Hidden coolant leak L322 4.4

This may help

R/R L322 heater blend problem

Also from another Saint How To (http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f71/how-4-4-v8-pcv-valve-replacement-214983.html):





Charlie

Sorry, heater matrix / heater core same thing, if you have access to a IR thermometer it could save you some time, you'll be able to point it at the various hoses and hopefully get a reliable reading of their temperature. Maybe someone here with better computer skills can post a flow diagram of the cooling system so you know where to look.
I'm more familiar with the P38 system as thankfully our L322 is behaving, but have you also checked that there are no leaks to the interior - from the heater which again may be masked by the location?

forthbridge said:

Sorry, heater matrix / heater core same thing, if you have access to a IR thermometer it could save you some time, you'll be able to point it at the various hoses and hopefully get a reliable reading of their temperature. Maybe someone here with better computer skills can post a flow diagram of the cooling system so you know where to look.
I'm more familiar with the P38 system as thankfully our L322 is behaving, but have you also checked that there are no leaks to the interior - from the heater which again may be masked by the location?

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Can't find any water inside. A little damp under the floormat but its been pouring down for 3 weeks.

The saint link gave me a guide to pcv replacement?

How do I do the actual flushing of the matrix? I dont think it leaks so would hate to pull the dash apart. I have no apparent coolant in the cabin, no smell of coolant either, and I pressuretestet the system when this started and there was no leak then.

I am going out trying to bleed the damn thing again afterwards. Sorry for going on and on and complaining about this, but labour at a garage in norway is 120£ at the cheapest garage, and 220£ at an LR cert. garage. And I have no garantee they will find it, so if they spend 10 hours fault seeking it will cost me 1200-2000£.

MariusRR said:

The saint link gave me a guide to pcvreplacement?

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Yes it is for the PCV valve but it shows the pollen filter housing removed so you can gain access to the heater matrix and the bonnet in service mode.

MariusRR said:

How do I do the actual flushing of the matrix?

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Basically disconnect the pipes (the ones I drew the circle round in saints picture and flush it with a hose. Ideally warm up the hose and securely clip it over the inlet so you get full mains pressure pumping through it.

If you want to be super keen you could constantly pump vinegar round it but that will probably be overkill. I use an old pond pump.

This video (it's not a Speilberg) shows the exciting outcome of a flush:



Tools required:

1) A flat head screwdriver to undo the pipe clips
2) A hose connected to mains water - or higher pressure if possible

How to put the bonnet in service mode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3It-Kjdw0f0


Charlie

charliedurrant said:

Yes it is for the PCV valve but it shows the pollen filter housing removed so you can gain access to the heater matrix and the bonnet in service mode.



Basically disconnect the pipes (the ones I drew the circle round in saints picture and flush it with a hose. Ideally warm up the hose and securely clip it over the inlet so you get full mains pressure pumping through it.

If..........

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Not my picture Charlie!!

Think that is from Deasy's PCV Post in the How To Section....

Heres Mine....

Brilliant!

I will get this done this weekend. Will an ordinary garden hose do the trick?

I will take out the water control valve and clean it. I have taken it out before, but the torx were corroded, so I gave up. So gotta find a way to get them of and find out were I can get new screws.

The engine temp is stable everyday. So I believe this is something to do with water control valve, heater matrix, or maybe auxiliary pump (but doubt it).

I will owe you the greatest of thanks when this is sorted. Driving in cold rain with a cold car is the worst. It is a fascinating way to ruin ones mood.

MariusRR said:

Brilliant!

I will get this done this weekend. Will an ordinary garden hose do the trick?

I will take out the water control valve and clean it. I have taken it out before, but the torx were corroded, so I gave up. So gotta find a way to get them of and find out were I can get new screws.

The engine temp is stable everyday. So I believe this is something to do with water control valve, heater matrix, or maybe auxiliary pump (but doubt it).

I will owe you the greatest of thanks when this is sorted. Driving in cold rain with a cold car is the worst. It is a fascinating way to ruin ones mood.

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Been way to much to do at work the last two weeks to get anything done, but was gonna get going today. BUt. I drove out to fix something and had a mate with me. He said it smelt of coolant from the front of the car. I then checked. Popped the hood. No smell from the engine it self, but smells of coolant from the radiator. And if you smell through the front grill the smell of coolant is def. there. Could all this be a radiator issue? I pressuretested the car this spring and it didnt show up there, but after what I gather a pressuretest is no sure way to find a radiator leak? I checked the servicehistory and its never been changed.

MariusRR said:

Been way to much to do at work the last two weeks to get anything done, but was gonna get going today. BUt. I drove out to fix something and had a mate with me. He said it smelt of coolant from the front of the car. I then checked. Popped the hood. No smell from the engine it self, but smells of coolant from the radiator. And if you smell through the front grill the smell of coolant is def. there. Could all this be a radiator issue? I pressuretested the car this spring and it didnt show up there, but after what I gather a pressuretest is no sure way to find a radiator leak? I checked the servicehistory and its never been changed.

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It was a hairline split in the plastic top on mine that caused a similar problem, hard to see the split when cold and not under pressure.

Not sure if you have managed to bleed the system yet but it can be a pain.
I changed my water pump last week and it took me about 45 minutes and lots off coolant to get the heater to work
I removed the bleed screw from the expansion tank next to the cap and also removed the cap. I filled the expansion tank until it's full to the brim and started the engine. I kept an eye on the temp gauge and set the heaters to max with the fan running. It's then a waiting game keeping the tank full to the brim and waiting for the air bubbles to stop coming from the bleed screw and just a continuous flow of coolant. I collected the coolant coming out the bleed screw, filtered it and put it back in.
It took quite some time before the heater went hot which was after the thermostat opened which you tell when the bottom left hose is hot.
Keep the tank brimmed and then when the system is ok I let it bleed out enough coolant to achieve the correct level on the floating integral dip stick
I have seen a few posts like this that turn out to be a slight leak in the radiator but if you have blead the system properly and then put the cap back on and leave it on idle it should then heat up and pressurise the system and any leak should then become evident
You could also use an infra red dye which will glow up with the uv torch like a Christnas tree in the area of the leak just put the dye in once you have blead it

I always take the top pipe off, fill thriugh the top of the rad till it over flows, this fills the rad, oil cooler, and everything up to one side of the stat.....the fill into the top hose, this fills the valley, heater, alternator, block and everything the other side of the stat....

Then put this on....fill the tank to the brim, open the bleed screw, burp the top hose a few times....

Start engine and keep burping the top hose, get up to temp...keep the tank at the right level, burping hoses.....at periodic times rev the engine to 2-2.5k to get a good jet out of the bleed screw and purge the system of air....keep doing this process until you are assured you have the air out, do up the bleed screw, put the cap on and let cool right down, then check level....

Saint.V8 said:

I always take the top pipe off, fill thriugh the top of the rad till it over flows, this fills the rad, oil cooler, and everything up to one side of the stat.....the fill into the top hose, this fills the valley, heater, alternator, block and everything the other side of the stat....

Then put this on....fill the tank to the brim, open the bleed screw, burp the top hose a few times....

Start engine and keep burping the top hose, get up to temp...keep the tank at the right level, burping hoses.....at periodic times rev the engine to 2-2.5k to get a good jet out of the bleed screw and purge the system of air....keep doing this process until you are assured you have the air out, do up the bleed screw, put the cap on and let cool right down, then check level....

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I have tried this. But i will try again.

But on a normal system, how much coolant should it smell from the engine bay? Does it sound like a faulty radiator? Where can i get infrared dye?

MariusRR said:

I have tried this. But i will try again.

But on a normal system, how much coolant should it smell from the engine bay? Does it sound like a faulty radiator? Where can i get infrared dye?

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There should be no coolant smell in normal conditions....

I would say you may have a small hole in the rad, they are known to fail!

You can get UV dye...search threads on here...someone did this only a few days previous....

I don't smell coolant at all, oil yes unfortunately, search Uv dye leak detection, I bought a kit including the torch off eBay for under £10

Hi
Had the same smell of coolant but no drip, turned out the rad had become porous and was leaking into the fins, once the engine was on it just sucked it onto the front timing cover and there it evaporated! Check by looking at the rad through the viscous fan when cold and engine NOT having been run , so ideally first thing in the morning. Don't start the car or it will blow /suck the fluid away, use a torch and you should see the coolant sitting there. If so it's time for a new rad.

MariusRR said:

I checked the servicehistory and its never been changed.

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Checked. The radiator was changed in 2009. When the car had been driven 120`km. Now its 2014 and been driven 190`

Could the rad go bad after 5 years/70`km?

Don't know if you can give a radiator a certain life span - could depend on service history, coolant percentages and the like... I'd still check it if I were you - then at least its one less thing on the list of probables. Ours was a real pain, you could smell it but there was never a puddle and the level went down.... good luck.

MariusRR said:

Checked. The radiator was changed in 2009. When the car had been driven 120`km. Now its 2014 and been driven 190`

Could the rad go bad after 5 years/70`km?

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It only takes one small stone thrown up off the road to bugger a new rad.

tomcat59alan said:

It only takes one small stone thrown up off the road to bugger a new rad.

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Tis what happened to mine (twice)

MariusRR said:

Checked. The radiator was changed in 2009. When the car had been driven 120`km. Now its 2014 and been driven 190`

Could the rad go bad after 5 years/70`km?

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If the replacement RAD was ****part, you would be lucky for it to last so long