Lude Generation

Been loosing coolant for a while, so decided I should really swap out the radiator as after 18 years there wasn't much left of it. Swapped this, refilled the coolant and bled the system.

Topped up the expansion tank the next day, about half had gone. Just the system settling I thought. Then had to top it up the next day, and the next, and the next, and so on ....

So, new rad, hoses are all good - and no obvious drips under the car at all. Heater matrix must be fine - as the car has no smell of coolant inside and no steaming up. That leaves me with Water Pump or an internal gasket? There are marks on the underside of the bonnet above the belts that can only be described as 'splash marks' which make me think it's more likely to be water pump related. There is no sign of water in the oil or vice versa.

Anything else I should check before I go pulling belt covers off?

check inside under the carpet make sure it isnt the heater matrix but to be fair i think you already know what it is

Found it! Fook me it's an odd one though

Went for a freaking insane drive home to get things nice and hot. Arriving at the flat, I popped the bonnet and discovered it's a split in the hose that feeds off the gearbox side of the block round to the valve for the heater behind the engine. So, a simple pipe swap, and I should be back in business! That's the theory anyway, now to find a replacement.

Huzzah Wonder how the coolant was getting round the engine.

The heater matrix is basically a bypass - as you can have things at cold (valve shut) and the coolant still goes round the engine

No I mean I wonder how it was getting from the gearbox side to the belts

Ah! Well I have a theory there too. The old rad was borked, I'm wondering if it had been peeing coolant onto the PS belt - as it's the only one the spray pattern lines up with. It was dry when I got home too.

Could be, could be. At least you know what the problem is now, few ludes being broken as well