Antifreeze leak
09-20-2009, 10:38 PM
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Antifreeze leak
Hi:
I'm looking to identify a coolant leak. While idling, antifreeze started spitting from the rear passenger side of the engine, somewhere near the firewall. I was not able to identify exactly where the leak was, but lost around a quart of fluid. After letting the car cool down, and replacing the lost fluid, I limped home with the radiator cap loose. The temp gauge stayed at 1/3 except at traffic lights, where reached 1/2. Once I got home, I re-tightened the cap and let the car idle for about 10 min, but was not able to replicate the leak ... the car ran fine and temp gauge didn't go above half. I see no obvious split hoses or loose clamps.
Not sure if its related, but a couple of weeks prior, I had a split hose -- which I attributed to a cheapo hoseclamp cutting into the hose -- that caused the car to overheat (I don't know how long the temp light was on, but there seems to be no obvious damage). After repairing, and bleeding the system, everything seemed fine, though the temp gauge seemed to average around 1/3 (I just bought the car a couple of months back, but thought the temp might have been around 1/2 before the split hose).
thanks
I'm looking to identify a coolant leak. While idling, antifreeze started spitting from the rear passenger side of the engine, somewhere near the firewall. I was not able to identify exactly where the leak was, but lost around a quart of fluid. After letting the car cool down, and replacing the lost fluid, I limped home with the radiator cap loose. The temp gauge stayed at 1/3 except at traffic lights, where reached 1/2. Once I got home, I re-tightened the cap and let the car idle for about 10 min, but was not able to replicate the leak ... the car ran fine and temp gauge didn't go above half. I see no obvious split hoses or loose clamps.
Not sure if its related, but a couple of weeks prior, I had a split hose -- which I attributed to a cheapo hoseclamp cutting into the hose -- that caused the car to overheat (I don't know how long the temp light was on, but there seems to be no obvious damage). After repairing, and bleeding the system, everything seemed fine, though the temp gauge seemed to average around 1/3 (I just bought the car a couple of months back, but thought the temp might have been around 1/2 before the split hose).
thanks
09-20-2009, 10:53 PM
#2
Nordschleife Master
Check the heater control valve and associated hoses behind the cylinder head at the firewall, might have a split hose, or damaged heater valve back there... MUCH easier to work on the control valve with the intake off, but it can be done without removing the cylinder head...
Pressure test the system using a rig from a parts store, most of them have loaners... pump it up to 10PSI and you should be able to hunt down the leak...
Pressure test the system using a rig from a parts store, most of them have loaners... pump it up to 10PSI and you should be able to hunt down the leak...
09-21-2009, 06:07 PM
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Why did it stop leaking?
Thanks for your replies. Curious though as to why it stopped leaking, even after I re-tightened the radiator cap. Doesn't that pressurize the system too?
Given that another one split earlier, I'm planning on replacing all of the hoses, as well as the heater control valve.
Given that another one split earlier, I'm planning on replacing all of the hoses, as well as the heater control valve.
