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[BOL]

Hi all. Had my 1999 3L Elite for 3 years now. Its got 91K and has developed a coolent leak. Its taking the form of steaming off of the near side exhaust manifold as the engine warms up and small amounts runing down the same side of the bell housing, after which it smells of hot/burnt coolent. Not loosing significant coolent though (although I have always put a cup full every other month since owned).

Its been into the local VX dealer. They diagnosed the heat exchanger. They have replaced it and (on my reguest) the plastic valve thing at the rear of the engine. Opps!!, its still doing exactly the same. Gave VX the car back to try again!!! They have stripped it down for the second time and found possible leak around thermostat housing. I have looked at the dismantled lump and the evidence does suggest this.

Questions:-
Having not got oil in coolent, nor coolent in oil (small amount of winter mayo under cap from short jurneys), so why did they suspect the heat exchanger? Did this need to be changed?

Is it normal for coolent leak from the heat exchanger cover or thermostat housing to run down the rear of the near side head and onto the exhaust manifold?

Or could this be the beginnings of the dreaded HG?

Will find out tomorrow if their second attempt has worked.

Have found similar problems of interest from forum - great help - can anyone add more light/experience to my problem?

Thanks BOL

[Darth Loo-knee]

Hi all. Had my 1999 3L Elite for 3 years now. Its got 91K and has developed a coolent leak. Its taking the form of steaming off of the near side exhaust manifold as the engine warms up and small amounts runing down the same side of the bell housing, after which it smells of hot/burnt coolent. Not loosing significant coolent though (although I have always put a cup full every other month since owned).

Its been into the local VX dealer. They diagnosed the heat exchanger. They have replaced it and (on my reguest) the plastic valve thing at the rear of the engine. Opps!!, its still doing exactly the same. Gave VX the car back to try again!!! They have stripped it down for the second time and found possible leak around thermostat housing. I have looked at the dismantled lump and the evidence does suggest this.

Questions:-
Having not got oil in coolent, nor coolent in oil (small amount of winter mayo under cap from short jurneys), so why did they suspect the heat exchanger? Did this need to be changed?

Is it normal for coolent leak from the heat exchanger cover or thermostat housing to run down the rear of the near side head and onto the exhaust manifold?

Or could this be the beginnings of the dreaded HG?

Will find out tomorrow if their second attempt has worked.

Have found similar problems of interest from forum - great help - can anyone add more light/experience to my problem?

Thanks BOL

1/ When your Oil Cooler goes you will get oil in your water reservior, if oil isn't in the water would think they changed it when there was no need.
2/The oil cooler plate can leak, did the leak run down the same place before they changed the oil cooler? I think if the cooler plate is leaking slightly the water evapourates with the heat down there.... would think if the thermostat was leaking it may run down where the transfer pipe goes to the top radiator hose... Have you checked your HBV?
3/ as for the head gasket they rarely go on the V6

[Ironingboard]

Hi all. Had my 1999 3L Elite for 3 years now. Its got 91K and has developed a coolent leak. Its taking the form of steaming off of the near side exhaust manifold as the engine warms up and small amounts runing down the same side of the bell housing, after which it smells of hot/burnt coolent. Not loosing significant coolent though (although I have always put a cup full every other month since owned).

Its been into the local VX dealer. They diagnosed the heat exchanger. They have replaced it and (on my reguest) the plastic valve thing at the rear of the engine. Opps!!, its still doing exactly the same. Gave VX the car back to try again!!! They have stripped it down for the second time and found possible leak around thermostat housing. I have looked at the dismantled lump and the evidence does suggest this.

Questions:-
Having not got oil in coolent, nor coolent in oil (small amount of winter mayo under cap from short jurneys), so why did they suspect the heat exchanger? Did this need to be changed?

Is it normal for coolent leak from the heat exchanger cover or thermostat housing to run down the rear of the near side head and onto the exhaust manifold?

Or could this be the beginnings of the dreaded HG?

Will find out tomorrow if their second attempt has worked.

Have found similar problems of interest from forum - great help - can anyone add more light/experience to my problem?

Thanks BOL

Bol, had the same problem with my Omega, I had a coolant leak, but couldn't track it down on my 3.0 litre. I ordered some UV tracer dye from the US to add to the the cooling system.

