coolant leak , seems simple however isnt

I have a coolant leak which looks like it's coming from a loose pipe but I've changed it and it still leaks , I've tightened it but it makes no difference , any ideas , I need this car for a long journey it leaks where it meets the valve that operates the heater control

Perished and running through pipe reinforcement or modify with plumbing parts

are you sure its not the valve it self

Pipe isn't perished , used new pipe same problem , I'll check the valve , causing problem as water is dripping onto plugs

is the valve fully closed? might ease the leak if you opened it

Yeah I'll open it , valve looks like a pain to remove and get a closer look at , I'm assuming you just detatch the cable and rotate valve whilst holding long bolt.

I binned the valve on my series three, leaky horrible things. I think it is 3/8" BSP thread in the block, I used a 3/8 to 1/4 adaptor and a bit of 1/4 BSP pipe/elbow and went direct on to the hose. You can run all year round with the heater connected like this as you only get cab heat with the fan running. If you are fussy a new tap is around £25

my s1 doesn't have a valve and as you say you only get heat when the blower is on, on my s3 the valve is stuck open, have tried to close it with grips but it won't budge so I have just left it like that.


I did notice when I tried to close it some coolant would seep out from the hose joint

Sounds like a leaky valve. Mine leaked less if it was kept fully open but I replaced it in the end.

The valves are a pain in the arse. Might as well remove it, when would you want it blowing cold air out anyway? If it's hot just open the flaps under the screen.

CalumM said:

Might as well remove it, when would you want it blowing cold air out anyway? If it's hot just open the flaps under the screen.

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Nice thing about being able to run the heater blower is to pull cold air into the footwells - quite handy on 80-90F days here. LHD with the exhaust right by the driver's footwell does tend to make things toasty without some supplementary source of air on hot days (like you lot never get).

Alan

My series 2a had a tap near the bulkhead,you had to open the bonnet/hood to turn it on and off.

the need for cold air is country dependent

if its really hot here just whip off the roof, once every 10 years

those valves and taps are just something else to clog up