P38A Water leak front of engine.

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Sonnycbr

Active Member
Posts
131
Location
Sunderland
Hi, the cars developed a slight water leak from the front of the engine. It drips in three places, from left and right side and in the middle. I think this is due to the water running along a lower cill. I'm sure it is only water as there's no smell or taste of antifreeze in it. Could this be the washer bottle or pumps? Temperature seems fine although it does seem to get up to temp a bit quicker than normal. Any help greatly appreciated.
 
Just noticed from your profile.

The 4.6 can leak from many places.

Front cover/gasket can let coolant leak out
Waterpump leak
split radiator
hoses can even weep. ;)

Have a good gander underneath and see if you can narrow anything down.
 
Washer bottle would only drip one side. Engine water pump leaves big patch in middle.
Check rad and hoses seem okay, and bung at bottom centre of rad is not leaking.
As long as you keep reservoir topped up will run okay if it's just small leak. Keep bottle of water with you
 
Put some of that smelly screen wash Halfrauds sells in your washer bottle. That way you should be able to work out the source of the leak. Try catching enough of the leak so you can see the colour and if there is a smell to it.
 
EntropyUK said:
Put some of that smelly screen wash Halfrauds sells in your washer bottle. That way you should be able to work out the source of the leak. Try catching enough of the leak so you can see the colour and if there is a smell to it.
Click to expand...
Henry_b said:
Just noticed from your profile.

The 4.6 can leak from many places.

Front cover/gasket can let coolant leak out
Waterpump leak
split radiator
hoses can even weep. ;)

Have a good gander underneath and see if you can narrow anything down.
Click to expand...
OK, tomorrow I'll get underneath and see what's going on. Thanks for all the help.
 
my P38 4.6 has a leak. took me ages to find it. you can get off the south American rainforest market place of the bay of e a dye and UV flashlight kit where you throw a bottle of dye in the coolant and use the UV light to track where its coming from. I think I paid about £12 for the dye and the flashlight. on mine it was dripping off the tie arm on the steering with a little pool on the 'cup' just above the water pump. easily seen with the UV light tracked straight to the front cover gasket ! I have the parts ready to go, just need the weather.

before that, the metal pipe that runs from the inlet manifold to the top hose developed a pinhole rust spot, which I thought it might have been. here's one for you. Bike Teacher Dave had a hose break down from the inside and coolant was seeping out from the material layer in the ends it took him a while to find that !

You say at the front ? under the radiator front ? are you losing much from the expansion bottle ? have a look at the amount its losing.. make sure you keep it topped up till you locate and solve it. once the coolant level drops too low, the top hose will lose flow through it and the temp will climb suddenly, you don't want to warp a head !

is yours on LPG ?
 
ukadamwest said:
my P38 4.6 has a leak. took me ages to find it. you can get off the south American rainforest market place of the bay of e a dye and UV flashlight kit where you throw a bottle of dye in the coolant and use the UV light to track where its coming from. I think I paid about £12 for the dye and the flashlight. on mine it was dripping off the tie arm on the steering with a little pool on the 'cup' just above the water pump. easily seen with the UV light tracked straight to the front cover gasket ! I have the parts ready to go, just need the weather.

before that, the metal pipe that runs from the inlet manifold to the top hose developed a pinhole rust spot, which I thought it might have been. here's one for you. Bike Teacher Dave had a hose break down from the inside and coolant was seeping out from the material layer in the ends it took him a while to find that !

You say at the front ? under the radiator front ? are you losing much from the expansion bottle ? have a look at the amount its losing.. make sure you keep it topped up till you locate and solve it. once the coolant level drops too low, the top hose will lose flow through it and the temp will climb suddenly, you don't want to warp a head !

is yours on LPG ?
Click to expand...
Thanks Adam, the coolant level hasn't dropped at all, which leads me to believe it could be the screen washer bottle. I don't know anywhere else on the front of the engine that would leak pure water. As I said, it's dripping in 3 places but I think that 's just because the drip, wherever the source, is running onto a lower cill and spreading. I can't see it leaking from 3 different sources at once. I;ve found half a bottle of lemon screen wash in the garage so I'll chuck some in later and post the results.
It's a 4.6 petrol engine.
 
On my 3.9
I had a water leak
Small drip
Was comeing from the
Timeing chain cover
Along the sides
Torked the bolts a bit to seal
 
siddeley said:
Hi.. check thoroughly around windscreen washer pumps..the joints can dry and become brittle.
Regards
Click to expand...
I was hoping that might be the case but I've checked this morning and the coolant level has dropped by about half an inch, which makes total bollocks of my statement that it was only water! I've topped up the coolant and I'll get underneath when I get back from GP appointment.
 
Sonnycbr said:
I was hoping that might be the case but I've checked this morning and the coolant level has dropped by about half an inch, which makes total bollocks of my statement that it was only water! I've topped up the coolant and I'll get underneath when I get back from GP appointment.
Click to expand...
Water pump would be my bet.
 
Hi again...also check thermostat housing/pipes..otherwise as above (Datatek) water pump looks favourite...also perhaps rad leak.
Kind regards
 
Grrrrrr said:
I'd be touching cloth at this stage ...
Click to expand...
I was! I got under the car and located the leak straight away...… the washer bottle!! There's a steady drip from the bottom tubing. The relief was overwhelming. All I need do now is to find out how to get the bloody thing out! As for the misdiagnosed coolant drop, all I can think of is that I checked it when the engine was warm and then this morning when the engine was stone cold. My apologies for creating confusion.
Thanks to everybody for the advice, I'd be well and truly stumped without this great forum.
 
Sonnycbr said:
I was! I got under the car and located the leak straight away...… the washer bottle!! There's a steady drip from the bottom tubing. The relief was overwhelming. All I need do now is to find out how to get the bloody thing out! As for the misdiagnosed coolant drop, all I can think of is that I checked it when the engine was warm and then this morning when the engine was stone cold. My apologies for creating confusion.
Thanks to everybody for the advice, I'd be well and truly stumped without this great forum.
Click to expand...

Coolant level and oil levels are ALWAYS checked cold. ;)
 
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