Technical 500 twinair massive water leak

[stanley77]

My Mrs came home today complaining about an overheating warning. So I filled up the water reservoir only to hear water gushing out the bottom of the engine.

Its a bit tight down there, but I managed a photo, can anybody shed some light on this? The clamp in the foreground seems to have no purpose, unless somebody has helped themselves to bits of the motor.

What exactly is this part that is leaking?

 

[chris3234]

Whe'hre shabouts on the engine is this?
A photo further one may help somwbody locate where it and what wrong
Possibly the thermostat housing?

 

[varesecrazy]

Indeed..
I can see a temperature sensor..
and the remnants of a 'molten blob'

 

[Catnapper]

Picture is actually upside down I think,
Agree with some sort of temp sensor, thermostat housing??

 

[Catnapper]

This ???
https://www.proxyparts.com/car-part...51120/part/thermostat-housing/partid/9216334/
Looks like you may have lost a hose too!!

 

[jrkitching]

This, perhaps:

https://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Product&ProdID=8263

 

[stanley77]

A few more images, yes a hose seems to be missing too, but I cannot locate where the other end of the hose would go.
Its upside down so I could get my mobile into the tiny gap!
Lack of schematics and so little space makes it hard to judge what's happened.

 

[stanley77]

Thanks a lot guys, I think the consensus is the thermostat housing.

Anybody got any tips for easy replacement?

Any idea what the missing house could be though, be nice to get it all ordered at once.

Thanks so much for all your answers.

 

[varesecrazy]

Definitely looks like the thermostat..

If you remove the engine cover you will have twice the space

 

[varesecrazy]

Pics


Access around the back..near oil filter..
Is then good

 

[Catnapper]

Thanks a lot guys, I think the consensus is the thermostat housing.

Anybody got any tips for easy replacement?

Any idea what the missing house could be though, be nice to get it all ordered at once.

Thanks so much for all your answers.

Not sure but could be a heater hose.
It's tight in there, have a good look around, maybe spot the said hose

 

[jrkitching]

It's tight in there, have a good look around, maybe spot the said hose

It's hard to believe the hose isn't still there.

But it's easy to believe the thermostat housing has spontaneously self-dismantled itself; this happens on the 1.2 a lot, as some of the parts are made from a type of plastic that degrades when in contact with hot coolant :bang:.

Right now, I'd be more concerned about collateral damage caused by the overheat. How far was it driven with the temperature warning light on?

 

[RalphM]

It looks like the heater pipe stub/connector as blown out of the housing,
look for a rubber pipe with maybe a metal stub sticking out of the end
but as the hose clip is still with the engine the stub maybe gone,
look on line for the thermostat and compare the pic with what you have.

 

[stanley77]

It's hard to believe the hose isn't still there.

But it's easy to believe the thermostat housing has spontaneously self-dismantled itself; this happens on the 1.2 a lot, as some of the parts are made from a type of plastic that degrades when in contact with hot coolant :bang:.

Right now, I'd be more concerned about collateral damage caused by the overheat. How far was it driven with the temperature warning light on?

About 7 miles at most. Ill get it off tonight and take a better look.

I cant believe the hose is missing though!

 

[jrkitching]

About 7 miles at most.

!

That's a long time to run an engine with no coolant.

Will keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[stanley77]

Not too bad a job in the end. Off in 20 mins. Engine cover,battery, hoses removed. You Deffo need a proper hose clip plier. Battery cage can stay.
Bit fidly but you can access the 2 studs.
So metal and plastic. Shoot whoever designed that.
Hose was hidden under battery so must have come off with some force.
Engine seems fine believe it or not.

Thanks guys would never have managed without all of your help

 

[Baglady1990]

!

That's a long time to run an engine with no coolant.

Will keep my fingers crossed for you.

And some of us know what happens to an engine with very little or no coolant in!!!

 

[jrkitching]

Not too bad a job in the end.

Great work - thanks for posting the pictures.

So metal and plastic. Shoot whoever designed that.

The 1.2 is the same; it's an appalingly poor choice of materials by the engineer who deigned it.

Some aftermarket thermostats, at least for the 1.2, are all metal; if I were doing this job, I'd try to get one of those if I could.

On the 1.2, if you have the type with the plastic spigot, I'd give serious consideration to routinely changing it at cambelt replacement time.

Battery cage can stay.

On the 1.2 also. No need to disconnect any cables; just unclip and swing them out of the way. You only need to take the coolant level below the housing; on the 1.2, the easiest way is to syphon or vacuum it out (if that much is still left!).

Engine seems fine believe it or not.

You have dodged a bullet there. The 1.2 isn't so forgiving; 15 seconds under power without coolant cover is usually enough to blow the head gasket. On that engine, the HG often fails before the overheat warning light illuminates.

Obviously I'd suggest you keep a close eye on it for a little while, but judging by the quality of what you've posted thus far, I don't really need to say that in your case.

 

[varesecrazy]

Not too bad a job in the end. Off in 20 mins. Engine cover,battery, hoses removed. You Deffo need a proper hose clip plier. Battery cage can stay.
Bit fidly but you can access the 2 studs.


Thanks guys would never have managed without all of your help

Glad it was pretty simple in the end

I am left wondering if its all been apart before..

The crusty white stuff..and RED splodges ..on the hose tail dont look correct

 

[jrkitching]

The crusty white stuff..and RED splodges ..on the hose tail dont look correct

Good spot; I'd also thought there was an unusual amount of crud in that hose.

I am left wondering if its all been apart before..

The hose clip is often a giveaway; unless the work has been done by a franchised dealer, I'd expect to see some sort of aftermarket clip if it had been apart before.