Is this a water pump failure?

b0rn2sk8

b0rn2sk8

b0rn2sk8

Soldato
Joined
9 Mar 2003
Posts
18,182
Hi guys,

My car has been leaking coolant slowly for a week but I have not been able to identify the place until now.

I have seen some white/green crystals close to where the coolant pipe enters the engine at the cam belt end. The white/green seems to be coming from between the plastic and metal of the engine rather than the pipe its self. See the picture below.

Car is a 2002 Clio 1.2 16V

 
Need a bigger picture but is that your stat? If so it'll be that or its housing that's the problem. The water pump is usually belt driven but depends on the car?

Edit just seen its a Clio, will be cambelt driven on a Renault that age, could be the water pump then but need a better pic - it will sit on the cambekt side of the engine, stick a screwdriver to the casing when the engine is running and see if its noisy.

Got a slightly further out pic?
 
Last edited:
It's not the pump, it's the elbow that is leaking. When the pump fails you may see coolant there but also coolant around the bottom of the belt cover - it leaks from the shaft bearings.

The previous owner of my girlfriend's 1.2 16v Clio had the cam belt changed but not the pump - I ended up having to change the lot when it started leaking.

IIRC the thermostat is on the other side of the engine, with a stupid plastic housing - I had to replace that too when the idiot AA man broke it.
 
There is some coolant round the other side lower down. But it's a much smaller amount so it may just be dripping down as its directly under it.

So it may just need a new elbow rather than the whole lot?
 
Last edited:
b0rn2sk8 said:
So it may just need a new elbow rather than the whole lot?
Click to expand...

As it's much cheaper / easier I would change the elbow first (make sure you clean the mating surfaces up properly), if it is still leaking then you'll need to change the pump (and cambelt/tensioner).

It can also leak from further down, between the pump and the block - which is what my OH's did. I could actually see it dripping from the bottom of the cambelt cover when the engine was off, so I knew it wasn't just the elbow.

UfFRml.jpg


http://imgur.com/a/tWFCp#0

olivercamos said:
The Thermostat housing is made of plastic which tends to crack easily causing a leak.
Click to expand...

It's also on the opposite side of the engine (right hand of the cylinder head, above the TDC sensor), so isn't the issue in this case.
 
I havent read whole thread but ive had a similar problem with my clio recently.

it started leaking slowly at first then it wouldn't hold a full tank for a day!

I took it to the garage and the water pump bearings were gone hence leakage.

The pump and timing belt were replaced at a cost of 170 inclusive of labour.

Kieran :)
 
Thanks for the input, I'll get it booked in to a garage as much as I'm handy with a spanner I think this is beyond me at this point in time. Although my leak looks nothing like yours, it does seem to be leaking above where the pipe goes in, so it looks like water pump time .



£170 inc labour seems to be a good price.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom