Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Ironingboard on 21 February 2009, 17:54:24

Title: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Ironingboard on 21 February 2009, 17:54:24
Ok, I've been trying to sort a coolant leak I've developed for a while, I changed my water pump seal, but I found that the bottom of my alternator had coolant drops on it.

Anyway I removed all the assorted pipes, air ducting, including my alternator to find out the source of the leak and I think my HG is leaking. Would really appreciate anyone's expertise on this  :(

(http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv312/erseno/IMG_2449.jpg)
(http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv312/erseno/IMG_2450.jpg)
(http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv312/erseno/IMG_2451.jpg)
(http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv312/erseno/IMG_2452.jpg)
(http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv312/erseno/IMG_2453.jpg)
(http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv312/erseno/IMG_2454.jpg)
(http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv312/erseno/IMG_2456-1.jpg)
(http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv312/erseno/IMG_2455.jpg)
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Entwood on 21 February 2009, 17:55:29
None of your photo links work ...   :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/

and have you worked through this ??

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1209123016
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: tunnie on 21 February 2009, 17:56:34
html won't work in posts, use [img ] tag
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Ironingboard on 21 February 2009, 18:02:44
OK I've fixed my links, I've ran through the guide, no problem with oil, or oil mixing with the water or anything still got power in the engine, not sure if its just the outer hg thats leaking  :'(
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Elite Pete on 21 February 2009, 18:14:36
Have you had the exhaust manifold gasket done and if so were there any broken studs?
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: feeutfo on 21 February 2009, 18:15:01
working on my mobile,

doubt its hg, more likely its running round that groove from the centre of the V of the engine between the two heads. Stat housing nearest the front, oil cooler cover plate, and coolent bridge at the back. Better check water pump as well i suppose.
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Ironingboard on 21 February 2009, 18:35:37
No broken studs that was my plan this weekend was to change my exhaust gasket and find out where my coolant was leaking.

Also changed my thermostat and resealed my oil cooler, have also checked for leaks there and its all dry
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: iainb on 21 February 2009, 19:13:16
Picture's 4 & 5 clearly show what looks like the dreaded Red Hermetite.
So has the head been removed in the past ?
If it was did they renew the gaskit or just use bodgers glue.
To answer your question there is a clear coolant trail but without a compression test cant say that the gaskit is fubar.
Iain
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: feeutfo on 21 February 2009, 21:15:17
dont think thats red hermatite, its too bright, looks more like the finish on the original gaskit. Seen some picks on here of a failed one... imho.

Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: old git on 22 February 2009, 00:11:54
Don,t know much about mig engines yet but are there any coreplugs around that area
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 February 2009, 00:17:14
Another thing you could try is to pressurise the water jacket and see if you can see it leaking.

Fit an old schrader valve into an expansion tank cap and pressurise the system to about 1 bar / 15 PSI using a fot pump or airline, than see if you can spot  where it's leaking.

Kevin
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Seth on 22 February 2009, 00:17:22
Quote
Don,t know much about mig engines yet but are there any coreplugs around that area

Good point!
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Ironingboard on 22 February 2009, 00:20:04
Head has never been taken off, but I'm planning to remove the exhaust manifold on sunday, at least then I can see if there is any chance of the water running from somewhere else, if not then there might be more coolant marks along the rest of the seam.

If it is the HG is it possible to leak out coolant but not affect compression?

If it is leaking coolant how can it leak from one side of the head and not the other does that mean my head could be warped?

Car has only done 96k I thought the V6 engine was bomb proof as long as its looked after?  
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: feeutfo on 22 February 2009, 12:29:44
it is fairly. Only seen 2 or 3 on here for a v engine. More likely the V area mate. But Kevins idea seems a good one. You should see any drop in psi as well.
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Ironingboard on 22 February 2009, 14:00:53
OK, I've made myself a cap with a pressure valve on it and pressurised the system and can see nothing. No themostat leak no nothing, the HG seal looks juicy but that might be because of where the water is leaking or running.

Any other ideas in what to do, can I use rad weld or something?
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: philhoward on 22 February 2009, 14:15:45
Quote
can I use rad weld or something?
Ye gods no!!!  Most of the time it just sticks into a clump somewhere and overheats the engine...

If you can get the engine dry (borrow a hair dryer??) then blow talcum powder on the offending areas to see the proper trace of liquid.  It stands a fair chance to be coming from elsewhere and then pooling where you can see it...

I had an oddball water leak on another car; water appeared some way from from slightly split hose as it was squiting a mist, but only when revved over 2000rpm (as the water pump generates a bit of pressure of its own) and warm...First glance said I had a cam cover gasket leaking water...
Title: Re: Is my HG leaking?
Post by: Ironingboard on 22 February 2009, 15:11:47
I've got some tracer dye I'm gonna add to the coolant, it will hopefully show me where the water is coming from, does anyone have a picture of what a HG looks like, so I can see if the water channel is near the edge of the block?