Re: Water leaking - Regulator?

Does the car have A/C and have you been using it a lot? At this time of year it is not uncommon for people to find pools of water under the car when the A/C collection tank overflows. If this is the case then you can safely ignore it.

Otherwise, put your fingers in the fluid and smell it. Each of your car's fluids will have a distinct smell and consistency.

Petrol is obvious. Oil is obvious. Brake fluid. If you dont know what it smells like, take the top off the reservoir, dip your finger and compare. Water (from cooling system) will have a slightly sweet smell and feel slightly sticky (antifreeze). Water (from washers etc) should smell of screen wash. Water (from AC) should be clear, clean and odour free.

The only regulator you're likely to have is a voltage regulator. This controls the charging rate of the alternator.

Rob Graham

Are you sure you didn't just mis-hear him and he said the radiator was leaking?

Vin

LOL! I think I did mishear him! It is the radiator! :) Just shows how much I know about cars!

I showed it to my brother yesterday evening, and he filled it up with a little bit of water. Luckily, not much had leaked.

We drove it to the garrage and the mechanic said that we can fix this ourselves. Told us to drain some water out of the radiator when the engine has cooled down. Could take an hour or even more. Then pour some sealant which he gave to us, and fill it back up again. He said the water and the sealant will circulate inside and any holes, will be sealed up. He also said, after about 10-12 days, to drain out the water in the radiator and re-fill with fresh water.

Shopnor (shopnor snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

I think you need a new mechanic, fairly urgently.

Firstly, that sealant is a bodge. If there's a small leak in the rad, it's either a stone hole (where sealing it could be effective) or corroded - in which case, the rad won't be working effectively and needs replacing. Adding sealant just decreases the efficiency even more, and can glue things up.

It doesn't sound like - with no insult intended - you're up to replacing the coolant yourself in the slightest. Even assuming you manage to drain it (no, it's not that easy) without pouring it all over the ground (illegal, due to the coolant in it), would you know that you need to make sure there's no airlocks - and how to?

Also - if you just use "fresh water", prepare for a VERY large bill come winter, at the first cold snap. If you're lucky, you'll only wreck the radiator. You may put a hole in the side of the engine, though, as the water freezes and expands.

NEVER NEVER NEVER use "fresh water" in the coolant - ALWAYS use "anti- freeze" - it does far more than just preventing freezing. It also helps to transfer heat more efficiently and prevent corrosion in your engine.

Not just water, add anti-freeze as well (yes even at this time of year) as it has corrosion inhibitors, lowers the boiling point of the water and does other useful things.

No insult at all - will get Brother to do it, as he has done this before on his car.

Well, isnt it a mixture? Anti-freeze and freshwater? or is it JUST anti-freeze?

Just out of interest, how much would a radiator cost for my type of car, had I needed to replace it?

Shopnor (shopnor snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

It depends on what you buy. If it's neat anti-freeze, then it's about a 1:2 mix. If it's pre-mix coolant, then it's neat.

Not a lot. Probably around £30.

It's a mixture of anti-freeze and freshwater. The degree of dilution should be on the bottle or in the car's handbook.

I don't know, but don't go to your local main dealer, it'll be horrendously expensive. If you've found a friendly mechanic ask him. But if he is recommending a sealant, I'd take his advice, it sounds like he's trying to save you money rather than rip you off. I've used sealant loads of time in the past and never had any ill effects, even when leaving it in rather than draining it as per the instructions..

Is that it? lol! - I thought a few hundred quid! Ohh phew!

horrendously

I owned a car a few years ago on which the head gasket failed soon after we bought it. The garage that carried out the repair told me that a large part of the failure had been caused by a previous owner having used a sealant on the radiator, and that having messed up the cooling system.

Fuel pressure regulator? Bit of a problem if it's leaking water.

Hmmm, raises it, as does pressurisation of the system.

You want the boiling point higher, not lower. Otherwise your car ends up a steaming mess a lot earlier.

Yes quite true, I got the "lowers" and "highers" arse about face.