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[jimmas]

Guys carrying on from my last post concerning my 2.2i omega I am still loosing coolant and can find no leak so got to assume head gasket and looosing through exhaust, can these be done in a day ie remove and replace, hope not to have to skim as not over heating, and do I need any special tools.

[markey mark]

even if not overheating still should have it faced up bud for the £30ish it costs not worth the hassle of having to remove it again !  
have you checked hbv ??  

[Entwood]

I still think header tank cap or header tank neck ... there would be more symptoms of a head gasket than simply coolant loss.

[feeutfo]

maybe change the oil and see what falls out of it?

[jimmas]

going to try cheapest root first will replace header tank cap later today, and will post update later. cheers for reply's guys

[jimmas]

okay guys replaced the cap this evening, then drove 60 miles home checked level when home and yep it has dropped again used about 1 litre roughly, still no tell tell signs as to were it is going, just can not resolve this problem.  

[charlie]

get someone to sit in car and rev it and look for leaks my hbv was leaking/pissing out only at high revs

[Andy B]

okay guys replaced the cap this evening, then drove 60 miles home checked level when home and yep it has dropped again used about 1 litre roughly, still no tell tell signs as to were it is going, just can not resolve this problem.  

NB That when my HBV was leaking it only leaked when the air-con was on. With the climate turned off, there was no leak. Worth a look with various heating position set.

[jimmas]

thanks guys will try those suggestions saturday morning, will keep you updated to progress.

[DaveyDavey]

I've had coolant loss issues over the last few weeks, but with no descernible cause. Eventually diagnosed as the HBV, but it only started noticeably throwing out coolant when I was fiddling with the temp controls.

Entwood very kindly posted the following which helped me considerably:

Non-consistent loss of water is, I believe, often the HBV as it responds to changes in demanded temperature in the cabin and the outside temperature... it therefore sometimes leaks, sometimes doesn't  

What can help is to leave the car idling at normal temperature and make several large changes to demanded cabin temperature, leaving things to run between each change, and watching the HBV area like a hawk. It is then, sometimes, possible to see a leak as the HBV cycles to change the cabin temp.

Did this on my mates troublesome beast and sure enough, the HBV leaked when supplying HOT water (initial heating of cabin), but not once the cabin warmed up and the HBV backed off to maintain temp.

[jimmas]

Hi davey davey, did you not have any coolant stains anywere under the bonnet were it sprayed out, what I mean is I can see hbv valve and can not see any antifreeze stains around it or any connecting pipes, I am still at a loss, still considering head gasket but again have to admit no aapparent symptons, will try what you have suggested.

[feeutfo]

I've had coolant loss issues over the last few weeks, but with no descernible cause. Eventually diagnosed as the HBV, but it only started noticeably throwing out coolant when I was fiddling with the temp controls.

Entwood very kindly posted the following which helped me considerably:

Non-consistent loss of water is, I believe, often the HBV as it responds to changes in demanded temperature in the cabin and the outside temperature... it therefore sometimes leaks, sometimes doesn't  

What can help is to leave the car idling at normal temperature and make several large changes to demanded cabin temperature, leaving things to run between each change, and watching the HBV area like a hawk. It is then, sometimes, possible to see a leak as the HBV cycles to change the cabin temp.

Did this on my mates troublesome beast and sure enough, the HBV leaked when supplying HOT water (initial heating of cabin), but not once the cabin warmed up and the HBV backed off to maintain temp.

Good work Davey, only  differance in this case is its 4pot, making the hbv a bit easier to see, and complicating the issue a bit as the 4pot is more likely to suffer HG failure than the v6, but the method is the same as you say.

[jimmas]

think I have sussed it, car now starting to steam out of the exhaust when up to running temp, gonna put a glass over exhaust to catch some condensation then take it into my mates work place were he can test to see if antifreeze in exhaust steam, should prove conclusivly then, will let you no monday if head gasket or not.

[DaveyDavey]

  Ooops  

Didn't know the HBV was in a different place on a 4cylinder. Surely the principles of how it works would be similar though?

[jimmas]

Hi guys update, stripped head of today and thankfully found that head gasket had blown across water jacket into cylinder 3, so at least I now no were water was disapearing to ,going to skim head tuesday then refit later in day, will let you no how it runs when completed.