Excessive Water Leak

[Sentech]

I posted this in the newbie forum a few weeks ago, thought I'd better transfer it here to see if I can get more answers.

 

 

I started using and excessive amount of water a couple of weeks back on my 2.8 CRD 2006 Voyager.

 

The leak ONLY STARTS when the vehicle reaches operating temperature, one would automatically assume top water hose or thermostat housing.

 

Unfortunately this is not the case.

 

Looking underneath with the engine running, above the turbo, but below the thermostat there is a 2" plastic pipe with an odd "U" shaped channel in it, sticking out thru a heat shield in the bulkhead.

 

There are a couple of photos in the newbie forum under the same topic (Excessive Leak dated 13th June) showing the location of this pipe

 

Occasionally water can be seen spitting out of this pipe but nowhere near the quantity I'm losing in total. 

 

I have a pdf workshop manual but it doesn't show this in the cooling system. I am wondering if it is some kind of overflow or over pressurization from the heater matrix ? (Pure guess).

 

If there is anybody out there who has experienced this problem or knows what this pipe is for I would be eternally grateful for information.

 

I am losing about 1 liter of water for every 10 kms. There's no visible sign of this water leak, nothing under the car, the carpets are bone dry, the oil level in the engine is steady, there's no white sludge inside the rocker cover, there's no steam in the exhaust, but still I'm losing water.

 

I parked the car on Tuesday evening, topped up the expansion tank, came out this morning (Thursday) and had to put 3 liters of water in the expansion tank again ................ the damn car hadn't moved in 2 days.

 

I thought it might have been the cap on the expansion tank itself so I fitted a new one, ..... still the same result.

 

 

Chris

Edited June 28, 2018 by Sentech

[Sentech]

What a mother f***er,

 

My car has been throwing me a curve ball. It has nothing to do with the thermostat opening. It's the damn Radiator.

 

This morning I parked the vehicle on level ground (it's normally on my sloping driveway)

 

I filled the expansion tank (AGAIN) when suddenly I saw water dripping onto the floor.

 

I removed some plastic to get a clearer view, and low and behold at the front of the radiator, right at the top behind the A/C Condenser (where I couldn't see) is a leak on the radiator. Under the "U tube principle" the water level has been dropping to the level of the hole in the radiator and seeping down.

 

So driving 25 kms every day, to heat the water to operating temp for troubleshooting, has been a complete waste of time, the damn water had already gone. It always fell to the level of the bottom of the expansion tank where it stops leaking (U tube principle again). This explains why I lost 3 liters of water yesterday when the car didn't even move the whole day.

 

With the amount of water coming out I don't think radweld is going to help.

 

Question for any Voyager gurus out there:-

 

Can I change the radiator without removing the Condenser & Oil Cooler ?

 

Chris

Edited June 28, 2018 by Sentech

[bignev]

Well chuffing heck how odd, but no water on the floor before now, ruddy car 

 

Well, mine is petrol, so no intercooler either, but it's one job I didn't actually do myself, my twins were very young at the time, but my mate never mentioned having to take the condenser coil out, and definitely didn't regas the AC.

[BumBle02]

If you go on youtube and put in c g voyager radiator you will  see the rad coming out its  Andy doing the job no doubt he might help you here.

[Sentech]

Thanks for the responses guys, I'm currently in UK but discovered I can get a OEM radiator in Portugal (where I live). Going to order the radiator middle of next week. It should be delivered when I get home 17th.

 

I'll post the results with some photos.

 

Chris

Edited July 3, 2018 by Sentech

[Sentech]

Hi Big Nev,

I'm currently in Chester. My driveway slopes down and for some reason I never saw a leak from the front (saw a small pool beneath the thermostat housing area but nowt else). Took it on numerous test drives, absolutely fruitless. I dipped the oil to see if it had risen (head gasket). It was high but when I put a lighter to it it didn't hiss or spit, then I thought hang on you PONKER put it on level ground. I did this the oil level was fine but when I topped up the expansion tank I felt water dripping onto my left foot. I removed some plastic from above the radiator and hey presto a friggin leak on the radiator just visible behind the condenser.

[chrisdavisberry]

HI Sentech-

 

Long shot here but i wondered how you got the pic from above of the hose below the thermostat?

 

This seems to have split on mine but i cant get any sort of access from above to it. 

 

Its on a ramp so might be able to do the fix from below but just thought id see. 

 

I also need to get the Inlet Pipe to the Turbo removed. Ive got the bottom clip off but wondering now if it will left out from above? 

 

If you can remember anything about it it would be really helpful. 

 

Cheers

Chris

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by chrisdavisberry