Cars - no engine coolant

[Deleted member 9966]

Right, so the Megane has apparently been happily chugging along for months now with no coolant around the engine. I'm sure it was serviced last July and everything was fine. Not seen any leaks and the temp guage has shown anything of concern, in fact it's been sitting at normal levels all this time.

So, car nuts/tilers, where's the coolant going?

 

[DHTiling]

Head gasket gone ?

 

[Marksmithtiling]

Last July!!!! Have you not checked levels since then? Oil,brake fluid, washers?:yikes:
Lucky its still going .

 

[Deleted member 9966]

I'm wondering Dave. But if the head gasket had gone, would I be seeing other signs? Car has been driving like a dream for ages, no loss of power or anything.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Last July!!!! Have you not checked levels since then? Oil,brake fluid, washers?:yikes:
Lucky its still going .

yep, before every big trip, hence today - day out tomorrow. It was meant to go to Portsmouth in September but fuel tank was leaking so Mr GRR would have checked it over then.

 

[Alan.P]

When you say no coolant in the engine I assume you mean inthe water bottle, iirc the should only be half to three quarters full, marked on them, as Dave says, could be head gasket but if that were the case I would have thought the engine to have gone bang by now, easy check is dip the oil, remove the oil filler cap, are there any signs of emulsification / creaminess ?

 

[Deleted member 9966]

When you say no coolant in the engine I assume you mean inthe water bottle, iirc the should only be half to three quarters full, marked on them, as Dave says, could be head gasket but if that were the case I would have thought the engine to have gone bang by now, easy check is dip the oil, remove the oil filler cap, are there any signs of emulsification / creaminess ?

thanks Alan. Will instruct Mr GRR to get out there with his golf umbrella and look.

 

[AliGage]

What's the oil level like?

 

[Gazzer]

is it a turbo intercooler ?

 

[Deleted member 9966]

What's the oil level like?

all fine Ali, sitting nicely between the two markers on the dipstick. Mr GRR has had a good look around the oil and can't see anything of concern. Now that he's topped the coolant back up, there's nothing untoward appearing in that...

If the head gasket was on the verge of blowing, would I be seeing less power? it's not lost any oil and it's not burning it/running blue on start up...

Mr GRR reckons it's running nice and smooth now the coolant level is up and he thinks there must have been some in there, but just not enough to show up.

on the cautious side, breakdown cover has just been updated :yesnod:

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is it a turbo intercooler ?

erm.... it's a Renault dci engine... I'll google...

 

[Gazzer]

Sounds as if it were just low. I take it the heater was working ok ?

 

[AliGage]

If oils good its unlikely voice head gasket. Id say its perhaps i slight hole in a seal which is allowing vapor to pass. Nothing to worry about just keep an eye on your levels

 

[Deleted member 9966]

right, just pooped my pants about the turbo blowing...

there's been a whistling on it for months, but I put that down to the roof bars and bike skids being on there all the time. gonna take them off and take it for a test run tonight.

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Sounds as if it were just low. I take it the heater was working ok ?

aye. everything been working nicely.

 

[Gazzer]

You would see oil in the water coolant if intercooler had failed probably.
Just keep an eye on it, you may just have a slight leak somewhere.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

You would see oil in the water coolant if intercooler had failed probably.
Just keep an eye on it, you may just have a slight leak somewhere.

hope so. just been reading the scare stories about other people's dci engines with blown turbos. :yikes:

 

[Gazzer]

If its running nice then it all ok, dont panic.

 

[Ajax123]

could be a small leak that only opens p as the engine heats up. If its running ok justmake sure you keep topping it up regularly

 

[Rookery]

Does your windscreen washer work? :smilewinkgrin:

 

[DHTiling]

just a small thought Liz.. he isn't drinking it is he on the sly :lol:

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Does your windscreen washer work? :smilewinkgrin:

dunno, never use em. i'm never in it long enough to want to wash the screen... :lol:

 

[jlktiling]

Why havent you checked your levels before now!
I check mine weekly!

With older cars, they loose water around the pipe connectors, and through the radiator joints.
Over that length of time, its not a suprise if you havent checked it!

As for head gasket, if it had gone badly, you would see lots of white smoke coming from the exhaust (even on warm days)
Smoke colours are as follows.
Black - Fuel problem (too much fuel in engine) DPF needs replacing (diesel)
White - burning water
Blue - burning oil.

 

[Ajax123]

I don't check mine at all generally. It gets serviced every three months... I assume they do it then

 

[jlktiling]

I don't check mine at all generally. It gets serviced every three months... I assume they do it then

It's such a simple but essential thing to be doing. Why risk it?!!

 

[Rookery]

I don't check mine at all generally. It gets serviced every three months... I assume they do it then

My van tells me when to top up my oil, the red light comes on when I go round a bend. Its clever like that

 

[Deleted member 9966]

well the megane managed 360 miles today. coolant topped up to under maximum, it's just above minimum now. there must be a hole somewhere or vapour loss or something. oh well.. when i can be bothered i'll do something about it :lol: