Omega Owners Forum - Coolant Loss

kingers

Junior Member

Offline

Posts: 57

Drives: 97 Omega 2litre CD

Coolant Loss
07. Sep 2011 at 00:27

The car has been lying up for 2 months and I've been doing a few jobs as I'm putting it back on the road.

My old header tank used to weep a bit of coolant through the cap, I'd say about a cupfull every 500 miles, the coolant level sensor was also shot in it so I replaced the tank with a 2nd hand one with a good sensor.

I filled it back up with roughly 50/50 coolant mix. Now it has started drinking coolant - about 1.5 litres in 150 miles (90mph motorway drive).....

I went out to it today and filled it up from cold to the correct level, left cap off and ran the car until warm to ensure there was no air in the system.

I then gave it a good reddining (cap on) and examined the pipes for leaks - nothing.

No mayonnaise on filler cap or dipstick, no white smoke when it's hot, so is that enough to rule out Head Gasket Failure?

Any thoughts on what this is / how to diagnose the problem?

Back to top

« Last Edit: 07. Sep 2011 at 00:29 by kingers »

IP Logged

freecall666 Senior Member Offline fun for all, get with the program Posts: 656 looking over your shoulder Gender: Drives: 2.0I polar sea blue	Re: Coolant Loss Reply #1 - 07. Sep 2011 at 11:01 put some water dye in even food colour will work but not in exhaust systerm(will not see it), run till up to pressure and leave it, come back when cooled down and have a good look round top pipe is a good place to look top pipe on front rad, or radiator cell is another.
Back to top	« Last Edit: 07. Sep 2011 at 11:02 by freecall666 » doit your self (DIY) IP Logged

henryd Omega Baron Offline Posts: 2172 west cornwall Gender: Drives: Merc E220 estate,previous ride 2.5 elite estate	Re: Coolant Loss Reply #2 - 07. Sep 2011 at 11:28 Any sign of leakage under the car ?
Back to top	other drives Fiat ulysses 2.0 16v peugeot 406 hdi 110 Fiesta 1.3 encore yuk swift utopia to slow the mig down a bit !! v6 lock kit available locally IP Logged

cem

Omega King

Offline

Posts: 13920
Ankara/Turkey
Gender: male

Drives: 97 2.5 V6 Manual CD- Clio Sport

Re: Coolant Loss
Reply #3 - 07. Sep 2011 at 14:56

kingers wrote on 07. Sep 2011 at 00:27:

The car has been lying up for 2 months and I've been doing a few jobs as I'm putting it back on the road.

My old header tank used to weep a bit of coolant through the cap, I'd say about a cupfull every 500 miles, the coolant level sensor was also shot in it so I replaced the tank with a 2nd hand one with a good sensor.

I filled it back up with roughly 50/50 coolant mix. Now it has started drinking coolant - about 1.5 litres in 150 miles (90mph motorway drive).....

I went out to it today and filled it up from cold to the correct level, left cap off and ran the car until warm to ensure there was no air in the system.

I then gave it a good reddining (cap on) and examined the pipes for leaks - nothing.

No mayonnaise on filler cap or dipstick, no white smoke when it's hot, so is that enough to rule out Head Gasket Failure?

Any thoughts on what this is / how to diagnose the problem?

I'm afraid no.. gaskets develop a small leak point at the beginning (which mine did) and give none of the obvious hints..

Back to top

IP Logged

ScaniaV8

Junior Member

Offline

Posts: 132
Luton, Bedfordshire
Gender: male

Drives: 1995 Omega 2.5CDX auto

Re: Coolant Loss
Reply #4 - 07. Sep 2011 at 16:00

Have you checked out the normal culprit...the dreaded HBV. ??

I also dumped lots of coolant via this horrible little device stuck in a shitty location at the back of the engine underneath scuttle and wiper motor.

Pressure test system would I'm sure give you the source of the leakage, advice in the maintemance guides is useful as is one for HBV replacement.

good luck.

Back to top

IP Logged

kingers Junior Member Offline Posts: 57 Drives: 97 Omega 2litre CD	Re: Coolant Loss Reply #5 - 09. Sep 2011 at 10:07 Thanks guys, I think I've found it, signs of sprayed coolant at filler cap and top of airbox so the cap needs replacing I think. Fingers crossed!
Back to top	IP Logged

Andy B Over Active Poster Offline Posts: 21988 Bury Lancs Gender: Drives: 1999 3.0 Elite auto/TDM	Re: Coolant Loss Reply #6 - 09. Sep 2011 at 13:12 kingers wrote on 09. Sep 2011 at 10:07: Thanks guys, I think I've found it, signs of sprayed coolant at filler cap and top of airbox so the cap needs replacing I think. Fingers crossed! check the neck of the header tank, it's not unheard of for them to crack here. A new header tank is IRO £35
Back to top	IP Logged

This is the old site. Please use the new site.

This is the old site. Please use the new site.

www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php.

This is the old site. Please use the new site.

	Welcome, Guest. Please Login