306 Coolant

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gonna do a

results from

cooling

confused about

The header tank is supposedly required because some parts of the cooling system are above the level of the radiator cap. Consequently, to be sure you can get coolant into those high levels of the system you should increase the top-up level. It sounds complicated but it isn't really. Just take an old 1litre coolant bootle or small soft drink plastic bottle with a neck which will fit roughly into the top of the radiator. Doesn't matter if its not a perfect fit - you can use a rag to make the seal better. Cut the bottom off the bottle so you can top it up whilst it's inverted, fill with coolant, start the engine and as it's warming up, keep checking these bleed screws and let any air out.

As I've mentioned before, I've seen local garages not bother with the header tank but just do keep topping up the radiator coolant level as the engine is warming and bleeding.

p.s. regarding you initial problem - have you tried replacing the radiator cap?

Hope that helps, Stuart

Thanks!

No I haven't tried replacing the cap, but there's no white crusty mark around it so I wouldn't of thought that would of been leaking?

The results are in about the head gasket, we have a green light for that! So thats a weight off my mind.

The garage guy suggested leaving it in a garage over night with some newspaper underneath it to see if it leaks gradually, I'll have to empty the garage of all the junk for that one though :-P

There is a bleed screw in the what looks to be the injection chamber? The big silver thing at the back which looks like it fuels all the cylinders...that screw appears to be leaking a very very tiny bit, so I'll get that replaced also.

He also said that the coolant in the coolant system didn't seem to be circulating to well, so I'm going to bleed and flush the whole system, see if that helps, because I know it hasn't been done since I've had the car which is nearly a year now.

However, it might be my water pump! Who knows...

that bleed screw isnt related to the coolant, thats for the fuel rail....leave it alone, if you are losing water there must be a visible leak somewhere, (your not filling the expansion (header) tank up to the top are you?) the idea of the header tank is to allow somewhere for the coolant to go when it warms up (it expands) without it spilling onto the ground. then as it cools down it will contract and the level will drop. there is no special requirement for refilling, run the engine from cold with the coolant topped up, leave the cap off and bleed nipples undone, as soon as you see coolant instead of air emerge from the bleed nipples replace the screws.

what engine size do you have?

need to know this to locate your bleed screws if any....some of them are fitted on the coolant pipes just before they enter the heater matrix in the car, there is also one on the radiator itself, this one is important as the air will certainly be trapped in the rad if its not bled out.

hope this helps

I don't understand where there's white stains and visible liquid where this cap/screw thing is then, I mean I went and bought another one from Peugeot, and its literally just a cap you hammer in.

Strange, but there is no other visible leaks and as I said a pressure test and gas test were done. I don't know if this has a bearing on it, but when I start the car and for a good 5-10 mins till its warmed up there is alot of white/odourless smoke from the exhaust. More than there should be anyway...

Thanks for the help though!

in that case it well could be the head gasket, i guess just because one guy says it isnt doesnt mean he's right, personally i wouldnt check for head gasket in this manner anyway. its not a foolproof way of diagnosis. you said the bleed nipple (what you thought was the bleed nipple) came from the fuel rail. if that was the case there isnt any coolant in the fuel rail is there.

Consequently,

sounds like one of the waterways of the head gasket has blown.