Tastes schweet, leaking radiator?

Witor

Witor

Witor

Soldato
Joined
9 Jan 2007
Posts
2,760
Location
Gibraltar
Bit of background, last night had to run an errand, took the car, noticed water temps fluctuating between 90-120 (indicated), now the Alfa's temp gauge does fluctuate quite a bit, but not that much, higher speeds returned the temp back down to 90ish.

Today, wife takes the car on a shopping trip, probably had 5 minutes use getting to the supermarket and back.

When I returned from work, I noticed a leak from the underside of the Engine. As you do I tasted it to figure out what it was, and it tasted sweet, which leads me to believe it's antifreeze, so most probably a shot radiator.

(Great...)

I'll be booking the car in early next week, as it's due its yearly service next month anyway. I dont really want to move it, but, is it ok to top up the radiator with say bottled water for the 5 minute trip to the dealership?

Also, there's no point in fixing the radiator is there? (is it even possible?) Seeing as it's on its original radiator (7 years) Im guessing a replacement is the sensible thing to do?
 
Topping up with tap water is fine, but it will reduce the anti-freeze protection, so best to top it up just before the run to the dealer.
You can get radiators "re-cored", basically they just re-use the plastic end tanks and replace the "core" and can often be cheaper, but I guess the dealer will only offer a new genuine part.
 
Never hits freezing temps here, which is good. Cool thanks, will be topping up with water just in case.

Just reading about fitting a 2.5v6 Radiator instead of a GTA one, loads of people have done it, price difference is immense. Might head down that route depending what the stealer quotes me.
 
Jamous said:
You can get radiators "re-cored", basically they just re-use the plastic end tanks and replace the "core" and can often be cheaper, but I guess the dealer will only offer a new genuine part.
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Jamous, where have you been going? I tried Scotrad etc

All the quotes I got were more expensive than going for new OE!!
 
You let it get up-to an indicated 120c on the temp gauge?

If so, I'd be considering the possibility that you're going to end up replacing more than just the radiator :(.
 
Put it this way, GTA temp gauge marks 70-90-110-130. I know off Alfa forums the light goes on at just under 130, plus 156 gauges are erratic at best. It went past 110 once, fans had kicked in already, temp quickly dropped down to 90. Talking seconds here between me noticing it going past 110, and dropping down. No lights came on, engine seemed ok, etc.

Im pretty confident it will be fine....(insert nervous alfa smiley here)
 
Joshy said:
You let it get up-to an indicated 120c on the temp gauge?

If so, I'd be considering the possibility that you're going to end up replacing more than just the radiator :(.
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Depends on the engine, but you'd be pretty unfortunate from borking it from a once off. How long it was sat hot etc.

I've heard heads that sounded like kettles boiling that were fine afterwards.
 
Chicken and egg; did the overheating cause coolant to be released from the pressure cap, or did a leak cause the engine to overheat due to low coolant?

How much coolant did it lose? Can you see where the leak originated?
 
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Again not sure on quick look, deffo out of a gap in the undertray. Haha should have really checked all that earlier, not very good at this it seems :)
 
well look tomorrow and come back and tell us when you know what the problem is :)

then we can sit and go 'hmmm yes that is a problem'.

and on goes the world

:D

btw, do you work in Spain or on the 'island'?
 
Nah, born and bred/work here (gib), got links in manc-land and n.ire.

As for downspeccing my forum-Fu shows much evidence of it not being a problem, not a downspec as such, more a gta-tax radiator. People in turkey/aus/Italy run them with no problems apprently, similar climate to here I guess.
 
Dogbreath said:
Chicken and egg; did the overheating cause coolant to be released from the pressure cap, or did a leak cause the engine to overheat due to low coolant?

How much coolant did it lose? Can you see where the leak originated?
Click to expand...

Had a slightly better look this morning, albeit with 1 year old lad in tow. Argh. Pressure cap/expansion tank showed no signs of overflow.

Most likely a leak, had a poke around this morning but it's all a bit cramped in there. However, identified a pipe coming from the engine block--> bottom of radiator, clip holding said pipe to engine block is most likely cluprit. Running my hand along the bottom of said pipe (easier said than done) after topping up with 2 litres of water, 5 minute run to get the car up to an indicated 70-75C, parked up. Few drops of water on the undertray directly beneath the pipe after a few minutes parked up. Once I had managed to contort my arm to get to it, I could feel the water/liquid underneath the pipe. Car ran fine for those 5 minutes, nothing untoward.

Super unclear pics:

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The 2.5 V6/GTA rad issue has been a subject of contention on the Alfa forums, mainly because some people believe its not as effective as the GTA one, but plenty of GTA owners have had it running for a while with no issue, so I'd go with it - as you say, its a huge price difference..."GTA tax", maybe?

7 years is good going on the standard rad, though.
 
How many miles is it on? I'd suspect something pipe-wise rather than rad, as I'm on 120k and 90k, on an 8 year old and 11 year old car respectively, and both radiators are original to my knowledge.

Especially as you don't have salt on the roads etc in winter to munch away at your metal :p
 
Definitely a pipe/jubilee clip issue. Will ask the dealer to check / replace said bits. Cars 7.5 years, 76000km, roughly 50,000 miles, give or take. Original rad still, looks in good nick just going by visuals. Needs it's service middle of next month anyways, will just bring it forward to next week.
 
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