Coolant leak - please help!

[Ian]

Before anyone says anything I realise all the engines have different cooling setups, but I'm hoping someone will have a clue what I'm on about!

I've just finished rebuilding everything after replacing the headgasket on my engine and as I'm filling up the coolant it's leaking out from the end of a pipe that passes in front of the engine behind the exhaust manifold and finishes somewhere behind the alternator on the front left side of the bay (looking towards the car).

The pipe itself feels solid rather than rubber. Tracing it back, a rubber pipe leaves the expansion tank at the back right of the bay and comes toward the radiator where it splits - one going to the radiator and the other connecting to this metal pipe.

Am I right in thinking it is going to the water pump? If so how does the pipe connect to the pump - is it perhaps the case that I've failed to tighten up a bolt that's caused the gap between the two? I don't recall ever touching this pipe at all tbh, or even the water pump.

Reaaallly can't be mithered stripping everything down again, so I'm hoping I can access it behind the cambelt cover while leaving the belts/alternator/PAS pump/exhaust manifold on?

Thanks for any help,
Ian

 

[Ian]

Just a bump for the daytime folk. Could really do with sorting this asap, so any help appreciated.

 

[Ian]

Turns out that it's leaking from a repaired stud on the exhaust manifold, must've drilled too deep for the new stud. Really don't know what to do now.. massively frustrated with it. :dapprove:

 

[lemonnobby]

can you seal the stud with sealer or loctight?

 

[Ian]

Trying loctite now, but it's a long story.

Basically the old stud snapped, so I drilled a hold down the middle of it to use a stud extractor, put the stud extractor in, twisted it, it snapped, drilled a new hole and tapped a new thread for the new stud.

The problem is the extractor was hard metal and the drill bit kept slipping on it, so it widened the hole a bit around the top. Not sure if Loctite will fill it properly, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow when it's set.

It's the stud hidden under the alternator/PAS pump etc so all the belts and brackets have to come off just to get to it. No quick fix if it keeps leaking.

 

[f0xy]

Only just seen this....only one thing i can say really, DAMNIT!

Was really hoping it would all work for you!

 

[Ian]

Aye it's a bit gutting, I've already spent over £600 on repairs in four months on a car that isn't worth a grand. Just going to check the Loctite now, but if it hasn't worked I'm not sure it's worth replacing any more parts.

Still need a car one way or another though lol.

 

[The Boosh!]

Im sure Jord will come up with a rig up Ian!

 

[f0xy]

Weld the stud solid into the head? LOL

 

[Ian]

^Lol that did cross my mind tbh!

Update:

Loctite seems to have done the job. Everything back together ready for trying to start up. Hard to describe what happened when I turned it over.. it sort of starts up but sounds really rough and cuts out when I let go of the key. It revs higher when putting my foot on the accelerator though.

My neighbour heard me trying and said the timing is a tooth out, so we've taken off the engine mount, airbox and rocker cover. Tomorrow we're taking the PAS and alternator belts off to check the timing on the camshaft (Fourth time those belts will have been off ).

All the electrics seem to work, but the central locking seems to be messed up, it locks and unlocks itself every time I get out of the car and does nothing when you press the button on the key.

 

[Ian]

Well after three months off the road and god knows how much moaning from me, the car is finally back on the road.

Apparently the only thing it needs now is an ECU reset (or possibly the Engine Management System - are they one and the same?), but other than that it's fine. It seems the radiator fan had probably stopped working due to dodgy wiring, which no doubt contributed to the headgasket problems, so I'd advise people keep an eye on theirs.

Oh and it would appear that the guy who did my service and MOT the day before the headgasket failure forgot to put one of my front wheel bolts back in, guess it's a good thing it's not been driven a lot!

Thanks to Ryan (Ryan_k) from NW Performance for all his help, nothing was too much trouble for him which I really appreciate and also to Jord (f0xy) for his input.

It's looking a bit sorry for itself, not having been washed or moved for close to 4 months, but at least it's running again.

Few phone snaps: