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[pfj101]

Hi Folks,

Just bought this car by a week or so and check coolant level light came on, filled the tnk went out. Then came on again and i have been intermittantly filling it ever since.

Water that comes out under pressure when I release the pressure cap is rust coloured NB; DO NOT RELEASE PRESSURE CAP WHEN ENGINE HOT UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

Temp and engine ok, temp is variable and climbs and drops presumably depending if the fan kicks in.

It feels like there might be a pressure lock in there somewhere, any idea how to remove it, and where all this bloody water is going? :-/

[Jay w]

i would check underneath the car at the back of the engine to see if you are losing water, if you are it could be the heater bypass valve (HBV)
these do go from time to time and you will lose water, the problem is recently we have had soooooo much rain you may not have notice the water under the car

[TheBoy]

If you think you are losing water from anywhere other than the cap, check hbv first as suggested

[mark.adams]

Thats exactly how mine went when the head gasket was on its way out... Except the temp kept rising and falling wildly too.
The rust coloured water.... is that indicative of someone having added a radweld type stuff previously???

[ffcgary1]

Ir the water is rust coloued then the system needs to be drained and flushed several times to get the cruddy stuff out and then fill with a 50% red antifreeze mix to water. Then look for signs of a leak, you will see it more clearly. the intermittant coolant warning is the sensor on the bottom of the header tank and will require a new header tank to fix it.

[pfj101]

No evidence of water leaking through the HBV, and the cap has evidence of 'Mayo'!

Yes Mark, my temperature is fluctuating wildly too i'm afraid. Anyone any idea how much a cylinder head gasket job will cost me iin a garage?

[Dazzler]

Try doing a system flush first as suggested.
The rust coloured water may be due to a lack of regular anti-freeze changes.
Start with the basics, before you start fearing the worst.

[mark.adams]

Yes Mark, my temperature is fluctuating wildly too i'm afraid. Anyone any idea how much a cylinder head gasket job will cost me iin a garage?

I didn't pay for mine it was covered under a warranty. I believe the final bill was just over £500 including a head skim.

[ffcgary1]

Head gaskets rarly fail on the v6 and the mayo if it is not to thick maybe just condensation from mainly short runs, give it a hour blast up a motorway and check again to see if it clears if not  check for mayo in the header tank that will confirm the oil cooler failure, change to the oil and filter with vx 10/40 semi synth and the probs should   hopfully dissapear.

[mark.adams]

Head gaskets rarly fail on the v6

Whats the difference between the head gaskets on a V6 as opposed to a 4 pot? are they made of something stronger or is it engine design?

[ffcgary1]

It is the design of the waterways in the head that stop prem failure, you do seriously have to over heat a v6 to bugger them up, although i have seen evedence of the head gaskets rotting away due to poor anti freeze mix levels and the car still ran fine with no issues. no water loss or overheating nothing.

[pfj101]

Head gaskets rarly fail on the v6 and the mayo if it is not to thick maybe just condensation from mainly short runs, give it a hour blast up a motorway and check again to see if it clears if not  check for mayo in the header tank that will confirm the oil cooler failure, change to the oil and filter with vx 10/40 semi synth and the probs should   hopfully dissapear.

There is not much mayo in the oil cap and no evidence of any in the header tank. So I will take your advice (alll of you) and start trying to eliminate the basics before getting drastic on it's ass!

Cheers guys, super helpful as always

[TheBoy]

If you are unsure, try getting a local garage to stiff the coolant tank for fumes