Coolant leak / Mystery - help!! SOS!!

[Nik]

Coolant leak / Mystery. help!! SOS!!

Hi everyone.

Wondering if anyone can help please.

I have a coolant leak / mystery.

My van seems to be drinking coolant with no trace? Put approx ltr in a few weeks ago and just had to top it up as the light came on? Anyone else had a similar issue or have any ideas??

Things we have checked (visual inspection)

All hoses and pipes
Water pump
Heater matrix (visual in footwell
No drips on under tray of coolant (taken off)
No trace of coolant residue in engine bay?
Radiator checked

If anyone can help with this it’s much appreciated!

Thanks

Nik.

 

[Deaky]

I'd put my money on a cracked EGR cooler. Leaking coolant in to the engine.

 

[Loz]

The other coolers known to go are the gearbox oil cooler ( will see water in the oil) and the charge air cooler (if you have one, depending on what engine you have.).

 

[Nik]

I'd put my money on a cracked EGR cooler. Leaking coolant in to the engine.

Thanks for the quick reply. This is a thought Alex (Mechanic) had too.
Is there any way to tell? Visually it’s not showing any kind of leak.
Looking in/at the engine oil, there is no signs of any contamination?

 

[Dellmassive]

Id agree, one of the coolers.

Charge, oil, egr.

 

[Nik]

The other coolers known to go are the gearbox oil cooler ( will see water in the oil) and the charge air cooler (if you have one, depending on what engine you have.).

Hi, thanks too for your quick reply.
We’re not seeing any contamination in the oil re the charge air cooler? The van is a T30 2018 2.0l TDI… not sure if that helps identify the engine (excuse my mechanical ignorance!!)

 

[Dellmassive]

Post a pic of the engine bay .

Then one of the coolant Bottle close up.

Then one of the dipstick.

.

 

[Nik]

Post a pic of the engine bay .

Then one of the coolant Bottle close up.

Then one of the dipstick.

.

Hi. Is that what you need?

 

[Dellmassive]

Is the oil level normal?

Next step is to get the van to a garage and have the engine pressure/leakdown test.

They will force air into the intake for example and check for a leak..... If there is a leak then exit point will become evident.

A smoke test is also possible..... But again it needs a specific test and equipment.


Keep us posted with any findings.




....

Head gasket is another leak point..... But a leakdown test will again answer that.

 

[Dave A]

Coolant leak / Mystery. help!! SOS!!

Hi everyone.

Wondering if anyone can help please.

I have a coolant leak / mystery.

My van seems to be drinking coolant with no trace? Put approx ltr in a few weeks ago and just had to top it up as the light came on? Anyone else had a similar issue or have any ideas??

Things we have checked (visual inspection)

All hoses and pipes
Water pump
Heater matrix (visual in footwell
No drips on under tray of coolant (taken off)
No trace of coolant residue in engine bay?
Radiator checked

If anyone can help with this it’s much appreciated!

Thanks

Nik.

Hope this may be a simple solution. Years ago I had a Landrover Discovery that was going through litres of coolant. Turned out to be a very fine split in one of the rubber hoses. It couldn't be seen by a visual inspection even when compressing the hoses. It was only when the engine was hot and under pressure that a fine spray could be seen. It was enough to use loads of coolant but never left any puddles or traces in the engine bay. New hose - problem solved. Might be worth having a look when the engine is hot.

 

[Nik]

Thanks everyone for your help. Will keep you posted with what we find. Thanks again.

 

[Loz]

Hi. Is that what you need? View attachment 172373

Yes you have a charge air cooler, it the silver thing behind the dipstick in your last photo with the Mahle label on it. You could pressure test it from the two coolant hoses in the picture.

 

[Broadside]

I’ll add to this thread instead of creating a new one, I’ve got low coolant today.

Looking in the engine bay there seems to be a bit of residue on this pipe in the picture. This pipe just carries exhaust gas doesn’t it, there shouldn’t be any coolant in that pipe?

 

[Dellmassive]

I’ll add to this thread instead of creating a new one, I’ve got low coolant today.

Looking in the engine bay there seems to be a bit of residue on this pipe in the picture. This pipe just carries exhaust gas doesn’t it, there shouldn’t be any coolant in that pipe?

View attachment 173042

View attachment 173043

View attachment 173044

That's exhaust gas in that pipe.

 

[Dellmassive]

This unit is the water cooled "charged air cooler" (green) (as @Loz mentioned above)

A possible internal leak, it will leak into the intake air stream so won't be noticeable externaly.

But will be evident on a leaked down or pressure test.


***




***

 

[Broadside]

Thanks @Dellmassive

That charge cooler was replaced 2 years ago, you might remember the old one had a tiny split in the hose caused by the old charge cooler shearing it’s mounting. This one is the newer design.

The silver pipe I circled comes out of the EGR cooler assembly doesn’t it? I am wondering if the EGR has cracked and it’s losing coolant in there.

 

[Dellmassive]

EGR cooler can leak coolant internally into the intake airstream via the EGR path.

Pic example of the EGR.




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More info.

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[Dellmassive]

Pressure test.

Or

Leak down test.

Or

Smoke test.


Is needed to find the source of the leak.

 

[Broadside]

Thanks @Dellmassive i always appreciate your help.

It’s not losing loads of coolant but losing any is a problem so I’m going to get it booked in to the garage tomorrow.

 

[nikolaio]

Thanks @Dellmassive i always appreciate your help.

It’s not losing loads of coolant but losing any is a problem so I’m going to get it booked in to the garage tomorrow.

keep us posted. Good luck I have same problem. Overheat coolant if i drive uphill. EGR cooler was new this year and my engine oil consumption stopped. Im not driving hard