Where does my TD coolant go?

[a35mad]

Maestro TD with 52k on clock. HG, head skim, water pump and cam belt done at 45k. Coolant kept well inhibited since. But the coolant seems to disappear.

The drive seems dry so no obvious external leaks, so do the front footwells so assume all is well with the heater. We'll be trundling along and the heater goes cold. I stop, remove rad cap (some pressure but not massive), pour in a litre or so and off we go. System doesn't seem pressured once it has cooled down.

Car runs OK, but smokes (white/grey) when you accelerate hardish (you lose the car behind in fog rather than by acceleration!) and when you pull away after idle. Fuel consumption seems down from 55-57mpg to 50-52. Light mayo in oil filler tube. Did have outfall of oil/mayo from one way valve by filler neck but a change in brand of oil seems to have cured that.

If anyone says HG, I shall cry!!

[D87 SMW]

Disappearing coolant, along with mayo in the oil and white smoke from the exhaust can only really mean the water is getting into the cylinders, so I would say HGF is likely, I'm afraid.

[E_T_V]

First thing is first, check all the water hose connections, I had the same problem after an engine swap and it turned out to be a loose hose clip (only leaked slowly under pressure).
Also check that the cap seals properly on teh expansion tank.

Primas rarely mix oil and water when the headgasket goes (they just pressurise the water jacket in most cases), although oil and water mixing isn't completely unknown.

What gasket did you use when you changed it and what was the block condition like? Have you ever had any cambelt issues?

Lastly first thing in the morning open the expansion cap before starting the engine. If there is pressure there then chances are the headgasket has failed I'm sorry to say.

[a35mad]

Also check that the cap seals properly on the expansion tank.
I have swapped the cap for another, but no difference. Could get a new one. Is it possible that the tank could be at fault?

What gasket did you use when you changed it and what was the block condition like? Have you ever had any cambelt issues?
I had the work done for me, so don't know what make was used. Bought the car at 40k, no knowledge of cambelt issues. Changed it with water pump for completeness.

Lastly first thing in the morning open the expansion cap before starting the engine. If there is pressure there then chances are the headgasket has failed I'm sorry to say.
Have tried the pressure cap in the morning bit. No pressure there. Will go round it looking for a slack hose clip, with all my fingers crossed.

[E_T_V]

If there are any crusty white fluffly looking deposits around any of the hoses then suspect that clip/joint. Also don't forget to check the coolant rail under the inlet manifold for leaks as it is a steel pipe.

[countrydude]

just go to any garage and get them to read the gasses from the expansion tank to get a definate answer - should cost 10-15 at most! Good Luck. If it is just make sure you get hold of an original perkins gasket.

[a35mad]

I have renewed the rad cap, and the fuel filter (which was due) and cleaned the thick grey mayo from the crank case breather system and air inlet tube. Tried to clean out the one way valve (- there didn't seem to be anything 'one way' about it?).

In an effort to isolate the plumes of light smoke on acceleration I have separated the breather system after the one way valve, blocking the end of the hose that leads to the air filter to prevent ingress of unfiltered air. With a spare piece of hose I connected the outlet from one way valve to a catch tank (small plastic bottle).

Took it for an 8 mile spin including hard acceleration and a burst at 70mph or so - the smoke may be reducing - hard to tell, but the bottle has a fair quantity of orange fluid (rusty coolant??) in it but no oil was apparent.

I sympathise with Dave and Phil (mega diesel leak thread) - mine too has a very decent body but seemingly a crap engine.

[countrydude]

I the bottle has a fair quantity of orange fluid (rusty coolant??) in it but no oil was apparent.
The rust is what kills the head gasket. That is a further sign. I have had 2 primas now with head gasket failure, neither had any oil in the coolant. I have never seen mayo so your head gasket must be leaking a lot!

Did you do the gasket yourself? You say the head was skimmed, as Dan mentioned about the block how was that surface prepared?

[e692wtt]

Or the head literally decays where the gasket seats (the head is alloy, the block is cast iron, from memory). The head gasket has little/no chance of sealing if the metal isn't there, regardless...

You may be at the mercy of previous owners' 'maintenance' here, you can't replace any metal that has rotted away...

[E_T_V]

Actually you can if the head is removed. The head on the S2N car I rebuilt could have been saved by welding it up and skimming it. It was just easier for me to donate the head off of my old NASP van instead though.

[e692wtt]

Fair comment...

[a35mad]

Thanks everyone.

Now that I have removed the breather from the air intake and given it all a bit of a blow on the main road the smoke seems to have abated. So I reckon the mayo had been fouling the turbo and the oil in it burning off and this has now cleared.

That leaves the coolant leak/HG. Sounds like the engine may be terminal, so K Seal might just make it last a bit longer, then I will clean out the breathers once again and hope that a reduction in steam reduces the oil into the air inlet.

I have read the thread on K Seal and know that it might be seen as a short term bodge, but I don't have the skill or confidence to replace the head, nor the cash to have it done again in the garage. I was hoping for a trouble free 50-100k after the last time.

[a35mad]

I flushed the cooling system and refilled with coolant; added the K seal; the smoke reduced.
Changed the oil and flushed it through and the smoke disappeared.
Have now done 500+ miles with no further loss of coolant or other issues except for the fuel consumption - this has greatly improved to in excess of 60mpg over mixed driving. Filled up tonight with 31 litres for 424 miles - cannot complain at that! Brilliant!!