Losing Water - Head Gasket Failure?

[Justin]

Anyone know much about the 1.2 16v Clios? 2002 year

Symptoms are its losing water from the coolant tank, but no visible leak anywhere, and doesn't seem to be any noticable loss in power.. Losing about 1L of water a day

No visible signs of Oil in water, but slight mouse in oil filler cap. No visible signs of water on dipstick./. No signs of overheating

Head Gasket gone? Cooling water pump leaking internally?

 

[Fred@BTM]

waterpump more than likley

 

[Justin]

You think? Do they tend to leak internally? Car is parked on driveway an no obvious signs of a leak

 

[Fred@BTM]

they leak through the bearing when the engine is running

 

[jenic]

My 1.2 had a coolant leak, changed the water pump which had failed but then it still kept leaking and the head gasket went. Presume the new pump just increased the pressure and finally made the hg go big style.

 

[Justin]

Ah! We're worried the HG has failed. Any sure fire way of checking?

 

[sideways danny]

few mechanical diagnostics checks you can do, but you can only really get a good indication rather than a definitive answer. Does sound a lot like the water pump, and it's not too hard to get access to it and see if it's been leaking. There will be white scale under the pulley, most likely. not at all uncommon on the 1.2 16v

 

[Struggler]

Ah! We're worried the HG has failed. Any sure fire way of checking?

would a compression test not shed a light on it?

 

[Camble]

bumping this old thread, I've started losing coolant and I've put a sheet under the car and it shows a stain directly under the engine.

I took a look at the bottom of the car and the bits directly underneath the engine in the middle are soaking


What makes it wierd is that the fan comes on as soon as the car is started, even though the engine is clearly cold.
Also the heaters work fine :S

Can anyone shed any light?

Also will a compression test find the problem area?

 

[funksteruk2]

water pump and head was gone on mine last month, water only pished out when it was stood still after a run out so noticed that way

 

[Camble]

mine's the same matey, it doesn't leak when running, but when it's stood still it leaks

 

[JackJack]

Camble a compression test will tell if it's the head gasket.

 

[Camble]

ok thanks mate, I'll call a garage in the morning