one coolant leak after another ?

Jay300tdi · May 20, 2009

i have got a 1996 300tdi, a while back i noticed water dripping under it, on inspection i saw it was coming from the heater hoses that go into the matrix.i replaced those and all ok for a while until i noticed water dripping again! this time it was the water pump, so i replaced that and all ok again for a while until again spotted water dripping and this time it was the expansion bottle leaking on the seal. replaced that and now i have another leak,this time i cant see exactly where it is coming from? it is squirting a fine spray out from underneath the drivebelt tentioner area.
any ideahs firstly where it may be coming from and secondly why it keeps springing leaks?
i hope its not the head gasket gone ! it has never over heated,i've allways noticed the leaks fast.no creamy crud in the oil either, no loss of power.
thanks.

Richard Martin · May 20, 2009

It could be the P gasket. This is the gasket between the engine block and the mounting bracket for the water pump (power steering pump and alternator are also fixed to it). There is a core plug behind the bracket as well, that could be leaking.

Tony S · May 20, 2009

Just had same leeking problem it was the core plug (25 pence for part, 2 hours work and 3 scabby knuckles) changed the p gasket as well just to be sure to be sure, just got to do the head gasket now cos it got a bit warm....Tony

bigbri · May 20, 2009

had same problem on95 300tdi and as above twas sorted

Jay300tdi · May 20, 2009

the p gasket isnt the water pump gasket then?
allso does it sound like the head gasket has gone because of the pressure its creating?
or could it be a string of dodgy seals ive had?
cheers.

Disco-Steve · May 25, 2009

Got the same problem on my Disco 300, Expansion bottle split, apparently a common thing, and "P" Gasket also leaking, so while i have the front out, will also replace the core plug just in case, nothing worse than putting it all back together and something else going in the same area a month or 2 later. Plus a good dollop of Wellseal just to make sure..

toyahwilcox · May 25, 2009

sounds like there may be an underlying reason for the leaks coming one after the other, as before, poss head gasket failure.

thebiglad · May 25, 2009

After you have used the vehicle and then let it cool down, is there still a lot of pressure when you undo the header tank cap?

Does she use coolant? Do you need to top-up regularly?

If yes to either or both of these it might be time to have the coolant sniffed-at by a garage, they will be able to tell if there are exhaust gases in the coolant which is a pretty good sign of blown headgasket.

Jay300tdi · May 27, 2009

re: After you have used the vehicle and then let it cool down, is there still a lot of pressure when you undo the header tank cap?

Does she use coolant? Do you need to top-up regularly?

If yes to either or both of these it might be time to have the coolant sniffed-at by a garage, they will be able to tell if there are exhaust gases in the coolant which is a pretty good sign of blown headgasket.

if i run the engine up to normal temp then turn it off it sprays a fine jet of coolant from the area underneath the drive belt tensioner bracket until the pressure obviously drops and it stops.
it dosen't use coolant it leaks it out from the weakest seal/gasket.
cheers.

battenberg · May 27, 2009

the water pump gasket has gone.

Tony S · May 27, 2009

Exact same as the one i fixed last week it was the core plug situated under the belt tensioner but unfortunaly the engine did get too hot and warped the head. cost £40 for head skim and new head gasket...Tony

Jay300tdi · Jun 4, 2009

thanks for all the replies,i changed the p gasket and put it all back together only to find the leak still there. so i took everything off again and realised it was the core plug leaking.
went and bought 2 for 96p and used the spare for knocking it in.when i removed the bracket that the p gasket is behind i found a lump of what looked like hard limescale inside the top water outlet,it was restricting the flow by about 1/3-1/2, im thinking this might be why it was building pressure in the cooling system?
took it for a run down to the coast and all is fine.
just gotta solve the steering wobble at 65mph now ! tut. it's never ending !

one coolant leak after another ?

Jay300tdi

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Tony S

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