Hi Guys,

I have bougth this car 6 months ago. I have always had the coolant loosing problem with other issues. Now this is the only one left, but I can not find the reasons.
It looses approx. 1 liter / 500km (or 300 miles). That isn't too much I know, but far enough for making me angry and disappointed.
The only visible symptom is that when I start from cold, after a minute I see white steam coming from the left of the engine (from somewhere behind the oil level check stick).
After another 2-3 monutes it stops, and everything is working fine.
Other observations and brief legend:
- engine starts good even if its -10C outside
- coolant temriture is OK, never overheats
- there is no mayo under the cap
- oil level is OK, not loosing much
- no white or blue smoke from the exhaust
- coolant bridge and gasket was just replace, didn't help
- cooling system was checked, pumpet at 2 bar and    searched for water leaks, nothing found.

That is it in a nutshell. Is it the head gasket maybe? I would have thought it fails somewhere inside, not towards the outer world...

Any idea will be appreciated.

Peter

heater by-pass valve? This is often a favourite when you get water loss, the valve might leak on certain cabin heat requirements & not at others. It lives behind the driver's side of the engine, right at the back.
Have a look in the maintenace guides, it's all there on how to get at it & changes it.  :y

Forgot to put it on the list:
HBV and thermostat were just replaced as well.

Peter13 wrote on 15. Jan 2011 at 11:53:

Forgot to put it on the list: HBV and thermostat were just replaced as well.

Ah!  ;) OK, unlikely to be them then  :y

Peter13 wrote on 15. Jan 2011 at 11:43:

Hi Guys, I have bougth this car 6 months ago. I have always had the coolant loosing problem with other issues. Now this is the only one left, but I can not find the reasons. It looses approx. 1 liter / 500km (or 300 miles). That isn't too much I know, but far enough for making me angry and disappointed. The only visible symptom is that when I start from cold, after a minute I see white steam coming from the left of the engine (from somewhere behind the oil level check stick). After another 2-3 monutes it stops, and everything is working fine. Other observations and brief legend: - engine starts good even if its -10C outside - coolant temriture is OK, never overheats - there is no mayo under the cap - oil level is OK, not loosing much - no white or blue smoke from the exhaust - coolant bridge and gasket was just replace, didn't help - cooling system was checked, pumpet at 2 bar and    searched for water leaks, nothing found. That is it in a nutshell. Is it the head gasket maybe? I would have thought it fails somewhere inside, not towards the outer world... Any idea will be appreciated. Peter

Might it be the area of the where the radiator`s top hose connects to the engine coolant-pipe?......last year; my top hose split (out of sight, underneath) close to the jubilee clamp....it`s in a 'tight' area and it is difficult to see any seepage clearly....a mirror and flashlight might let you see without too much disassembly. ;)

Debs. wrote on 15. Jan 2011 at 12:08:

Peter13 wrote on 15. Jan 2011 at 11:43: Hi Guys, I have bougth this car 6 months ago. I have always had the coolant loosing problem with other issues. Now this is the only one left, but I can not find the reasons. It looses approx. 1 liter / 500km (or 300 miles). That isn't too much I know, but far enough for making me angry and disappointed. The only visible symptom is that when I start from cold, after a minute I see white steam coming from the left of the engine (from somewhere behind the oil level check stick). After another 2-3 monutes it stops, and everything is working fine. Other observations and brief legend: - engine starts good even if its -10C outside - coolant temriture is OK, never overheats - there is no mayo under the cap - oil level is OK, not loosing much - no white or blue smoke from the exhaust - coolant bridge and gasket was just replace, didn't help - cooling system was checked, pumpet at 2 bar and    searched for water leaks, nothing found. That is it in a nutshell. Is it the head gasket maybe? I would have thought it fails somewhere inside, not towards the outer world... Any idea will be appreciated. Peter Might it be the area of the where the radiator`s top hose connects to the engine coolant-pipe?......last year; my top hose split (out of sight, underneath) close to the jubilee clamp....it`s in a 'tight' area and it is difficult to see any seepage clearly....a mirror and flashlight torch might let you see without too much disassembly. ;)

or like yours recently, a split by the header tank neck.  :-/

When my headgasket was failing it was weeping coolant from the back of the nearside cylinder (under the coil pack). Some of this coolant sometimes found its way onto the exhaust manifold where it turned to steam. (The cam cover was also leaking oil so I got the odd puff of oil smoke too  ::) )

Steam is coming from the left, opposite then the header tank.
Coolant bridge should be ok now, hose from the bridge to the tank too.

Have you checked the hose from the HBV to the coolant bridge as these usually get chafed over time :y

My mechanic has checked with pressure test. There were signs of leaking water around the coolant bridge, he replaced the sealing. (it was not there like the original GM before )