View Full Version : Z20LET coolant loss
I've got a 52 plate Zaf GSi with a Z20LET.
I'm loosing coolant and at the moment, I'm not sure where from. However, I've also noticed some other problems which may be linked.
The heater has started to smell a bit when used for more than 5 minutes and tonight, when I got home, I popped the bonnet and the was faint smoke (possibly steam??) coming from the engine, by the looks of it, from the right hand side in between the engine and the battery.
Any clues? I need to properly investigate where I'm loosing coolant from but does it sound like the problems are linked?
Cheers
Jus
vxgsiturbo
18-02-2008, 19:05
check the coolent bottle mate there are two small hoses going to it the one nearest the headlights usually the pipe on the coolent bottle splits
SRi-Andy
18-02-2008, 22:04
Any coolant on the floor?
sounds like you have burst a hose mate, no major problem, does the car smell a tad fishy? could be the radiator hose, or even a matrix hose and its dripping down.
montyfox
19-02-2008, 02:27
Jus, locate where the 2 pipes to the heater matrix go through the bulkhead (right hand side)and follow them back with your hands.
Get the engine up to temp and check the quick release unions on these pipes where they join onto the pipes on the bulkhead they may leak there.
Also check the rest of the matrix pipes (with engine running and hot) which disappear under the battery tray (theres quite a few pipes down there) as I had a leak down there where the matrix pipes had been rubbing.
Yep mines split exactly where its said above... Seems to be the plastic rather than the pipe though....
There should be a clip holding the coolant pipes up out of the way of the gear linkage, if it's not there one will rub and eventually split. This happened to me and has happened to others.
Otherwise check the header tank spigots at the top as mine let me down recently!
Mine's been into vaux today for various things, one of which being a slight coolant leak. I had the cooling system pressurte tested and it turns out it's coming from the turbo cooling feed. If that helps. Worth a try.
On another note, the replacement pipe is £18, but the turbo cooling mod is £122. what all does it include, to warrant it being that much?
Marc_CDX
20-02-2008, 10:59
The cooling mod also includes
A modified pipe from the radiator to the block which features a T in it to provide the cool water to the turbo.
A modified metal pipe above the heatshield that the hot water from the turbo returns to the header tank.
Another pipe which goes from the top of the radiator to the header tank and various other little bits and bobs which I can't remember but the above are the main parts.
HTH :)
Removed the battery tray just now and had a good ferret round all the pipes, couldn't initially feel any wet areas on any of the pipes.
Couldn't see any wet areas either as I would expect if coolant is being lost.
Checked all round the header tank, the three pipes all seem ok. The header tank is only 18 months old anyway as I had a dodgy previous one.
When looking under the car, the coolant seems to be running from somewhere and dripping off the bottom of the gearbox, where it mates to the engine block.
I can only assume now that as K3FUS has said that it could be one of the heater matrix pipes. I've recently fitted a new engine and not entirely sure if all the pipes were correctly located back into the original clip/holders.
I'll have another check at the weekend. Again, where the heater matrix pipes pass through the bulkhead didn't appear to be wet at all, so I assume the connections there are good ones.
Lol vauxhall just said my head gasket is probably blown....