Coolant Low - slight leak?

[Benny06]

I noticed that my coolant level was below the minimum level yesterday when doing my brakes. The engine temp is normal at the moment. I also spotted this inside the passenger arch:

I was planning on topping up the coolant until I can get a garage to look at it but am not sure which type of coolant I should use. Reading around Renault Type D is the one? When I bought the car is had red/orange coolant.

Thanks,

Ben

 

[MartinR]

Thats normal in the passenger arch iirc the drains from below the scuttle panel come out near there. unless the header tank or heater matrix hoses are split/leaking

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

with regards to the coolant type, if your planning on putting renault type D coolant in, you will have to flush the whole system out so no more of the red/orange coolant is left.

mixing coolants is a NO NO , unless you want to have fun removing sludge from coolant tanks ect.

get some radflush , flush the system, refill system with type D coolant after.

as for the levels, has it been like that for a while or have you just noticed?
check non of the hoses going to the block is leaking or the thermostat housing

 

[Benny06]

Thats normal in the passenger arch iirc the drains from below the scuttle panel come out near there. unless the header tank or heater matrix hoses are split/leaking

I did think this could have been drainage from the scuttle panel. I'll have look and see if I can spot any splits or leaks.

with regards to the coolant type, if your planning on putting renault type D coolant in, you will have to flush the whole system out so no more of the red/orange coolant is left.

mixing coolants is a NO NO , unless you want to have fun removing sludge from coolant tanks ect.

get some radflush , flush the system, refill system with type D coolant after.

as for the levels, has it been like that for a while or have you just noticed?
check non of the hoses going to the block is leaking or the thermostat housing

About 3 or 4 months ago I topped the tank up with some water which has dropped a bit since. I'd prefer to top it up again and see how quickly it drops. Would some summer coolant (or whichever one is red) from Halfords be suitable?

 

[daveypower]

id poor some water in, and put some stop leak stuff in along with it, you prob have a very small leak, this should patch it.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

fill it with water and watch the levels over a week or so and see how it gets on. check for any unusual wet patches in the engine bay

 

[MartinR]

id poor some water in, and put some stop leak stuff in along with it, you prob have a very small leak, this should patch it.

Do not put that s**t in the cooling system ^^^

 

[daveypower]

whys that? ive seen it done many a time with out fault?

 

[MartinR]

Clogs it all up and doesn't sort the leak out