Technical Coolant Leak?

[FiatPuntoMad]

Last week before pulling my punto in the garage i noticed an small bright orange drop of some kind of liquid on the garage floor, didn't think much of it but today i noticed another.

Had a quick look under the car and on the sump there is a few orange drips running down from the left side of the engine! Wiped it off with some tissue and it was bright pink, so I'm guessing coolant.

Any idea's where from? i was thinking water pump, although it was just changed last year!

Have checked coolant tank and there is no noticeable drop in the water level.

 

[fingers99]

Water pump, water rail O ring or core plug.

Decent wipe and prolonged look (engine running) should show where.

 

[FiatPuntoMad]

Thanks will have a look, the drips i wiped off this morning were defiantly dripping down the left hand side of the sump, and appeared to be coming from under the plastic cam belt cover. (which is why i was thinking water pump)

 

[Ziggy122]

Thanks will have a look, the drips i wiped off this morning were defiantly dripping down the left hand side of the sump, and appeared to be coming from under the plastic cam belt cover. (which is why i was thinking water pump)

Both water pump and water rail o-ring are on the left hand side and would run down sump

Ziggu

 

[FiatPuntoMad]

Both water pump and water rail o-ring are on the left hand side and would run down sump

Ziggu

Ok thanks will have a look tomorrow, Will the car be ok to drive until sorted as long as coolant level remains ok? (just as the car is relied on a lot for work!)

 

[Ziggy122]

Ok thanks will have a look tomorrow, Will the car be ok to drive until sorted as long as coolant level remains ok? (just as the car is relied on a lot for work!)

Well yes and no

Yes if the coolant is checked before every journey and its not allowed to run out or dry

No - because its still leaking, it will only get worse, and it could risk a HG Failure

And for love god sex or money - DO NOT STICK RAD WELD IN

Ziggy

 

[FiatPuntoMad]

Spent about 15 mins with the engine running this morning before work, and the only drips were from a slight blow in the exhaust flexi pipe. The old marks are there but nothing new so will have a check after work.

 

[Brendan W]

Have a look at the top of the oil filter housing. If it is the water rail it will generally appear there. Not forgetting that there could be two leaks

 

[FiatPuntoMad]

Water rail and area's around it, including oil filter are dry as a bone

And definitely does seem to be coming from something under the cam belt cover

Took it into a local garage who had a quick look at it while i was work, said the leak seems to very small, although he couldn't figure out exactly where it was coming from and would need more time to investigate.

He said i could try putting some k seal but theres no guarantee it will work .... I'm guessing 99% of people on here would disagree with k seal?

 

[Ziggy122]

Water rail and area's around it, including oil filter are dry as a bone

And definitely does seem to be coming from something under the cam belt cover

Took it into a local garage who had a quick look at it while i was work, said the leak seems to very small, although he couldn't figure out exactly where it was coming from and would need more time to investigate.

He said i could try putting some k seal but theres no guarantee it will work .... I'm guessing 99% of people on here would disagree with k seal?

See post #6

Why? it just clogs up the radiator and everything, you risk making it more poorly...

The garage needs todo a Coolant Pressure Test, he will clearly see a drop in pressure if its leaking

If the system is sealed up tight - it will hold and maintain pressure easily

If you fancy a little bit of DIY - there is a guide in the mk1 section (odd when its for mk2 2b) by me on a DIY pressure tester
You need some sort of device to read pressure, such as a foot pump, or a digital readout - like i use my Ring Tyre Inflator

Ziggy

 

[oldhammer]

K-seal is hit & miss, (Marmite)
ive used it in the past on k-series engines, itcan give a car a longer lease of life
before you hand it over to the scrapyard,

as for blocking up a matrix ive never seen it happen,

Use of these products in bottles shouid be down too owners risk/ Gamble,

use at own risk, we carnt /nor shouidnt recomend it here,

 

[FiatPuntoMad]

Might just have to bite the bullet and take it into my usual garage.

Problem is i can't really afford to be paying a garage to fix it, but at the same time need it doing pretty sharpish!

How much roughly will it cost to get it investigated and repaired in a garage if it turns out to be the water pump?

 

[oldhammer]

Do what 'We's do's.

plenty of info on here, fix it your self,


you will be able to fix this your self,

 

[flisko]

Might just have to bite the bullet and take it into my usual garage.

Problem is i can't really afford to be paying a garage to fix it, but at the same time need it doing pretty sharpish!

How much roughly will it cost to get it investigated and repaired in a garage if it turns out to be the water pump?

autodata shows 2 hours, dunno how much they charge per hour water pump is around 20 squid

 

[FiatPuntoMad]

I dont have the time to do it my self,

There is a slight squeak from the engine, when cold at around 1.5k revs, disappears at 2k. Then goes all together once warmed, and seems to be worse the colder the weather is.

Now I'm wondering if this could be the water pump too?

Though it would surprise me as belts, pump & tensioner were done last year (though its done 20k since then)

 

[fingers99]

The other thing that's under the cover is a great big core plug. Pull the cover, and if the leak is from either the water pump or the core plug, it should be pretty obvious.

 

[FiatPuntoMad]

Had the leak sorted ... was the water pump. Cost 145 to get it sorted along with oil, plugs and filters while it was in.

Was all fine for 1 day, now has started making a really bizarre noise!

On tick over its fine, but when revving its making a noise, a high pitched raspy whining/whirring noise. Any idea what it is and if it will be linked with the work that has just been done?

 

[fingers99]

Quite possibly.

There's a chance they used a water pump with the wrong pitch or fluffed up the timing belt.

Take it back. Soon as possible.

This is all simple DIY stuff.

 

[FiatPuntoMad]

Took it back this morning, all sorted now. Was just fan belt on too tight.