my 99 xk8 has a coolant leak, strange? first symptom, add coolant light, i did, then two days later, same thing...on level ground no message....but i put about a cup in...seems after leaving it on level surface...there is a leak...far as i can tell....right side, under car, near bottom of header....so it's from above rear of engine...

that could be??? hose under intake manifold? that hard to fix for home gammer who changed water pump, thermostat, etc.. already? valley hose or what....

thanks..

if you suspect you know...please tell me how to fix, where and what i need to buy...i know intake manifold can be difficult to remove?????

thanks

 

Not quite sure which side from your description, but, if you're definitely losing coolant, could be:
Valley hoses
Crappy Normas on octopus (either side)
Tee piece
Coolant expansion tank

Inlet manifold removal isn't difficult, but it's tedious and you may need tools to address the hose clamps & fuel line connectors

 

Best way to pinpoint a coolant leak is to do a pressure test. Otherwise, we're just guessing.


Stu

 

^^ What he said....

 

Go to your automotive store and rent the test kit. It should be the green one. Get all you money back when finished.
Or, go to Harbor Freight and buy the kit, for sure the green one in that one.
Pump it up to 12 to 14 lbs and it should show the bubbling where it's leaking. Do it cold, no need to burn yourself.

Wayne

 

thank you all very much, difficult as it was to diagnose via my post I shall share with you what we found today, my expert car whisperer son helped me.
water on passenger side....coming from area under expansion tank...removal of tank shows coolant sensor has just fallen apart...a bit at a time, which accounts for needing to add coolant twice this year...and no coolant leak changes with car running like a valley hose under pressure would show....sensor came apart from tank....water from drivers side made it to passenger side before hitting ground....

we ordered a new expansion tank, amazon...$90.00 plus tax, will install and advise..i may have dodged a bullet here with all the potential hoses that could leak...this car spent it's life in a garage so most hoses and fittings are clean...will install new tank fill with coolant, burp system and run it for a while then report, again leak from under expansion tank, where sensor came loose from tank, giving somewhat false coolant level readings as well....gradually causing me to add coolant periodically and then it sprang the final leak when it came apart. it also does not look like this is original tank but rather a used one, jaguar name on it...????

 

tank arrived via amazon, with sensor and cap about $96.00, it's a Jag part. Installed, burbed system repeatedly. Cleaned off old coolant from rear area of engine and hoses. road tested, important to slush the coolant about with hard accelerations and stopping to make sure coolant level is correct...will check tomorrow again on level surface.

job done, not difficult....used new screw on hose clamps as the oem ones are too fiddily for me. thank you all for being here for me....