submarines) had air locks that big.

[Kimbers]

Troy

Maybe I should say that I guessed it would be down to about that by now. I've filled the expansion tank up twice now. How much is that? I have about half a tank to put in again now, so was assuming that it would be best to put a 50/50 mix back in.

[Guest Troy Halliday]

From completely empty the header tank is 1L, and yes it is always best to top up with a 50/50 mix.

[Jonathan]

You haven't got a rusted tank have you ?

I got shot of the SE one right away - it's terrible !

If it's not rusted to hell pumping all sorts of crap around the system, its corroded right through esp if someone didn't use the right mix.

Conversion to single tank is really easy - if I had another I'd do that as the 1st job.

Water leaks are a pain (I know got 2 on mine) because you know without coolant the car is shagged - not so bad with a front engine as the airflow helps somewhat but where ours is it doesn't take long to cook.

[Advantage]

Sounds like you've bought a shed, Tony. Never mind, I'll give you a tenner for it.....

[Bibs]

[Simon350S]

[Kimbers]

Piss off the lot of you. She's mine and I wouldn't part with her for 100,000.....well actually....any way just had her paintwork cutback, polished and colour waxed. She's looking stunning!! Now just the damned water issue!

[Tentenths]

Talking of the water issue...

Want me to borrow one of these from Colchester Garrison for the weekend?

Just trying to help!

[Kimbers]

[WayneB]

Hmmm, 14 year old car with probably its original hoses.

Could it be one of them is knackered?

Probably the one under the inlet manifold that goes to the back of the water pump (b*stard to get at) the coolant runs down the side of the block behind the A/C compressor

The suspense is killing me, please reveal all.

Edited November 2, 2007 by WayneB