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[Ewan]

My V6 Elite is losing a pint of coolant every 200 miles. I suspect a leaking heater. As the car is coming towards the end of it's life expectancy, and with summer aproaching, I want to clamp both feed pipes, rather than face a major operation to get at the matrix. My concern is that this might interfere with the circulation around the engine. Not a good idea? Any thoughts much appreciated.

[tunnie]

heater matrix don't tend to leak, its much more likely a coolant leak else ware like HBV, check that first 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

My V6 Elite is losing a pint of coolant every 200 miles. I suspect a leaking heater. As the car is coming towards the end of it's life expectancy, and with summer aproaching, I want to clamp both feed pipes, rather than face a major operation to get at the matrix. My concern is that this might interfere with the circulation around the engine. Not a good idea? Any thoughts much appreciated.

How old is your car and what is the mileage then? :-/

As Tunnie says it is far more likely to be the infamous HBV.

[Ewan]

14 years old with 130000miles.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

14 years old with 130000miles.

If the bodywork is sound, the running gear all in order and well maintained, 130k is not old for a miggy.  The engine, if well maintained, can easily go to double that!

[feeutfo]

My V6 Elite is losing a pint of coolant every 200 miles. I suspect a leaking heater. As the car is coming towards the end of it's life expectancy, and with summer aproaching, I want to clamp both feed pipes, rather than face a major operation to get at the matrix. My concern is that this might interfere with the circulation around the engine. Not a good idea? Any thoughts much appreciated.

why suspect the heater?

[Ewan]

I cannot see any water dripping underneath the car, and the oil and water are both clean. There is a tendency for it to mist up. I reckoned that at a that relatively slow leakage rate, it would just evaporate before showing up on the carpet.

[tunnie]

I cannot see any water dripping underneath the car, and the oil and water are both clean. There is a tendency for it to mist up. I reckoned that at a that relatively slow leakage rate, it would just evaporate before showing up on the carpet.

Check the HBV, it could be weaping under pressure.

[Andy B]

Also check the heater by-pass with your heater it different setting & with a/c on & off. When I replaced mine last, it was OK with a/c off but leaked with a/c on 

[Ewan]

I have, and it's not.

[tunnie]

check other cooling sections as well, rad, plastic pipe off rad to transfer pipe, assume you always run good coolant mixture 50/50 with anti-freeze?

[Ewan]

More like 70/30, as there has always been coolant loss since I got it a year or so ago, although it has got worse lately.

[tunnie]

by any chance is it a 1998 3.0?

[Ewan]

It's 1976

[tunnie]

It's 1976

Errr i guessing thats a typo and its a 1997? Could be 98 model year, so worth checking the core plug