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Car Forum / MINI / December 2003

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water rad

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Kaz - 10 Dec 2003 22:39 GMT
the water in my mini seems to be going down over a few days i have to keep
toping it up. Is it worth trying radwell in it ??? or could it be a more
serious ??? it seems to go down quicker when i have been using the heater more
Help
Alistair Goldthorpe - 10 Dec 2003 23:51 GMT
Have you checked you oil recently to see if the level has gone up?  Is the
oil rainbow coloured?.  If so the cylinder head gasket may have gone and the
water is now mixing with the oil.  Unless you've got the tools, a lot of
time and a Haynes manual you will need to get this looked at professionally.
A cylinder head gasket kit isn't expensive, but the labour getting the whole
thing fitted is.

If the oil seems fine, check your water hoses.  Garages sometimes disconnect
them in order to empty the old coolant before replacing with new.  They do
this with the engine running in order to pump out the old coolant and quite
often don't tighten the hose straps up fully.

When you use the heater you open up a valve allowing the water to circulate
through the heater matrix and piping.   It can be the case that when you
fill up the radiator, the heater valve is closed, hence you are not filling
the entire system.  This can also cause air to get in and the effect of
colde then hot, then cold, then hot, heating!

Check underneath the car after it has been stationary for any leaks.  This
is the most obvious thing to check.

Hope this helps,

Al.
> the water in my mini seems to be going down over a few days i have to keep
> toping it up. Is it worth trying radwell in it ??? or could it be a more
> serious ??? it seems to go down quicker when i have been using the heater more
> Help
(-AD-) - 11 Dec 2003 08:52 GMT
And Elvis was sitting next to Kaz in the spaceship, which I thought was
kinda weird, but then they turned to me and said:

> the water in my mini seems to be going down over a few days i have to keep
> toping it up. Is it worth trying radwell in it ??? or could it be a more
> serious ??? it seems to go down quicker when i have been using the heater more

Look closely at the heater water valve, where the operating rod passes
through the seal. These often develop a tiny leak past the seal, which
stops when the heater is set to cold.

Signature

    (-AD-)

Steve - 11 Dec 2003 17:09 GMT
> And Elvis was sitting next to Kaz in the spaceship, which I thought was
> kinda weird, but then they turned to me and said:
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> through the seal. These often develop a tiny leak past the seal, which
> stops when the heater is set to cold.

Also, can you smell anti-freeze (you are using it, aren't you?!) in the car?
If so, your heater matrix is leaking. Small leaks can go undetected because
the water evaporates in the heat before it drips out. It can cause the
screen to mist up when you first put the blower on.

Signature

Rgds
Steve
steve@dsnclassics.co.uk
www.dsnclassics.co.uk

mark  williams - 11 Dec 2003 22:16 GMT
hello, I had same problem.I done all the usual checks.in the end I changed
the rad cap no more coolant loss the old one had a weak spring? anyway its
ok now!
mark.w, in the wet and windy uk :(

> > And Elvis was sitting next to Kaz in the spaceship, which I thought was
> > kinda weird, but then they turned to me and said:
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> the water evaporates in the heat before it drips out. It can cause the
> screen to mist up when you first put the blower on.
Makka - 12 Dec 2003 06:18 GMT
hey mark i'm in sydney au and it is hot windy and wet
got woken this morning by thunder near sh.t the bed
makka
> hello, I had same problem.I done all the usual checks.in the end I changed
> the rad cap no more coolant loss the old one had a weak spring? anyway its
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> > the water evaporates in the heat before it drips out. It can cause the
> > screen to mist up when you first put the blower on.
Steve - 12 Dec 2003 14:44 GMT
Too much information, Makka!

Signature

Rgds
Steve
steve@dsnclassics.co.uk
www.dsnclassics.co.uk

> hey mark i'm in sydney au and it is hot windy and wet
> got woken this morning by thunder near sh.t the bed
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> > > the water evaporates in the heat before it drips out. It can cause the
> > > screen to mist up when you first put the blower on.
ops - 12 Dec 2003 21:56 GMT
> hey mark i'm in sydney au and it is hot windy and wet
> got woken this morning by thunder near sh.t the bed
> makka

Makka

but you forgot the earthquake with the centre at Bowral which happened
as well.

>>hello, I had same problem.I done all the usual checks.in the end I changed
>>the rad cap no more coolant loss the old one had a weak spring? anyway its
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
>>>the water evaporates in the heat before it drips out. It can cause the
>>>screen to mist up when you first put the blower on.
Makka - 13 Dec 2003 15:41 GMT
yeah the time of writeing i was blissfully unaware of this
makka

> > hey mark i'm in sydney au and it is hot windy and wet
> > got woken this morning by thunder near sh.t the bed
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
> >>>the water evaporates in the heat before it drips out. It can cause the
> >>>screen to mist up when you first put the blower on.
Steve68s - 12 Dec 2003 15:59 GMT
If you fill it up to the top it will go down a bit, when it warms up the
preasure pushes some coolant out, the level should be about 20mm below the
top of the filler, posible places to check for leaks,  hoses, the rad
itself, bypas hose, ( between waterpump & cyl head,) heater radiator, cyl
head, core plugs, heater valve, water punp, never use rad weld, its a botch,
not a fix, also check the rad cap,

Steve.

> the water in my mini seems to be going down over a few days i have to keep
> toping it up. Is it worth trying radwell in it ??? or could it be a more
> serious ??? it seems to go down quicker when i have been using the heater more
> Help
Kaz - 12 Dec 2003 19:24 GMT
Thanks For the help will have a good look at it tomorrow (Day off at last )
 
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