3200GT coolant leak after cambelt changed

[onlinesys]

Hi Gents,

Found blue/greenish coolant on the ground yesterday and floor is still wet after refill.
I had the cambelt changed by an independent garage 2 weeks ago. Checked on the net
and someone reckons:

"Radiator top flange tends to crack around the base, usually due to someone moving or pulling on it, quite common after a cambelt replacement or other engine work. "

Could someone tell me where is the Radiator Top Flange?
Do I need to buy any parts (from Eurospares)?

Thanks again for all your input

 

[onlinesys]

Sorry, missed one photo

 

[allandwf]

Its part of the radiator, No1, that hose No45 connects to, you cant see the flange in the diagram as its on the opposite side.

 

[onlinesys]

Thanks Allan. Do you think it was just an improper installation by the garage or I need to get hos no. 45 and/or other parts ?

 

[allandwf]

It's part of the radiator unfortunately.

 

[onlinesys]

I C. so I need to replace the radiator then

 

[conaero]

No you can have it repaired. I would take it back to the garage who did the cambelt and get them to remove it and have it braised and strengthened.

They have cracked it when being heavy handed with it.

If you decide to do it yourself, take the rad out and take it to your local radiator recore place and it will cost like £20.

 

[onlinesys]

Many thanks for the advice. I should ask them to inspect it and repair for me.

Will let you all if it is really the radiator problem by heavy handed chap later.

Cheers

 

[onlinesys]

Forgot to mention that I've been driving the car for 10 days or so although within 20 minutes per day after the cambelt changed. I never encountered any over-heated problem so it should be very minor leak or if the fans are just so powerful?

 

[Ian H]

Hi
If you check out this link there are some good pictures of the relevant radiator flanges ...
http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/sho...r-are-you-aware-!!!!!?highlight=radiator+leak

 

[conaero]

This is where they go, simply have them re soldered and some extra material to strengthen does the trick:



As Bill says, replace the hoses and clips too with some silicone ones off Ebay, just buy a length and cut them up yourself and use Stainless Jubilee clips...might as well give a a quick spray with satin black to complete the refurb.

Its all very simple to do.

 

[dunnah01]

Woah there! - you need to get the garage to do a 2 min cooling system pressure test first to see where the leak is coming from, it may just be a loose clip somewhere else.

 

[onlinesys]

Thanks Ian. Did check the link after a search. Sorry for one more stupid query since I top up the coolant yesterday morning, I checked again this morning and found that the level of coolant remains the same (I didn't drive the car at all).
Is the leak only happened when the pressure is built up when the engine is switched on?

 

[onlinesys]

I did switch on the engine this morning and wait until the coolant temperature was up to 80 degree C and saw coolant
fluid on the floor near the right front wheel if I am looking from the front of the car. So it is likely the two hoses from the radiator that are leaking coolant?

 

[Chrisbassett]

I did switch on the engine this morning and wait until the coolant temperature was up to 80 degree C and saw coolant
fluid on the floor near the right front wheel if I am looking from the front of the car. So it is likely the two hoses from the radiator that are leaking coolant?

If it's back by the wheel the it's likely at the filler tank or that end of the hoses. That's where mine leaked to when it boiled over the other day.

 

[onlinesys]

Hi Chris,

It is bout 6-8 inches beside the left front wheel and can't see the place of leakage from the top of the engine.
Have you fixed yours and what parts been replaced?

 

[SteveM]

Slightly confused between posts 14 and 16 which side the leak is. If as I think you are suggesting it is teh side with the abs unit (ie left hand side when sitting in car or right hand side when looking from the front) then I think the leak is one of 3 sources. If it is towards the front below the radiator then it is either a core that has rusted out or one of the three hoses that join the two radiator cores together has perished and should be replaced with 3No 28ID silicon hoses. For both these two options it is a radiator out job but they can be repaired/recored by car radiator companny rather than buying new. However, I think you may be suffering the same problem I had which is the short hose linking the turbo to the block which given heat in the area tends to perish. It is almost impossible to see as it is behind the alternator and turbo air side hoses and ducting but you may see tell tale antifreeze marks on the cross member below. If I remember correctly it is 15mm ID and about 150mm to 180mm long - there was another post recently regarding what two pipes were in the Roose Silicon hose kit.

 

[Chrisbassett]

Hi Chris,

It is bout 6-8 inches beside the left front wheel and can't see the place of leakage from the top of the engine.
Have you fixed yours and what parts been replaced?

Mine was overheating and the pressure release did just what it was supposed to do, venting fluid with a nice hissing sound. Was worrying until I realised that we all it was. That's the driver-side wheel on a RHD car by the way.if its in front of the wheel then it's probably hoses or joints near the radiators. If its at or behind the wheel, it'll be nearer the filler tank. If its the other wheel, then I don't know.

 

[onlinesys]

Slightly confused between posts 14 and 16 which side the leak is. If as I think you are suggesting it is teh side with the abs unit (ie left hand side when sitting in car or right hand side when looking from the front) then I think the leak is one of 3 sources. If it is towards the front below the radiator then it is either a core that has rusted out or one of the three hoses that join the two radiator cores together has perished and should be replaced with 3No 28ID silicon hoses. For both these two options it is a radiator out job but they can be repaired/recored by car radiator companny rather than buying new. However, I think you may be suffering the same problem I had which is the short hose linking the turbo to the block which given heat in the area tends to perish. It is almost impossible to see as it is behind the alternator and turbo air side hoses and ducting but you may see tell tale antifreeze marks on the cross member below. If I remember correctly it is 15mm ID and about 150mm to 180mm long - there was another post recently regarding what two pipes were in the Roose Silicon hose kit.

Hi Steve,

It is the passenger side (RHD car) (left wheel) (right wheel if you look from front) so would be one of the three causes mentioned by you

Hi Chris, there is no hissing sound or overheating (since I did top up the coolant) so guess it might be a different cause.

Anyway, car will be sent to garage by this Saturday morning and I shall inform you all the source of problem by next week.

Many thanks for all your input. Great chaps and great site as always!

 

[Ian H]

Hi
I have a very similar problem on my new 3200.
I have got a new set of front cooling hoses from Roose and if you ask they will now includes the three short sections which joint the 2 radiators.

I sent the radiators to Guildford Radiators here in UK and apparently there is a leak between them that they cannot fix without dismantling both so I will get them both recored while they are apart. ~£360 +VAT

The ac wasn't working either and the local Indie pulled out the ac condenser/radiator which now has a detached upper and lower edge so new one of those needed too.

Tried to source an after market one with reference number from the original but no immediate joy so have ordered a replacement from Eurospares.

Bunch of cash but hopefully it will sort the leak and ac issues.

Ian