Motorhome losing Coolant

[TOAD on Tour]

Hi All,
I am trying to get my head around an issue I don’t seem able to resolve and neither does the garage that I bought the van from! I have a new to us 2008 Frankia TAG on a 3.0 Ducato Engine. Shortly after collecting the van in late Feb, I noticed it was leaking Coolant....so it went back to the dealer who uses a local garage that I also know and am happy with. They said the leak was due to corroded jubilee clips and hose, so replaced them. Shortly after getting the van back, it was still leaking again, so of it went again.....this time they said the EGR Valve had gone and it was leaking quite badly, so all replaced.....now it is leaking again, however only a small drip and oddly enough it does not start dripping until approximately 24 hours after the van was last used (I have tested this by placing cardboard under the engine and checking every few hours and have now done this the last 2 times the van has been used. It has to be coolant as it is pink.
the van is off back to the garage next weekend and this time they plan to remove the engine and check that it’s not the head gasket or block etc. Anybody any other ideas of what it could be and why it’s taking +24hrs for the said leak to appear.The leak is so slight the coolant tank level does not even look like it’s moved.
Thankfully the dealer has been good as gold in having no issues in it being returned and has even said that if if needs a new engine, so be it, but I just want it sorted once and for all And could do without the 180 mile round trip to keep taking it back......

Answers on a postcard would be greatly received!

 

[2 Jabs]

They can check if the head gasket has gone without removing the engine using a compression tester and an exhaust gas sniffer for the coolant. A sample of the coolant is tested for the presence of exhaust gases. May be worth tightening the jubilee clips whilst the engine is hot. Is the coolant level dropping? Pink could also be power steering fluid depending on how your steering is powered.

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Thanks 2 jabs, the garage claimed to have done a pressure test last time, and all was fine. I think with the van being an A Class is why they are looking at removing the engine etc.

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Forgot to add, I am pretty sure it is not power steering fluid, if memory serves me right that is a kind of lubricant and would stain my drive, this leak as with the previous one (sounds like a pun! ) dries up and it’s gone....Also a few years ago, I had an Alfa Romeo that lived up to all the horror stories and that dumped power steering fluid and it was a bu**er to remove of the drive....

 

[pappajohn]

Thanks 2 jabs, the garage claimed to have done a pressure test last time, and all was fine. I think with the van being an A Class is why they are looking at removing the engine etc.

I hope you have deep pockets.
Removing the engine from below will be a long and labour intensive job and it won't come out of the top through the letterbox slit they laughingly call a bonnet. .
Personally, I would stick a couple of radleak type sealers in the radiator and see if that helped for such a minor leak.
Nothing to lose for the sake of a few quid.

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[2 Jabs]

Yes, it would feel like light oil and certainly leave a stain. Is the coolant level dropping?

 

[Clickem]

Are you seeing a drop in the level of your coolant? Is it being caused by the air conditioning, which can dump a fair amount of condensed water?

 

[2 Jabs]

Personally I would use this on all the hose connections having cleaned them of all corrosion or oxidation and sediment.

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwj9j4zs1fbwAhVC4-YKHZB2CQUYABALGgJ3cw&ae=2&sig=AOD64_2CiFxUnODzQUBCKw_CD93G0bxhbQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjssYPs1fbwAhVBcBQKHa2uB9sQ5bgDegQIARBa&adurl=

 

[Guigsy]

Definitely coolant? Not screen washer fluid?

 

[Dorset Diver]

Do you have Alde heating etc? If so could it be a Alde fluid leak maybe from a heat exchanger?

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[TOAD on Tour]

I hope you have deep pockets.
Removing the engine from below will be a long and labour intensive job and it won't come out of the top through the letterbox slit they laughingly call a bonnet. .
Personally, I would stick a couple of radleak type sealers in the radiator and see if that helped for such a minor leak.
Nothing to lose for the sake of a few quid.

Hi - as mentioned, it is being covered by the dealer thankfully!

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Yes, it would feel like light oil and certainly leave a stain. Is the coolant level dropping?

Hi, the Coolant level seems to be dropping ever so slightly, but not enough that I’m 100% sure.....

 

[Vipar]

Sorry but this springs to mind

There’s a hole in my bucket dear Eliza dear Eliza

Hope that you find the solution soon,.

Oh it’s back again there’s a hole...................

My toilet lets out pink liquid Don’t taste it to find out

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Do you have Alde heating etc? If so could it be a Alde fluid leak maybe from a heat exchanger?

This is something I’ve wondered about as it does have Alde heating and the coolant is pink also! The van claims to have an heat exchanger, but I have never used it and would really know how to either!