Got a UV light and shades from halfords and found it was leaking in a few places.

In my case it was the water pump and the thermostat housing.

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1203346440/15#15

Changed both and never lost a drop yet. Changed my water pump as part of my timing belt change.

[BOL]

Loo-Newbe and IroningBoard,
Thanks for replys.
Loo-Newbe, thanks for confirming my thoughts about the heat exchanger. I shall be strongly informing the garrage regarding work not require!! That said, sounds fortunate that it has now been changed before it does fail!
Yes the leak is exactly the same now as it was before first visit to the  garrage, and running down the same side, so I doubt the cover plate was even leaking! I opted for the HBV to replaced while the heat exchanger was being sorted, so its not that.
The thermostat housing was showing signs of leaking in a direction that would cause coolent to run towards the rear of the engine along the length of the near side head, so fingers crossed that this could be the cause :-/

IroningBoard, had the water pump replaced before Christmass. The UV tracer sounds a great help. The car was back togerther this evening and running Fingers crossed, the garrage are going to keep it and run it up tomorrow morning from cold to see if the symptoms remain. Hopefully not, as I need car to get away over the weekend.

Thanks again for great help. Will keep in touch with this site, its been very usefull.

Bol  

[Gaffers]

Hi all. Had my 1999 3L Elite for 3 years now. Its got 91K and has developed a coolent leak. Its taking the form of steaming off of the near side exhaust manifold as the engine warms up and small amounts runing down the same side of the bell housing, after which it smells of hot/burnt coolent. Not loosing significant coolent though (although I have always put a cup full every other month since owned).

Its been into the local VX dealer. They diagnosed the heat exchanger. They have replaced it and (on my reguest) the plastic valve thing at the rear of the engine. Opps!!, its still doing exactly the same. Gave VX the car back to try again!!! They have stripped it down for the second time and found possible leak around thermostat housing. I have looked at the dismantled lump and the evidence does suggest this.

Questions:-
Having not got oil in coolent, nor coolent in oil (small amount of winter mayo under cap from short jurneys), so why did they suspect the heat exchanger? Did this need to be changed?

Is it normal for coolent leak from the heat exchanger cover or thermostat housing to run down the rear of the near side head and onto the exhaust manifold?

Or could this be the beginnings of the dreaded HG?

Will find out tomorrow if their second attempt has worked.

Have found similar problems of interest from forum - great help - can anyone add more light/experience to my problem?

Thanks BOL

Bol, had the same problem with my Omega, I had a coolant leak, but couldn't track it down on my 3.0 litre. I ordered some UV tracer dye from the US to add to the the cooling system.

Got a UV light and shades from halfords and found it was leaking in a few places.

In my case it was the water pump and the thermostat housing.

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1203346440/15#15

Changed both and never lost a drop yet. Changed my water pump as part of my timing belt change.

Ooo, do you still need the specs and light or do you mind if I buy/borrow off you...  

I have a small leak somewhere too and seeings as I am changing the DIS pack soon.....

[Darth Loo-knee]

Loo-Newbe and IroningBoard,
Thanks for replys.
Loo-Newbe, thanks for confirming my thoughts about the heat exchanger. I shall be strongly informing the garrage regarding work not require!! That said, sounds fortunate that it has now been changed before it does fail!
Yes the leak is exactly the same now as it was before first visit to the  garrage, and running down the same side, so I doubt the cover plate was even leaking! I opted for the HBV to replaced while the heat exchanger was being sorted, so its not that.
The thermostat housing was showing signs of leaking in a direction that would cause coolent to run towards the rear of the engine along the length of the near side head, so fingers crossed that this could be the cause :-/

IroningBoard, had the water pump replaced before Christmass. The UV tracer sounds a great help. The car was back togerther this evening and running Fingers crossed, the garrage are going to keep it and run it up tomorrow morning from cold to see if the symptoms remain. Hopefully not, as I need car to get away over the weekend.

Thanks again for great help. Will keep in touch with this site, its been very usefull.

Bol  

Have they checked the Coolant Bridge?
There are I forget the name for them but they are 4 washers with rubber on the inside edge, I changed these just of a matter of caution but they do go... Also they are at the back of the blocks.. here is a picture so you can see what I mean

 http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1192574209

[BOL]

Hi all,
Loo-Newbe, The bridge was removed/re-assembled as part of the heat exchanger replacement - thanks for further advice and thoughts though.

I have my car back. So far so good. No visual evidence of leak and smell of hot/burning coolent has all but gone. Hopefully i am sorted .

Managed to negotiate on cost too. End result being I shall pay for all replaced items and labour for fist attempt of repair but not the second. Itms replaced are:- HBV, heat exchanger (even though I reckon it was not leaking, but cover plate could of been) and new thermostat housing as this was damaged internally and leaking externally.

Hitting the road this weekend so am holding my breath.

Thanks again all

BOL

[Ironingboard]

Hi all. Had my 1999 3L Elite for 3 years now. Its got 91K and has developed a coolent leak. Its taking the form of steaming off of the near side exhaust manifold as the engine warms up and small amounts runing down the same side of the bell housing, after which it smells of hot/burnt coolent. Not loosing significant coolent though (although I have always put a cup full every other month since owned).

Its been into the local VX dealer. They diagnosed the heat exchanger. They have replaced it and (on my reguest) the plastic valve thing at the rear of the engine. Opps!!, its still doing exactly the same. Gave VX the car back to try again!!! They have stripped it down for the second time and found possible leak around thermostat housing. I have looked at the dismantled lump and the evidence does suggest this.

Questions:-
Having not got oil in coolent, nor coolent in oil (small amount of winter mayo under cap from short jurneys), so why did they suspect the heat exchanger? Did this need to be changed?

Is it normal for coolent leak from the heat exchanger cover or thermostat housing to run down the rear of the near side head and onto the exhaust manifold?

Or could this be the beginnings of the dreaded HG?

Will find out tomorrow if their second attempt has worked.

Have found similar problems of interest from forum - great help - can anyone add more light/experience to my problem?

Thanks BOL

Bol, had the same problem with my Omega, I had a coolant leak, but couldn't track it down on my 3.0 litre. I ordered some UV tracer dye from the US to add to the the cooling system.

Got a UV light and shades from halfords and found it was leaking in a few places.

In my case it was the water pump and the thermostat housing.

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1203346440/15#15

Changed both and never lost a drop yet. Changed my water pump as part of my timing belt change.

Ooo, do you still need the specs and light or do you mind if I buy/borrow off you...  

I have a small leak somewhere too and seeings as I am changing the DIS pack soon.....

You can get them from Halfords for around a tenner. They're at the bit where the aircon cleaning cans are, etc. Think the shades and light is for detecting aircon leaks, but it works all the same with the coolant dye I bought.  

[Matchless]

Coolant leaks into the valley usually leave furry corrosion and deposits as the water evaporates so they should have been able to tell exactly where it was leaking from. If unsure they should have done a pressure test with the inlet etc removed so they could check the thermostat, oil cooler plate, coolant bridge, hoses etc. Its not hard to do, you just need to a*sed.

[hotel21]

Loo-Newbe and IroningBoard,
Thanks for replys.
Loo-Newbe, thanks for confirming my thoughts about the heat exchanger. I shall be strongly informing the garrage regarding work not require!! That said, sounds fortunate that it has now been changed before it does fail!
Yes the leak is exactly the same now as it was before first visit to the  garrage, and running down the same side, so I doubt the cover plate was even leaking! I opted for the HBV to replaced while the heat exchanger was being sorted, so its not that.
The thermostat housing was showing signs of leaking in a direction that would cause coolent to run towards the rear of the engine along the length of the near side head, so fingers crossed that this could be the cause :-/

IroningBoard, had the water pump replaced before Christmass. The UV tracer sounds a great help. The car was back togerther this evening and running Fingers crossed, the garrage are going to keep it and run it up tomorrow morning from cold to see if the symptoms remain. Hopefully not, as I need car to get away over the weekend.

Thanks again for great help. Will keep in touch with this site, its been very usefull.

Bol  

Have they checked the Coolant Bridge?
There are I forget the name for them but they are 4 washers with rubber on the inside edge, I changed these just of a matter of caution but they do go... Also they are at the back of the blocks.. here is a picture so you can see what I mean

 http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1192574209

Dowty washers...  

[Darth Loo-knee]

Cheers Broocie I couldn't for the life off me remember the name