Disco 2 TD5 lost coolant, where to look?

On the way to work suddenly felt down on power, looked at instruments, heading towards the red. Nursed it 1/2 mile to a picnic area.

Got the antifreeze smell, cannot see a leak.

Refilled with stream water, bleed screw had snapped off. So drove very carefully, not in red.

Now where would the coolant be escaping from?

Will be carrying 10l of water home tonight.

Was still _some_ pressure in system

You could start with the expansion tank cap they seem to go wrong and leak, ( mine did) also look at the water pump they sometimes start to leak when they get old.
Lets not forget the obvious of looking to see if there are any areas where the antifreeze and water is running down the engine.

No smell, got 2 more litres in

No drips neither.

Got 4l in bottles and another 4 2l bottles to go in the car.

I had this happen, luckily without the overheat because I heard straightaway that something sounded different. Replaced top hose (only because someone unhelpfully pushed the bleed screw bit in) and got a new expansion tank cap and all has been well since then.

depends on what year yours is.

But there is a pipe from the oil coler that is either blanked off or has a flexible pipe that goes to a hard pipe around the back of the engine. This is under the turbo.

They have been known to leak. not the easiest to see.

Cheers

I found the ultra violet kits from ebay very useful for finding where coolant was going. Less than a tenner and saves a lot of guesswork.

neilly said:

depends on what year yours is.

But there is a pipe from the oil coler that is either blanked off or has a flexible pipe that goes to a hard pipe around the back of the engine. This is under the turbo.

They have been known to leak. not the easiest to see.

Cheers

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Late 2003

MJI said:

Late 2003

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Same as mine, it has the blank on the oil cooler. There are a few threads about it. I got a silicone blank off of ebay.

Cheers

Also check the head blanking plug which is behind the ex manifold
Griff

Just been for short drive.

Well it appears to be the expansion bottle cap as it was peeing out and not much pressure in the hoses.

Was in low mid 70s so not overheating, got to 85 at the office

MJI said:

Just been for short drive.

Well it appears to be the expansion bottle cap as it was peeing out and not much pressure in the hoses.

Was in low mid 70s so not overheating, got to 85 at the office

Click to expand...

Nice easy fix, buy a decent one I hear that some of the cheapest ones are not much good, when you consider the possible problems that overheating can cause it is a sound investment.

Computers are down, waiting on a call back

Leak on LHS as well.

Dripping off the under radiator cover at the left.

Not sure where from, knowing my luck radiator!

Will pull off that cover soon!

iansoady said:

I found the ultra violet kits from ebay very useful for finding where coolant was going. Less than a tenner and saves a lot of guesswork.

Click to expand...

Where?

All seem to be around £50 not much less than a new radiator

Or here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COOLANT-A...800442?hash=item3d1f7584ba:g:w3wAAOSwuYVWo8X1

As I left work tonight I sorted the fluids, litre in the header tank and about 50ml of CCF in the ACE tank.

I got asked why don't I put it into a garage.

Perhaps I want it done properly, and I do not have to pay myself.

Can keep the coolant up at this rate until my week off. ACE repair will be after.

And

It was the top hose down pipe, no sign of damage from the top but from underneath you can see it dripping down, aircon hose metal had dug in.

Now watertight!

Bet your wallet is feeling the relief!

Feathers McGraw said:

Bet your wallet is feeling the relief!

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Yes, I was going to get a new radiator!