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Sorry but this springs to mind

There’s a hole in my bucket dear Eliza dear Eliza

Hope that you find the solution soon,.

Oh it’s back again there’s a hole...................a

Thanks for the entertainment, less than helpful but it did amuse me!

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[TOAD on Tour]

Are you seeing a drop in the level of your coolant? Is it being caused by the air conditioning, which can dump a fair amount of condensed water?

Definitely not water from the air con, this leak is taking +24hrs to appear on my drive, which I am finding quite bizarre.....

 

[Vipar]

Surely the location of where the drip land on your tell tale must give a clue to were it’s coming from. Unless it is tracking.

If you can catch some of the liquid the garage can use a coolant tester to ascertain the amount of antifreeze volume and it will confirm antifreeze or not.

Trying to make up for my previous post

Oh no it’s back again best I look at another post to clear my mind

Good luck

 

[ChrisL]

I would stick a couple of radleak type sealers in the radiator

And be wondering why the heater is not working as well as it might because it's partially blocked with the crap from the barsleaks or other rad seal product. If you value your vehicle at all don't put that stuff in your rad and yes I speak from experience.

 

[lunarman]

I had a 2008 pilote a class with 3 ltr engine with a similar problem the leak would only show itself when hot. It turned out to be a crack in the radiator matrix. I was told it was because they were made if plastic and suffered from minute cracks. It only cost £160 at the time (about 5 years ago) to have a replacement fitted they were able to slide the old one out and put the new one in.

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Surely the location of where the drip land on your tell tale must give a clue to were it’s coming from. Unless it is tracking.

If you can catch some of the liquid the garage can use a coolant tester to ascertain the amount of antifreeze volume and it will confirm antifreeze or not.

Trying to make up for my previous post

Oh no it’s back again best I look at another post to clear my mind

Good luck

Haha! Yes, I have now tracked the “drip”! So going to try and capture some.....that was actually very helpful!!!!

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[TOAD on Tour]

I had a 2008 pilote a class with 3 ltr engine with a similar problem the leak would only show itself when hot. It turned out to be a crack in the radiator matrix. I was told it was because they were made if plastic and suffered from minute cracks. It only cost £160 at the time (about 5 years ago) to have a replacement fitted they were able to slide the old one out and put the new one in.

Thanks, but would it take 24hrs after the van has been used for the leak to appear?

 

[TOAD on Tour]

So, it looks like the drip is coming from the area in the photo, either from the red things or the bolts, but not sure if it’s travelling to those areas first.....anybody any ideas!

 

[bigwood]

I could be wrong but those two red things are the power cables from the battery to the starter motor. It’s likely the leak is above them and dripping down. If you can get to that area try covering the cables with something like kitchen paper when the engine has cooled down. If the paper is wet the leak is up hill from there or being sprayed on to them. A small pin prick leak can be difficult to find.

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Ok, so on further inspection, the jubilee clip above the red things are also wet and I think I can see pink stains around it....does anybody know if coolant would travel through whatever that pipe is and if it is worth me trying to tighten it? FYI, it’s recently had a new egr valve and some new jubilee clips fitted by the garage from its original leaks! I know diddly squat about mechanics, so any suggestions if this would make sense for this leak welcomed!

 

[Vipar]

Can’t hurt to try and tighten them quarter turn at a time

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[MITHRANDIR]

Do not put radweld in or anything else, it's just snake oil, and although it may work, it will be a temporary fix only and short lived.
the red things are cables for the starter motor.
The black pipe with the jubilee clip looks like the bottom hose from the radiator, and it doesn't look like its on properly to me, check that.
No garage worth their salt would consider removing the engine without extensive testing, as it is an enormous job.
It may be that it leaks after 24hrs because of cooling and contraction.
If it were mine i would be checking that clip looks poorly fitted.

 

[2GB Racing]

I had a similar overnight drip drip on my Ducato PVC fives old and when placed back into its garage quarters for a few days a very very small wet patch appeared on the floor, maybe 60 mm dia, and it was coming from the bottom hose which as stated does not appear to be on correctly, A jubilee clip should be at the very end of the hose minus around 5mm.
I would advise a new genuine hose, and fitting with high quality stainless hose clips and if there is room put two or three on, The first hose clip at start of inner alloy sleeve last one 5mm max from the end and of room one in the middle all with staggered positioning of the worm drive, Then see what happens.

 

[ChrisL]

It looks like the jubilee clip holding the bottom hose on has been secured around a bit of the casting rather then the correct place, it's difficult to see but that may be where the problem is.

 

[SIFTA SAM]

That jubilee clip does look new to me?

 

[B-well]

I would be inclined to take a look at the hose and replace if necessary, over years of being compressed (flattened) there comes a point of no real seal .

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