Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum but need your help!

For the past two days my engine coolant has been dissapearing from my 1.4 TDi and I havnt got a clue why. This morning I had to top it by about 3/4 litre!

I'll state the obvious - I checked all the visible hoses - no leaks: no obvious seapage between head and block: no water in the oil (being paranoid I 've checked this 4 times today!!).

Is there anything else I ought to look for? is this a known problem?

I'd be greatful if somebody could help - I'm a driving instructor and really cant afford the car off the road for too long!.

Cheers,

Roger.

Are there any leaks when the engine is running?

Look for pink staining in the engine bay.

Thanks for those quick replies! but...

1. There are no visible leaks when the engine is running and no water on the raod after its been standing a bit.

2. There is no pink staining that I can see.

Cheers,

Roger

Just my tuppence worth but if the car is fitted with the undertray it might be sloping about under in that. Seen this happen many at times with Mercedes cars.

There is really only one way for sure to find out where/if there is a leak. You need to add UV dye to the coolant tank, run the engine and then run a UV light over it.

If you still can't find a leak then it's either going out through the heater matrix or it's ending up in the oil.

On my Fabia 1 I had a pinhole leak on the inside of a bend in a rubber hose. Unless the hose was under high pressure, nothing leaked. Rev the engine and the water pressure increased so a fine spray came out and vaporised on the exhaust: no evidence.

Subtle one, that.

On my Fabia 1 I had a pinhole leak on the inside of a bend in a rubber hose. Unless the hose was under high pressure, nothing leaked. Rev the engine and the water pressure increased so a fine spray came out and vaporised on the exhaust: no evidence.

Subtle one, that.

A bet that p***ed you off until you found that leak?

1. The top and bottom hoses

2. The sensor connected to the front of the rad can leak

3. Damaged Radiator

These are the most common and when I had the same problem it turned out to be all three. LOL hope you have more luck with yours.

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies, I think I'm getting somewhere.....

Took the undertray off yesterday - found loads of water sloshing about! Started the search for the leak - eventually found it in the most awkward place!

There appears to be a small weap from around one of the bolts that holds the block to the ali casing that houses all the cambelts and pulleys. In short the leak is right behind the bottom main pulley at the rear. (weirdly the car leaked less water yesterday - I only had to top up about 1/8 litre :confused: )

Any ideas how I cure this without paying the usual expensive garage bills? or am I stuffed!

Cheers,

Roger

I am by no means an expert but that sounds like the area of the water pump. Has it had the cambelt done recently or anything like that? If it is the water pump, it's new cambelt and water pump time I think.

I'd presume if it were the water pump then it'd be important to get it fixed ASAP as if the pump seized it'd knacker your timing belt/timing/engine.

A small hint: if you have G12+ coolant, you may easily find the leak with UV lamp. G12+ has UV fluorescent dye added, very useful