Water loss / Sparky

[Jonathan]

I'm losing water at a low rate, can't determine where, sitting in the garage and no puddles, but one thing I do notice is the amount of water in the exhaust at start.

I've always had whats seems to be water in the exhaust but then again it has been very damp / cold here.

Any immediate ideas ?

Hoping not another cracked inlet manifold !

Or leaking rad for that matter.

I've looked everywhere for it but it's so slight, much worse when the engine runs as well.

I was hoping to get as C service done this year (hence the sparky bit) and wondered if there might be an opportunity to look closer then.

[red vtec]

Have you checked that the caps are on tight on the expansion bottles? mine was lossing coolant, turned out the cap was not on tight so it was steaming off slowly.

[Loose Cannon]

I'm getting the same thing Jon, the low coolant light was flashing on downhill braking at the weekend, despite the level looking OK in the bottle. Also noticed a smell of antifreeze in the garage tonight, though can't check for drips as the garage roof is peeing in and the floor is covered. Noticed some residue in the bottle and cacked myself at the thought of a head gasket, but on the fingertips it was hard and blueish in colour - copper from the radiator?

[silverfrost]

Hi,

The blue on your fingertips will just sounds like crstalized dry coolant, should be no dramas, when was your coolant last changed, if you source your leak may be worth changing your coolant with an flush out prior to that,

Jonathan not sure how dry your garage floor is but i always run the car up to operating temprature and i have a habit of putting large cut up cardboard boxes underneath,loads of them like a carpet that way its clean to climb about underneath which is nice and also shows any drips that make it easy to source.

Regards danny

[arbell9]

Get new cap as stated above, mine lsot water until i replaced it on an NMEG hoon last year.

[Jonathan]

It is pushing water through to the 2ndry tank, I do a series of about 8 fluid checks every 2-3 months and write down (anal but good for refrence) but it's not overflowing.

Perhaps coolant over-pressure's into it and then sucks back ?

It is a new cap, slightly less pressure than the original but never had issues before, had it on for ages.

I like the cardboard idea, I'll run the old girl up tomorrow in the garage and check on it when it's hot.

Thanks for the suggestions

[Jonathan]

Righty, I've just done the cardboard trick etc. Found an oil leak from the sump plug LOL, but no water leak.

Good suggestion on the cap, noticed when I reved the engine at about 3K at working temperature the overflow tank was full. It's clearly coming from there but drawing back less than what it's putting in which is why I haven't noticed it until now !

Just left it to soak, engine off before the fans cut in and see what we get but it's def risen about 2" on the previous mark, and higher from there.

I reakon if I drain that tank down and re-run it I wont find a problem, at least for a dozen journeys or so.

My cap is 1 PSI under the rating, the original is 16psi - annoying becasue it's a nice chromed one - I wonder if I can put a small rubber spacer in there to pack the spring slightly ?

Thanks for the advice, happy it's not a fault fault if you know what I mean.