jas-E 1 Posted August 5, 2007 hey guys, I had parked my car at my mates house and (it was at a slope with the front end higher) and when i reversed out there was a huge puddle of gearbox oil on the floor!! I parked it on level ground over night, and the next day there was very little gearbox oil leaking, and some engine oil instead!!I brought the car home, jacked it up and noticed that ALL the sump bolts were loose!! (By the way, this the second engine in 2 weeks i have witnessed where the sump bolts are loose!!I would check yours.....!!) Anyway, i tightened them all up and noticed that there is water trickling from somewhere under the exhaust manifold. I have tried to locate the leak but its really difficult to see where its coming from!!There are no water pipes above where it is leaking from. I have searched through the forum and there are suggestions of mayo in the oil filler cap, white smoke, water in the oil, high pressures in the expansion bottle when you open the cap once the engine is cold if it is Head Gasket failure. I dont have any of those with the exception of the big 'whoosh' coming from the expansion bottle cap off when the car has cooled down again. Is it possible for the water to trickle outside the engine when the HG fails as opposed to into the engine where it would mix with the oil??or are the chances that the water is leaking from elsewhere?? thanks for all comments/suggestions. Jas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim21070 2 Posted August 5, 2007 If you have none of the classic signs of HG failure then it is perhaps not the HG although as you say, it could be leaking on the edge. Firstly though: Is it consuming water? A good XU should need very, very little topping up. Check you don't have a leak from the water distribution block mounted on the rear of the block near the driveshaft intermediate bearing. Heater hoses OK and watertight? Rainwater leaking down from somewhere? We have had enough recently to saturate everything. There are also two core plugs in the Cylinder Head waterways that are situated behind the exhaust manifold. They could conceviably be leaking. I wonder if the head was properly torqued down last time the engine was rebuilt. If the sump studs came loose I'd be questioning the rest of the build quality. Maybe the head and block mating surfaces were not well prepared. Lastly, You could try running a torque wrench over the head bolts just to check they're all tight, no harm done. Don't tighten beyond about 85 ft lbs though and check in the head tightening sequence given in the Haynes Manual. And finally, If the leak is relatively small and no other problems are apparant, Bars Leaks is your friend... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jas-E 1 Posted August 5, 2007 hey Jim, Thanks for your reply. Over the last couple of weeks i have needed to keep topping up my water. Sometimes half of the expansion tank was empty!!And today, i drove back from my mates house and the expansion tank was empty!!just very little water. Like i said there is a proper trickle from somewhere behind the exhaust manifold. I have cleaned it all up though and will be firing it up to see if its one of those places you mentioned (hopefully it is)!! The engines not had a rebuild and its just a reecent problem. Il pour some radweld ( ) in there so that if its a small leak it'll hopefully just seal up!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
welshpug 1,657 Posted August 5, 2007 nooo dont use radweld! it really will weld your rad and heater matrix. get the coolant system pressure tested, and while doing so you'll be able to have a look underneath for any leaks without fear of scalding. what tends to happen is that if theres a small leak air gets into the system, when the air hits a hotspot it expands and forces the water out, hence if the leak is quite small you may get some pressure buildup. as Jim mentioned check the headbolts. its not unknown for the Headgasket to go on an oilway or coolant passage at the side of the head and not have oil/coolant mixing or to lose any compression, that said it'd be worth doign a compression test as well just to make sure its all healthy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
large 33 Posted August 6, 2007 You can get stuff that showes up under uv light or is a bright die or something like that that. I know you say the engine has not been worked on but have a look at the head bolt on the back L/H/S it should have 2 spacers on it, if it aint you may have a craked bolck .By the sounds of it its the head gasskit its worth a look as it only takes 2 seconds. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anthony 1,003 Posted August 6, 2007 I've seen a few blocks that have cracked just underneath the exhaust manifold, but it's normally very difficult to locate as chances are everything is covered in oily grime. It's rare, but something to bare in mind as a possibility... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butler 0 Posted August 6, 2007 My block cracked where squarehead describes. The metal is very thin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ORB 227 1 Cars Posted August 6, 2007 I would check the seal on the water block. they can trickle water out. Also, check the heater matrix pipes, they can rub or get too near the fannymould and wear thin. Never hurts to have abit of a project, buy a full set of gasgets, and I mean full, whip it to bits and put it back together. Should take you the weekend and then you know its all ok. Or, drive it till it goes bang, then put a new engine in. Its not like they are expensive Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve@cornwall 100 Posted August 7, 2007 Had a similar symptom a while ago and it turned out to be the "S-shaped" small water pipe under the dizzy was pinholed near the jubilee clip and spraying inward towards the block. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DamirGTI 342 Posted August 7, 2007 (edited) Hello ! I have similar problem but i can't see any leak outside around the engine - coolant pipework ... all thou there was some sort of strange liquid inside the 1 cylinder (from the timing belt side ..) .. anyhow it's no more leak now since i pour some "metal stop - leak powder" inside the cooling system ... just don't know for how long will this powder hold If you wish you can read more here : http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=78598 How can i check for loosen head bolts ? is it advisable to tight them some more (it's freshly rebuild engine this year ..) ? if so on how much torque should i set my wrench ? - I've had two times snapped head bolts so i wish to know first before i go and try this retighting job and really if this bolt snapping will happened again i will : kill myself with a rusty double barrel shotgun straight away I have really heavy paranoia from head bolt snapping on this XU engines Thanks ! Damir Edited August 7, 2007 by DamirGTI Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
large 33 Posted August 7, 2007 torx wrench set to 110Nm / 75ft lbs should do it. Or 50ft lbs and 1/4 turn. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DamirGTI 342 Posted August 8, 2007 torx wrench set to 110Nm / 75ft lbs should do it. Or 50ft lbs and 1/4 turn. Ok. thanks ! will try that (all thou i will also prepare the rusty shotgun and full bag of "Valium" pills if one of the head bolts snap during this tightening job ) Cheers ! Damir Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim21070 2 Posted August 8, 2007 Ok. thanks ! will try that (all thou i will also prepare the rusty shotgun and full bag of "Valium" pills if one of the head bolts snap during this tightening job ) Cheers ! Damir You should be fine at 75 ft lbs. Remember the bolts are stretch types and feel a bit "elasticy" when torquing down. It is important to tighten a little at a time and then give the bolt time to flex into its new position before continuing. Even more important when undoing them. I'm of the opinion they break through leaning on them too hard and thus going past their full elastic point. You can stretch a piece of elastic a long way gently but go too hard at it and it'll break long before its full stretch point is reached. It is the same with head bolts. Also do work in normal head tightening sequence. Start with the two middle bolts and work outwards to the ends. Go in gentle stages and take it easy at all times Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DamirGTI 342 Posted August 8, 2007 You should be fine at 75 ft lbs. Remember the bolts are stretch types and feel a bit "elasticy" when torquing down. It is important to tighten a little at a time and then give the bolt time to flex into its new position before continuing. Even more important when undoing them. I'm of the opinion they break through leaning on them too hard and thus going past their full elastic point. You can stretch a piece of elastic a long way gently but go too hard at it and it'll break long before its full stretch point is reached. It is the same with head bolts. Also do work in normal head tightening sequence. Start with the two middle bolts and work outwards to the ends. Go in gentle stages and take it easy at all times Thanks Jim ! Cheers Damir Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
