adam1983 Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 I originally posted up this thread: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?253483-Compression-Test-results.-Any-Good Ok an update on things and hopefully some more suggestions from you guys. Went out today to try a new rad cap to see if that would have any difference but it is still the same. Top rad hose goes rock hard once engine temp gets up to normal operating temperature. On top of that the expansion tank is losing coolant but with no obvious signs as to where it is coming from. The temp gauge in the car sits half way as usual and i get hot air when i turn the blowers on full heat so cant be thermostat which also got changed when i got the new rad. The engine does not seem to be overheating in any way and the compression test results seemed good so this is very strange. Not sure where to go with this next but have put down paper on my garage floor to pick up any leaks that may appear overnight. Apart from that what else can i do to solve this problem? The coolant is obviously going somewhere but just not back in the expansion tank like it should be Any help on this will be great as it is really annoying now. Anything else I can try or test? Cheers guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 Any ideas at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soopra Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 could the head gasket have gone? water is coming out with the exhaust gas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazuk Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Paper on floor is a good start also do this and run car up to temp, how quickly is it loosing coolant ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul372 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 check to see if your losing coolant from the water pump, when i had a coolant leak it was the main hose going into the back of the head near the bulkhead had a small pin hole in it try checking that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 could the head gasket have gone? water is coming out with the exhaust gas? I did think this at first which is why I bought a compression test kit but the results from that came back pretty good. Also had a sniff test done at a garage and they said that it came back fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 check to see if your losing coolant from the water pump, when i had a coolant leak it was the main hose going into the back of the head near the bulkhead had a small pin hole in it try checking that Was this pretty obvious when it was happening? Was it leaking onto the floor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT Paul Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 ive got a leak near my oil filter.. its water but dosen't drip. just gets damp and coolant goes after some time but thats a winter job. how much you loosing and how long ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul372 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Was this pretty obvious when it was happening? Was it leaking onto the floor? no it was quite hard to pin point and find out where it was coming from but we found it in the end and yes there was a little bit of coolant on the floor every time i turnt the supe off the coolant started to leak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Mate, like I said to you before, the pipe is hard because you were running a 1.3bar rad cap and there was probably an air lock, which will explain the loss of coolant. Remember when we first changed the thermostat and ran the car up, everything was fine. Im 100% sure the head gasket is fine, by all means put some paper down and see if you have leaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 Mate, like I said to you before, the pipe is hard because you were running a 1.3bar rad cap and there was probably an air lock, which will explain the loss of coolant. Remember when we first changed the thermostat and ran the car up, everything was fine. Im 100% sure the head gasket is fine, by all means put some paper down and see if you have leaks. Yeah I know what your saying mate but it keeps taking coolant in and not putting any back in the expansion tank. It must be going somewhere like I said but I can't find any signs of it. I tried getting any air locks out of the system like you said before but it keeps on taking coolant. I even took it to the garage and they tried too and tested the coolant for exhaust gasses. When I run it up with the rad cap off then put it back on the top hose seems to be not so hard for a while. I turn it off then let it cool down for a while then turn back on again and the top hose goes hard like a rock. I look in the expansion tank and the level is really low even though I filled it the night before with no signs of any leaking on the floor of the garage. Maybe I am being paranoid mate but I would not think that I would be topping it up with coolant so often. It just never seems to put it back in the overflow but takes it into the system no problems obviously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai 20V Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Mate, like I said to you before, the pipe is hard because you were running a 1.3bar rad cap and there was probably an air lock, which will explain the loss of coolant. Remember when we first changed the thermostat and ran the car up, everything was fine. Im 100% sure the head gasket is fine, by all means put some paper down and see if you have leaks. This could be right, my car has the 1.3bar cap and also loosing coolant...I have changed to a 1.1bar cap and going to try it now.. Just for info, I just changed my radiator and had the entire cooling system checked, no leaks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) Well one things for sure. If you have to keep filling the expansion tank then there is definitely a leak on the system. A doubtfull possibility is it could be losing the coolant internally, cracked block or head, head gasket failing, have you checked the sump for coolant, it would show as droplets on the dipstick. Seeing as your in the East Midlands why don't you take the car to Ash at Garage 786 Edited September 3, 2011 by Dnk (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 Well one things for sure. If you have to keep filling the expansion tank then there is definitely a leak on the system. A doubtfull possibility is it could be losing the coolant internally, cracked block or head, head gasket failing, have you checked the sump for coolant, it would show as droplets on the dipstick. Seeing as your in the East Midlands why don't you take the car to Ash at Garage 786 I checked the dipstick but it looks normal. If it was anything to do with the head gasket it would have showed in compression test though? I work in high Wycombe which is where I stay most of the time now. Still got a house in Nottingham though which is why my profile still has it on. Took it to a garage local round here in Wycombe and they ran an emissions tester and said the results came back fine. I might try making a video over the next few days to show the symptoms up better. Might try jacking the front end up too to check for any dampness anywhere too as I can't find any around the top areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supraGZaerotop Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 my old tt had a leak and for me a crack was starting to appear in the top of the rad which only leaked under load so you never seen it and gradually gets worse, common i think, had you checked around the top of the rad area, im sure you have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 my old tt had a leak and for me a crack was starting to appear in the top of the rad which only leaked under load so you never seen it and gradually gets worse, common i think, had you checked around the top of the rad area, im sure you have Yeah the radiator is brand new koyo rad. Only had the old stock one replaced a few weeks ago which had a crack in the top. Thanks for the suggestion though. Was hoping that was the reason for it leaking before but must be more to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 How much coolant are we talking about. Less than a litre a day or more ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 How much coolant are we talking about. Less than a litre a day or more ? I would say less than a litre a day but it's hard to tell as I have an alloy expansion tank relocated to the front of the battery. I have to check by opening the cap and looking inside. It's not as big as the stock one though AFAIK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 (edited) If you've got a normal mkiv rad cap fitted to the koyo rad then that could be your issue. Koyo rads don't use the mkiv rad cap. I had the same issue with mine when i got it back from the rebuild. Turned out to be the wrong radiator cap. Edited September 3, 2011 by Marty (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 If you've got a normal mkiv rad cap fitted to the koyo rad then that could be your issue. Koyo rads don't use the mkiv rad cap. I had the same issue with mine when i got it back from the rebuild. Turned out to be the wrong radiator cap. I'm using the rad cap that came with the radiator mate. I have even tried a trd one I ordered too just to make sure but same problem. Wish it was that simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 On a side note if anyone fancies a trip to the wonderful High Wycombe to take part in helping to find coolant leak then feel free to come down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Just as a bit of info for you. I've just fired my car up and checked it over ready to go to Silverstone tomorrow, i ran it up to normal operating temp and the top hose to the rad does not go rock hard. My car cooling wise is on a totally stock set up, stock rad & cap, heater matrix, thermostat and coolant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 Just as a bit of info for you. I've just fired my car up and checked it over ready to go to Silverstone tomorrow, i ran it up to normal operating temp and the top hose to the rad does not go rock hard. My car cooling wise is on a totally stock set up, stock rad & cap, heater matrix, thermostat and coolant Thanks for the info. The coolant loss along with hard top rad hose is definately something going on. Got the car to normal operating temps earlier, topped the coolant to the top and laid cardboard on the garage floor. Going to check tomorrow on coolant levels and and signs on the floor. Hopefully that will help locate it fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1983 Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 Just made a video so will edit and upload to YouTube soon and see what you all make of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Just made a video so will edit and upload to YouTube soon and see what you all make of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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