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JonJop



Member Since: 23 Jan 2018
Location: St Agnes
Posts: 63

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Arles Blue
Coolant system leak
Hoping someone can help. The temp gauge shots up on my way back home tonight. I checked the coolant level once the engine had cooled to find the tank was empty. I filled it only to find water coming from the front, passenger side of the engine bay. The top and bottom radiator hoses seem fine, but I gave them a squeeze and you could hear water escaping from another pipe. I’ve taken a pic and hoping someone can help identify what it is. Many thanks.
Post #789921 1st Sep 2019 6:00pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Hi Jon,

Can you post your pic??

When my car did this, it was the hose between the heater and the cylinder head that had gone - but that's not too near the front.

If you can get someone else to put water in while you check where it's coming out, that might help.

( Edited - that pipe in the pic you put in your gallery is the power steering pump, so no coolant coming from there. But the water pump is just above that, and a likely source of a leak.) Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...


Last edited by donmacn on 1st Sep 2019 7:43pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #789942 1st Sep 2019 7:40pm
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JonJop



Member Since: 23 Jan 2018
Location: St Agnes
Posts: 63

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Arles Blue
It’s coming from the bit circled in red

Click image to enlarge
Post #789943 1st Sep 2019 7:42pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Our posts crossed. Yea, that's one of the pipes to the PAS pump, so while it looks wet - it's not leaking from there. Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #789944 1st Sep 2019 7:45pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

If the leak is showing there though, it could be a few things.

First and easiest, see if you can get a good look at all the hoses, check they are all intact, and that they are a good fit onto their mountings. Check the jubilee clips are intact.

Then, you could take the hoses off, and check the conditoin of the pipes/boss they fit on to. As it's aluminium, it does corrode.

Lastly - and the most hassle - you could be looking at the water pump gasket, or evn the P gasket between the engine block and the auxiliary mounting bracket.

This video would show that stuff more clearly. https://images.app.goo.gl/37W14M8YxbijyCgy7 Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #789948 1st Sep 2019 7:55pm
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JonJop



Member Since: 23 Jan 2018
Location: St Agnes
Posts: 63

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Arles Blue
donmacn wrote:
Our posts crossed. Yea, that's one of the pipes to the PAS pump, so while it looks wet - it's not leaking from there.
. It it looked almost certain that the water was bubbling from there when I squeezed the radiator pipe? Perhaps it’s the gasket between water pump and block?
Post #789955 1st Sep 2019 8:20pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

That pipe definitely contains transmission fluid, for the power steering system I'm afraid.

Looking at the pic again you can see some water on the aux bracket, under the alternator, and evidence of dried up water runs which show that water's been running down there.

Like I said, neither gasket is especilly difficult - quite involved, in the sense that a few things need to be removed first, and then careful not to overtighten stuff on reassembly - but not that challenging really. I think I watched a few vids before tackling it, and read the wrkshop manual, just to get a clear picture of what was needed. If you're in there anyway, and it's not been done recently, I'd go for a new waterpump as well. It's not that expensive, and you'll have removed it anyway. Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #789964 1st Sep 2019 8:48pm
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JonJop



Member Since: 23 Jan 2018
Location: St Agnes
Posts: 63

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Arles Blue
Great - thanks for the info
Post #789967 1st Sep 2019 8:50pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Happy to try and help.

Just to stress though, check the hoses/clips/joints first.

Unless it's really, really bad I'd expect leaking gaskets to 'leak' or weep, rather than pour out, so if it's a substantial leak, while the gasket might well be leaking too, the worst problem could be something easier to fix. Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #789972 1st Sep 2019 9:02pm
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JonJop



Member Since: 23 Jan 2018
Location: St Agnes
Posts: 63

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Arles Blue
I put around 2 litres of water in the expansion tank and it was completely empty in less than a minute...
Post #789976 1st Sep 2019 9:11pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Wow. That's some leak - or it could mean that the system had emptied itself and your 2 litres was just refilling it.

Did you do this with the engine running? So that the water pump is adding pressure to the system, or with the engine off? If it's with the engine running that also means the fan could be spraying water around, confusing things.

I think you'll need to get someone else to add water while you have a close look at all the hoses and connections.

Don't know that I can suggest anything else really - there are so many parts and connections to the cooling system - but on the plus side most of them are visible, and water's a cheap and easy thing to pour in while you try and trace it. Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #789983 1st Sep 2019 9:43pm
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jfh



Member Since: 08 Jan 2014
Location: West Coast
Posts: 348

South Africa 2007 Defender 110 300 Tdi SW Chawton White
Water pump or "P" gasket.
Post #790002 2nd Sep 2019 6:13am
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JonJop



Member Since: 23 Jan 2018
Location: St Agnes
Posts: 63

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Arles Blue
donmacn wrote:
Wow. That's some leak - or it could mean that the system had emptied itself and your 2 litres was just refilling it.

Did you do this with the engine running? So that the water pump is adding pressure to the system, or with the engine off? If it's with the engine running that also means the fan could be spraying water around, confusing things.

I think you'll need to get someone else to add water while you have a close look at all the hoses and connections.

Don't know that I can suggest anything else really - there are so many parts and connections to the cooling system - but on the plus side most of them are visible, and water's a cheap and easy thing to pour in while you try and trace it.

Thanks. Yes, added lots of water and was coming out as quickly as I was putting it in. Nothing though coming from the hoses. I’ll xhexk the pump and look to replace it along with the gaskets.
Post #790007 2nd Sep 2019 6:35am
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Mo Murphy



Member Since: 01 Jun 2008
Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts
Posts: 2062

United Kingdom 1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi HT Pennine Grey
If it's coming out as quickly as you say then it sounds like a hose off or badly split.
Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen.
Post #790011 2nd Sep 2019 7:13am
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JonJop



Member Since: 23 Jan 2018
Location: St Agnes
Posts: 63

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Arles Blue
On another note, more worrying perhaps. The nut at the bottom right of the pics - it looks like there is a crack running across the block???
Post #790059 2nd Sep 2019 11:28am
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