Hi, I'm looking for some help trying to find out where the coolant in my 2006 X-Type 2.0 L Diesel may be coming from.
I noticed the coolant tank had only 2cm in just before driving it last week so I topped it up to Max. Left it overnight and some had already been lost (0.5 cm). Took it for a short drive (3 miles) and noticed a wet patch when I parked it. Drove it back home then left it over night and level dropped to 1 cm below Max.Thus I think it is losing coolant when it isn't running/pressurised.
Looked over the tank; saw no evidence of coolant leaking; seems a common cause from this forum is cracked plastic pipes on the tank, I did find some droplets of what looks like coolant below what I think is the power steering pump and the thermostat housing. Couldn't see any rubber pipes that were leaking. Is it likely that the coolant could be coming out of the power steering pump (I think there is an O-ring between the power steering pump and the water pump; not sure what it seals though). Could it also be coming out of the thermostat housing (assuming I have identified these parts correctly)?
I've included pictures below (hopefully!). Would appreciate any help/advice you could give me.

Jim



Drops of coolant on bottom of power steering pump?


Coolant below power steering pump.


Drop below thermostat housing?

 

 

So, firstly, that's the water pump, so it could be that. If you find no obvious failure/leak in that =

Funny you ask this today. Saga for last couple of days on brake lights. Went to grocery store today and got home, coolant leaked out (LHD) just to the driver's side slightly and back from front bumper about 15-18". Looked and looked couldn't see where an obvious leak was coming from. Not water pump, not obvious hose leak.

Decided to put it up on car ramps after taking off the plastic "skid plate" to really get a look. Found a drop of coolant on the metal pipe just under the plastic thermostat housing. No "trail" leading from anywhere I could see. Finally spotted another drop very high up above the plastic thermostat housing looking like it came from on top of the plastic "T" and dropped straight down on that lower metal pipe. Hence, no obvious trail of coolant to follow.

Removed the filter cover, filter, housing for filter and slightly pried up the plastic (idk what to call it) case that feeds the air induction tubes. You can only lift it about an inch, inch and a half without disassembling the hood latch metal bracket to remove the air induction tubes.

Right on top of the plastic "T" under that ledge (rubber hose goes left and right, was a hairline crack on top hood side) of the plastic "T". The thermostat housing is straight down. The upper hose assemble with thermostat housing is very pricey, so I sanded, and 2 part epoxy glued the plastic. Letting it sit overnight, another coat tomorrow just for G.P. Figured I'm out very little if it works.

Pics attached. Take a look as your description and place looks and sounds like it's EXACTLY where mine is.

These pics were shot from the front of the car with my camera upside down shooting back towards the front of the car, to orient yourself.

 

Thanks very much for your time, help and advice Dell and IOWNME. I'll take the filter and top cover off and check that T-joint out for cracks.
I thought the power steering pump was in-front of, and drove, the water pump on the diesel x-type; if so does that need to be removed with it's pipework to replace the water pump? It sounds a bigger job if the power steering pump has to be removed. Is there a gasket between the water pump and power steering pump that could be leaking or is it an o-ring seal?
Is my bottom picture the thermostat housing? The pump and thermostat are a distance apart so I was not sure how coolant could get onto both given the drive belt seems dry and thus doesn't seems to be spraying the coolant around.
Thanks again for your help,

Jim

 

Jim,

I've deleted the duplicate of your post from UK & Eire Region forum. Geographically relevant posts go in the Region forum - technical questions in the Model forum.

Graham

 

Graham,
Sorry for the misunderstanding on where I should post; thanks for deleting the duplicate.

Jim

 

Hi, update on the coolant leak.
I took the engine top cover, air filter and filter bracket off so I could see the water pump. The water pump body (which I think has the brown cover with the two pipes going into it in the picture above) was dry around the outer edge but there was coolant under the metallic body to the right of this brown cover. Is this the water pump body and is it likely to have cracked or is it more likely to be a seal/gasket on the pump that has failed? Does the power steering pump have to be removed to change the water pump?

Jim

 

The thermostat housing has probably got a leak between the 2 halves.
The 2 halves are held together with 3 screws, and inside it has a thermostat with a grooved o ring fitted, this seal will need replacing on the stat.
Make sure you get the correct seal as the thinner one sold does not seal correctly.

Paul.

 

Hi Paul, thanks for your advice.

Would a leak from thermostat housing result in lots of coolant under the water pump/steering pump body as in the first two pictures of my original post?

Jim

 

With the age of the vehicle you probably have numerous small leaks. The only sure fire method for locating leaks is to do a system pressure test. The cap is removed and the equipment is attached to pump the system to pressure while sitting cold with the engine off.
Any other method is guessing and throwing parts at the problem. That method proves to be expensive and doesn't always solve the problem. Take it to a competent radiator shop and have it pressure tested.

 

Good point Vern,
Pressurising the system should make any leaks show themselves.
Otherwise dry all the leaks and run the engine up to temperature on the drive, whilst looking for any leaks starting.
I also use a small mirror to look under the pipes and thermostat housing whilst the engine is running, so I can see the start of any leak.
You will need to remove the engine cover and air filter housing to gain access, whilst the engine is running.

Paul.

 

Vern, Paul,

Thanks very much for your advice; I'll try to find a good garage around here to do a test for me (not found a good garage in the past but there must be one!).

I did dry the coolant off today and didn't see any on what I think is the thermostat housing but there was coolant under the power steering/water pump.

Jim

 

 

@iownme = lmao!!

So update, the 2 part epoxy is a failure. 2 coats, 1 drive = 1 leak. Oh well it was worth a shot. $120+ for the stupid plastic part that fails. Don't need the pipes but, not an option *sighs*. Ordering one tomorrow.

 

Here's exactly the failure on mine with a clear explanation of diagnosis and replacement. Stupid little piece of plastic crap!!

 

Hi Dell, thanks for the video explaining where this possible fault is. My thermostat housing has rubber pipes going to it. Maybe this is because my car's a 2 litre diesel or maybe I haven't identified the thermostat housing?
Hi IOWNME, take your point about it likely to be the water pump. I wasn't however sure how the water under the pumps would have gone up to the thermostat housing which is quite a distance away from the pump. Maybe it has been sprayed up by the belt or I have another leak. Is it easy to change the water pump or does the power steering pump have to be removed as well?

 

 

 

Hi Dell and IOWNME. The 2 L Diesel doesn't have the upper cooling pipe in the video (or at least mine doesn't).
The water pump on the Diesel is at the front of the engine, attached to and probably driven by the power steering pump. The power steering pump has a pulley wheel "poking out" on the battery side of the engine. This wheel is driven by a belt on the battery side of the engine. The thermostat housing is on the other side of this belt drive system. It seems like the power steering pipe and pump may have to be removed before the water pump is removed and replaced; but I'm not sure.