Hopefully someone can shed some light on this.

I took the car shopping as normal and returned home to go out again about an hour later. When I turned the key the coolant level warning was beeping and flashing and sure enough the level was right down in the reservoir.

I had to go out so I've topped up with water and driven another 10 miles and all seems to be fine, with no loss of fluid and no obvious leak?

Could there be a slow leak somewhere or am I missing something else? I'm going to have to get the fluid changed now anyway even though it was serviced and replaced in March, but need some possibilities before the garage try to sell me a new system or something.

Cheers

After reading around I'm worried it might be Head Gasket starting to fail?

I did give it some wellie briefly last week, but it all seemed fine the day after. I also did 2 very short start stops to move the car in the week as they suspended the parking bays. Is this relevant?

Hi a few months ago I had the same problem, warning coming on every second day. took it to my mechanic and yes it was the head gasket. worth getting it looked at as soon as possible.

But did you actually lose coolant, and did you have mayo in the oil cap, or any power loss?

I've done two journeys now and no leak, no power loss, no oil loss, and no mayo???

It'll likely start again, gasket starts leaking on high load initially. Mayo is not really the case for these engines, exhaust is leaking into coolant (at combustion pressure, so upwards of 50bars) and expels it through the cap due to overpressure. You mentioned the engine's coolant has been replaced in March, whoever did this, likely has not disconnected top radiator hose to refill properly and might have overheated the gasket as a result (I had Mk1 Octy's 1.9 damaged exactly in this way during TB/WP job at a stealer) . Unless you are very lucky and nothing has overheated yet, and the sudden loss was just an airlock clearing after that coolant refill job.

Well, there has in the past been a slight leak at the top radiator hose connecter, but I was advised that it was fine and to just keep an eye on it. I usually check oil and coolant every 2-3 weeks and never noticed anything untoward. The service garage also mentioned that the coolant might settle below MIN mark due to air locks, but told me to top up if it did.

It must be to do with, either, giving it the beans in 3 or 4 short bursts last week while in a strop about being late for an appointment and trying to get there so loading it for short bursts.

Or, when we hit a huge, unsigned 'hole' in the road and it felt like the whole front end had collapsed. Maybe this dislodged a pipe or something? Maybe I'm dreaming and I'm looking at a £500 bill to replace the head gasket? Maybe I need to sell it?

I think I'll just get drunk for now but if anyone has any more advice before I leave it in the hands of the expensive 'experts', I'd really appreciate it

I'll second the head gasket possibility. Mine was just the same. If it is, the coolant is expelled out of the expansion tank overflow, and drips from a small drain underneath. This will be permanently wet to the touch, and you will be able to see coolant splattered on the sub frame and drive shaft underneath.

Drove it again yesterday, carefully, and checking at every stop that the levels were OK.

Still no obvious leak. Coolant level is the same, oil level is fine. Could this be a one off burst through the cap due to high load driving?

My other question is, because i topped it up (nearly the whole expansion tank) with water, I guess I'll have to get it flushed and refilled to the correct mix.

Should I just take it to a garage and get it over with? I need a brake fluid service anyway.

I'm scared they'll say new head gasket, if it needs it or not

As I suspected, and was hoping, it seems to have been the top radiator hose. I was advised about it when I bought the car 2 and a half years ago, but it finally gave up.

 

They tested the coolant for any emissions contamination, and checked all the other signs for head failure, but seemingly all clear, and the only leaking they could see was that hose connecter.

So a new hose later and I'm back in the driving seat. Happy days :sun:

That's good news .. now spend some of that saved money on a lottery ticket lol