2.5 diesel has developed a massive water leak from the engine compartment. When I tried to fill up the water ran straight out and the fill bottle would not fill up. The water is not coming from any hoses or the water pump which was replaced about a year ago. It seems to be coming from a little further back than the water pump on the right side of the engine. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I've just spent a grand on the air suspension and if this is an expensive fix , I think I'm going to have to wave goodbye and probably throw up . Kindest regards Paul
P38 water leak
- Thread starter Paul vice
- Start date
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- 19,312
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- Buckinghamshire, UK. ('95 DT)
Hoses to the heater matrix?
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- 58,170
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- Preston Lancs.
Might i suggest that you have a look for the leak and fix it, it will not be difficult to find if it is as bad as you say.
Datatek
Well-Known Member
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- 45,029
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- Near Poitiers SW France
Expansion tank fails sometimes and there is a small hose at the back of the engine.
dubbleRR
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- 1,018
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- highlands of Scotland
Frost plugs on the block can rust from inside if no antifreeze..Some call them core plugs.their round disks and they rust from.the outside as well 
.....RR
.....RR
- Posts
- 58,170
- Location
- Preston Lancs.
Frost plugs on the block can rust from inside if no antifreeze..Some call them core plugs.their round disks and they rust from.the outside as well
They are not frost plugs they are in fact core plugs. Used to remove sand from inside the casting. Yes they will blow out if the coolant freezes but that is not their purpose.
I've laid under the car but all I can see is water coming down from somewhere in the area where the alternator is but I cant locate where it's coming from because its pouring down
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- 58,170
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- Preston Lancs.
Top hose connection to head is favourite in that area. Either top hose has split or fitting in head it connects to has failed.
brianp38dse
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- heathrow
If its the top hose stub out of the head new ones are a available from Turner engineering
Datatek
Well-Known Member
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- 45,029
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- Near Poitiers SW France
As Wammers said likely to be the stub that goes into the head. Easy fix.
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- 33,962
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- North Shropshire
They are indeed core plugs, but are designed to be a weak point so that frozen coolant will blow them out instead of cracking the block
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- 12,661
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- Sud ouest France !
Take the top hose off, block both the rad and head outlet and refill with water.
Just make sure to clear the engine of all water when it's repaired and do a good mix of anti freeze. Ours is pré mixed here.
They usually rust because some bugger has used bloody water
Just make sure to clear the engine of all water when it's repaired and do a good mix of anti freeze. Ours is pré mixed here.
They usually rust because some bugger has used bloody water
Jon Dor
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- Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire
I had a core plug or two "pop out" - fortuitously - on my 1971 Lotus7. Engine was a Ford 1600 crossflow, bored out to 1650cc's. Had to order them from the local Ford dealer. When they arrived, the box was labelled "core plugs". Maybe just a Ford "thang"?
jamesmartin
Well-Known Member
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- louth lincs
? they are known as core plugs, they are part of supporting the inner mould so as a block with a water jacket can be supported during casting,if you were casting a solid block you wouldnt need internal piece to the mould
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Years ago forgot to put anti freeze in my MGB roadster one winter, every core plug ended up hanging out on a block of ice
