1998 C240 loses radiator coolant

[swtlee]

Hi All

My C240 is leaking water from its cooling system. I can drive about 1000 miles before the warning light comes on and I need to top up the system. I took the car to be serviced and investigated. The garage pressure tested it and said all was fine. When the light came on again I called up the garage and asked what they would do to further the investigation. Their answer? We'll pressure test it again! Instead of wasting more money with these people I trekked through all previous related posts on this forum and conclude the following: if I can't spot any water leaking from anywhere in and around the engine then the most likely candidate is that the water pump needs replacing.

I would just like to know if there are any other checks that can be made and any other possibilities for the problem? FYI the car has 45000 miles on it.

 

[Wisher]

I had a get my water pump repaced.. it was spraying water out of the hose below the fan...

the best way to check if anything is leaking....

1).. look for any stains of coloured antifrezze or rust..

2).. have engine running for afew minutes... see if there is anything driping on to the floor..then turn engine off and have a look around the water pump to see if there is any drips..

3).. hold tissue paper on all joints and jubilee clips. to see if there is any moisture.

4)...squeeze all hoses then check for moisture..

5).. the water pump is located behind the cooling fan(front fan) and fan belt... if you can reach under the fan and check for any moisture..

6).. a sign of hose decay is the tendency for the ends to bell-out very slightly. this will mean that the hose will need replaceing.. because wear is starting to take place, this doesn't always show up on pressure testing,, as hose will hold together..
but this will crack or split very suddenly. so should be replace...

7).. check rediator cap... do this after the engine is off but still hot....
useing a cloth as potection against hot water. carefully undo the cap for about one and half turn, A slight hiss should be heard as the pressurised air is released.. If no hiss is heard , check the rubber on the sealing riing and if this is damaged in any way, fit a new cap.. it's not possible to repair a cap..so just get it replaced...

hope these tips help...

Wisher..

 

[Wisher]

hi..

just wondering how you got on...

did you find anything??

wisher

 

[iva merc]

if you cant see a water leak..... HEAD GASKET!

 

[swtlee]

Progress?

Hi Wisher

Many thanks for the info. Unfortunately have been very busy and not had time to check over the car. From memory though, I can place ticks by most of your points to check. I just hope it isn't the problem that Iva Merc points out - head gasket!

 

[Wisher]

I don't have much info on the head gasket...

all it says about it,,
BLOWN CYLINDER HEAD GASKET (PRESSURE IN SYSTEM FORCING WATER/STEAM DOWN OVERFLOW PIPE),, there remedy for this,, is to remove cylinder head and fit a new gasket...

like I said it doesn't have much info..

or cylinder wall or head cracked.... then it says to dismantle engine and despatch to engineering works for repair...

which is no good,,, thats all my books will say about the head gasket..

I don't know if it can be tested to check for cracks...

I wouldn't have thought that a car of it's age would have a problem with the head gasket.... I don't know much about the head gasket...so i'm not much help there, sorry...

 

[flyingtech55]

Hi swtlee

If you suspect it's the head gasket you can do either/both of the following:

1) Get a garage with an emmisions testing machine (MOT garage) to 'sniff' the air space above the water in the header tank after a run. If it detects 'emmisions' then they most probably will be coming via the head gasket.

2) Put a strong solution of antifreeze in the cooling system, run the car and then go round the back of the car and sniff the exhaust while the engine's running. If you smell antifreeze then the head gasket is a strong suspect.

If you suspect the water pump, try the following:

Slacken off the 'fan' belt, grab the water pump pulley and see if you can feel any movement up and down or side to side. If you can detect movement, the odds are that the water pump bearings are shot and this damages the seal.