where's my coolant gone...

colin43 · Jan 4, 2010

Happy New Year to you all. I've been very quiet for a few months, nothings gone wrong,until...
My purple 1999 1.8 freelander has managed to lose all it's coolant;
if i squeeze the bottom hose, there is nothing there. So I refilled it and it lost it all overnight. There are no visible signs of leaks anywhere either from the hoses or the radiator. It's parked on gravel so I can't see any trace on the ground. It has been losing a little bit for a while, the last cold spell has obviously made it worse. Yes, there was antifreeze in of the correct strength.
So, apart from the fairies being very thirsty...
Any ideas as to which hidden bits I should be looking at, where are the weak spots. Sorry to be a bit pathetic with what should be a simple problem; I've spent a couple of hours checking all part visible bits with a mirror and I'm at a loss.

ssmn1234 · Jan 4, 2010

colin43 said:
Happy New Year to you all. I've been very quiet for a few months, nothings gone wrong,until...
My purple 1999 1.8 freelander has managed to lose all it's coolant;
if i squeeze the bottom hose, there is nothing there. So I refilled it and it lost it all overnight. There are no visible signs of leaks anywhere either from the hoses or the radiator. It's parked on gravel so I can't see any trace on the ground. It has been losing a little bit for a while, the last cold spell has obviously made it worse. Yes, there was antifreeze in of the correct strength.
So, apart from the fairies being very thirsty...
Any ideas as to which hidden bits I should be looking at, where are the weak spots. Sorry to be a bit pathetic with what should be a simple problem; I've spent a couple of hours checking all part visible bits with a mirror and I'm at a loss.

What is the engine oil like, what colour and has it been increasing up the dipstick

colin43 · Jan 4, 2010

What is the engine oil like, what colour and has it been increasing up the dipstick

Oil level looks fine , no white gunk or anything.

Northern Irelander · Jan 4, 2010

ITS BEHIND YOOOOOOOUU!

You're going to have to trace the leak with fine tooth comb, start it up and see if the pressure forces it out somewhere

ssmn1234 · Jan 4, 2010

colin43 said:
Oil level looks fine , no white gunk or anything.

You put water init and run it upto oprating temp while it stationary and crawled around it then, what about welch plugs.

colin43 · Jan 4, 2010

Yup,
stood watching for ages with it running, couldn't see anything coming from anywhere, burnt my arm on the exhaust manifold and got a bit of a leak from my arm.

ssmn1234 · Jan 4, 2010

colin43 said:
Yup,
stood watching for ages with it running, couldn't see anything coming from anywhere, burnt my arm on the exhaust manifold and got a bit of a leak from my arm.

you ever at anytime smell coolant when driving? very strong smell when hot.

colin43 · Jan 4, 2010

ssmn1234 said:
you ever at anytime smell coolant when driving? very strong smell when hot.

No smells.

ssmn1234 · Jan 4, 2010

colin43 said:
No smells.

must be drinking it.

colin43 · Jan 4, 2010

ssmn1234 said:
must be drinking it.

Going back a couple of years it used to appear in the cubby box (or sink) in the back...
then I fitted a new head gasket and adjusted the rear window and that little trick stopped.

ssmn1234 · Jan 4, 2010

colin43 said:
Going back a couple of years it used to appear in the cubby box (or sink) in the back...
then I fitted a new head gasket and adjusted the rear window and that little trick stopped.

Onya! got a laugh outa that.

I reckon you got a real problem, honestly, should be fairly obvious thing to find if such amounts going missing.

Dazz · Jan 4, 2010

Water pump leaking maybe? or bottom hose clips not tight .

Optimus Prime · Jan 4, 2010

I assume you've had the under tray off the engine ?

Steveliddle · Jan 4, 2010

Mine done that just before head gasket went.......sorry!

Still loses water regularly after the repair though, with no sign of where its going

gjudge · Jan 4, 2010

give up wheres it gone???

gjudge · Jan 4, 2010

my first port of call would be next doors car?

freelance · Jan 4, 2010

water pump, heater matrix, or ird cooler maybe, or inlet manifold gasket,

Skynet · Jan 5, 2010

Bypass yr heater matrix (or just clamp off the feed-in) and see if it disappears over night

slomo · Jan 5, 2010

My two pen'orth;

Have you got a really strongly coloured coolant? The LR stuff is brightly coloured to make these issues easy to trace.

My water pump went two weeks ago, at the beginning of the cold weather (when they usually go!). Its hidden behind the timing cover so not easily seen.

I lost about 600ml water in 4 miles. Lucklily I had just checked level and needed screenwash, so went to buy some before a long trip, opened the boonet - hey presto empty coolant reservoir!

I couldnt find any trace of a leak and feared the worst! No contamination in oil so I topped up and ran up to temperature.

In the cold weather, I could see the faintest faintest faintest sign of steam (but only in strong torch light) coming from the crankshaft pulley area, and white paper test to undertray showed bright red coolant staining (dry). I took the upper timing cover off and could faintly see steam coming from the area below the pump. With a torch, I could also see very minor red staining to the timing case / block.

New pump £30, but did the timing belt kit, £48 at the same time - parts from Unipart all on shelf items at all branches.

The above might not be correct in your case, but might help you and others mis diagnosing as HGF!!!!

Good luck mate.

colin43 · Jan 5, 2010

Ok; thanks to you all. Another day has come, I'm off out into the snow with new batteries in my torch, glasses cleaned and new hope in my heart.
How long before I trudge back in with flat batteries,dirty glasses and a sinking feeling in my heart?
:hurt:

where's my coolant gone...

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