Coolant Leak From Headgasket.. Xu5 1.6 (newly Built)

[Gaz-2006 0]

All,

 

I have noticed a fairly prominent coolant leak from both the front and rear of the headgasket on my 205 Gti 1.6 race car. It has ran for a maximum of probably about 2/3 hours since being built and has used half a bottle of coolant. You can see anti-freeze coloured coolant settling on both the front and rear of the engine block and is definitely coming from the head gasket.

 

My first thought was to re-torque the head bolts and see if that sorts out the problem, but I was wondering if it could be something more sinister than that such as the seating of the cylinder liners in the block?!

 

The engine runs fine, doesn't smoke white smoke at all to say that there is water being forced into the cylinders, and it made 124bhp on the rolling road, so it is very healthy also!

 

I was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions!

 

Regards

 

Gary

[Anthony 1,003]

Did you check that the liner protrusion was correct, and that the mating surfaces on both the head and block were true when you built the engine? Is it definately coming from the headgasket, and not from a possible crack in the block?

[Gaz-2006 0]

The liner protrusion I believe was correct but it was a while ago so can't remember exactly how it was done, if this was the problem then is it just a case of removing the head, adjusting, and then refitting? The head was skimmed before it was fitted and was checked afterwards, the block was checked with a steel rule but nothing more. Its deffo from the headgasket

 

Regards

 

Gary

[Gaz-2006 0]

Would it be worth taking the head off anyway to have a look? Or would it be worth trying a head re-torque first?

 

This is the first engine i've built with wet liners so I'm new on this subject I'm afraid. Got to get it sorted before the first test day which is booked for 8th December!

[steve@cornwall 100]

Would it be worth taking the head off anyway to have a look? Or would it be worth trying a head re-torque first?

 

This is the first engine i've built with wet liners so I'm new on this subject I'm afraid. Got to get it sorted before the first test day which is booked for 8th December!

 

Check the pipework arount the thermostat, I had a pinhole by the jubillee clip on the small pipe,spraying onto the head when hot and under pressure. If you re-used coolant pipes (who doesn't?) it's quite likely they are weak around the clips

[Gaz-2006 0]

I've looked around the thermostat area and tightened up the jubilee clip but it still seems to be progressively seeping out of the headgasket from the front AND rear of the engine

 

Does anyone know what I will need to do to set the liner protrusion correctly, if indeed that is the problem?

 

Best Regards

 

Gary

[mickie 3]

so your liners protrude higher than the block ?

 

i think its only 0.05mm that the liners are allowed to protrude by and on mine it was higher than that..

 

but i put head gasket sealant, loctite right round the edge of the black.. obviously not ontop of the liners because imo they would seal ok being higher than the block..

 

i ran my engine with no water leaks for a few thousand mile, rebuilding it again now for more bhp

[DamirGTI 344]

Hello !

 

I've had similar problem :

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...598&hl=leak

 

and ti was cracked cylinder liner because of the broken exp. bottle pressure cap :

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...hl=coolant+leak

 

Cheers !

Damir

Edited November 8, 2007 by DamirGTI