Ph1 Coolent leak!

[Mark-387]

If I start the car from cold with the Coolent to the max line there's no leak what so ever. When it gets warm there's some smoke/steam from the engine bay but can't see any leak Coolent gone down a little bit. But I let the car tick over on the drive got the engine fully hot temp gauge sitting at half way fan kicks in all good. Turn the engine off as I can't find where the leak is coming from all of a sudden it come out of what looks the be the radiator! Couldn't get a clear view as its covered by the fan but looks like the passengerside of the radiator.

Any comments would be a big help.

Cheers mark

 

[Jonff]

Sounds similar to mine a few months ago. The plastic casing on the fan had warped and over time it rubbed a hole in my radiator.

 

[Mark-387]

Oh S**t! Where is the best place to get a radiator from at a good price ?

 

[Mark-387]

Just had a quick look on euro car parts is this the right one?


http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/R...e9cf3606e432e297e7e7964b8f73e53b111dd6&000261

 

[DannyR]

I'd be buying a genuine one from Renault.

 

[Jonff]

The one you've linked is what's currently fitted to my car, had no issues with it so far. Only thing was it doesn't come with a plastic stop plug (idea is to use the plug from your old radiator) and with my old knackered radiator being the older style radiator it didn't even have a hole in it for a plug. Fortunately a mate had a spare plug.

 

[Mark-387]

So if I get that and Im sure I will have the same problem as you when can I get stop plug from ?

 

[Jonff]

Has the car had a new radiator in it's history do you know? If not you'll probably have the same issue yeah. Not sure where you could get a plug from tbh. Also check around the coolant pipes for white residue as it may be a coolant pipe that's leaking.

Reason I knew why mine was the radiator was because when I squeezed the lower coolant pipe that attaches to the rad you could see coolant pissing out of the radiator

 

[Mark-387]

Yeah if got some white residue on the lower pipe on the passenger side but nothing is coming out of it just very wet in that area. I was checking all the pipe work when it leaked but it wasn't coming from the pipe work so I can only assume the radiator as the fan was covering it up.

 

[Aluco]

In my old ph1 the plastic stop plug had split down a thread and was leaking coolant. Best check this before buying a whole new rad like I did.

 

[Mark-387]

Where abouts is this stop plug? Could any one upload a pic at all would be a big help so I know what I'm looking for.

 

[Aluco]

If you're leaning over the bumper looking down at the radiator from above in engine bay its at the very bottom right hand corner, if I remember right. I didn't even know it was there till I got the rad out and found it was leaking. It's facing horizontally towards the back of the engine bay.

 

[clio_bmxer]

Happened to me. Thought it was the water pump. So bought it and a new timing belt whilst it had to come off. In the end it was a pipe coming off the water pump that you couldn't see unless you took everything off it. Could be something that simple.

 

[Mark-387]

If it is the stop valve leaking is there anyway of fixing it? Where can you get a new one from ?

 

[Johndolan1979]

Had the same issue with mine which turned out to be the radiator leaking.

 

[Aluco]

I bought a new radiator came to fit it then realised it was the plug so nicked the new rads plug then returned it for full refund... Don't look at me like that.

 

[Mark-387]

Lol! At least you got your money back I would have done the same mate. All sorted now guys new rad fitted as it was the rad and had to buy a plastic plug from Renault so all good now thanks guys!!!!!