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[Thingymabob]

Ever since I bought my Omega B -00 2.5 in June 2010, it has lost coolant.
The leakage is constant and around 0.5 L/month with an annual milage of ~5000 km (just over 3000 miles).
The coolant drips out at the very rear of the engine, just in the area where the oil filter is.
It looks like the leak originates from "somewhere above the oil filter" 

The pics below show where the coolant drips from the engine.
On the 2nd pic a drip is actually visible (a little bit down from the center of the image).

Any ideas on where the leak might originate from and how to troubleshoot the problem the best way? 

[Darth Loo-knee]

Difficult to see your pictures on my phone I am sorry. But, first place to check would be the HBV (heater bypass valve)
I think there is a How Too on finding a water leak, as pressurising the coolant system so you can actually find the leak.

Before jumping to conclussions like Head Gasket etc I would do the above.

just my opinion

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Get the underside steam cleaned then look for the trace

Hey, it works for the fitters at work. They won't let me have a go of the jets though...

[Debs.]

Prime candidate (as has been already mentioned) would be: the 3-port heater bypass valve and/or the short hose that feeds the HBV from the coolant-bridge (the hose is in the shape of a ?)...that hose on my car copiously-leaked recently too (it was not costly to replace, but it was not a 'stocked' item at the parts dept., so required ordering-in).

[dbug]

Prime candidate (as has been already mentioned) would be: the 3-port heater bypass valve and/or the short hose that feeds the HBV from the coolant-bridge (the hose is in the shape of a ?)...that hose on my car copiously-leaked recently too (it was not costly to replace, but it was not a 'stocked' item at the parts dept., so required ordering-in).

Also consider coolant bridge seals and oil cooler cover.

[Darth Loo-knee]

Prime candidate (as has been already mentioned) would be: the 3-port heater bypass valve and/or the short hose that feeds the HBV from the coolant-bridge (the hose is in the shape of a ?)...that hose on my car copiously-leaked recently too (it was not costly to replace, but it was not a 'stocked' item at the parts dept., so required ordering-in).

Also consider coolant bridge seals and oil cooler cover.

Yes all these are quiet possible, but you really need to find which it is..... 

[dbug]

Prime candidate (as has been already mentioned) would be: the 3-port heater bypass valve and/or the short hose that feeds the HBV from the coolant-bridge (the hose is in the shape of a ?)...that hose on my car copiously-leaked recently too (it was not costly to replace, but it was not a 'stocked' item at the parts dept., so required ordering-in).

Also consider coolant bridge seals and oil cooler cover.

Yes all these are quiet possible, but you really need to find which it is..... 

And the only way to find out is to strip out plenum, inlet manifolding etc and have a good nose!  Don't drain coolant at this stage - block one of the coolant pipes from throttle body and blow down other - may help you to locate leak 

[Andy H]

Do a pressure test on the cooling system. With a modified cap on the header tank you can apply a constant pressure to the system with a cold engine (normally it is only under pressure when it is too hot to touch).

PS anti freeze is toxic, you really don't want to be putting the pipes in your mouth.

[Thingymabob]

Thanks all of you for all input and suggestions. I think the most logical step now would be to do a pressure test in order to find the leak(s?).
Then we'll see how many parts I need to remove from the engine, before I find something that is leaking ...
And yes, I promise to keep my mouth away from the coolant Andy, thanks for your concern.

[dbug]

Do a pressure test on the cooling system. With a modified cap on the header tank you can apply a constant pressure to the system with a cold engine (normally it is only under pressure when it is too hot to touch).

PS anti freeze is toxic, you really don't want to be putting the pipes in your mouth.

Remember to blow not suck    Worked ok for me and I'm still here 

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Do a pressure test on the cooling system. With a modified cap on the header tank you can apply a constant pressure to the system with a cold engine (normally it is only under pressure when it is too hot to touch).

PS anti freeze is toxic, you really don't want to be putting the pipes in your mouth.

Remember to blow not suck    Worked ok for me and I'm still here 

There's that tale, probably apocryphal, of the apprentices in a garage having a drink of something that smelled of cherries and it being antifreeze, ending up dead...

[Andy B]

.....
There's that tale, probably apocryphal, of the apprentices in a garage having a drink of something that smelled of cherries and it being antifreeze, ending up dead...

you wouldn't make the same mistake with long life pink anti-freeze. It's the most foul, bitter tasting liqued known to man!!!! 

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

.....
There's that tale, probably apocryphal, of the apprentices in a garage having a drink of something that smelled of cherries and it being antifreeze, ending up dead...

you wouldn't make the same mistake with long life pink anti-freeze. It's the most foul, bitter tasting liqued known to man!!!! 

http://hywelsbiglog.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/image25-ws-can2.jpg

...Doesn't stop my customers.

[Andy B]

....

http://hywelsbiglog.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/image25-ws-can2.jpg

...Doesn't stop my customers.

 

[noel]

.....
There's that tale, probably apocryphal, of the apprentices in a garage having a drink of something that smelled of cherries and it being antifreeze, ending up dead...

you wouldn't make the same mistake with long life pink anti-freeze. It's the most foul, bitter tasting liqued known to man!!!! 

http://hywelsbiglog.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/image25-ws-can2.jpg

...Doesn't stop my customers.