deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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So went to top the Mrs Corsa C 1.2 Twinport up with windscreen wash and notice not a lot of water in the header tank. Opened it up, there was no pressure at all, and could barely see the water in the bottom.
She says it hasn't heated up/over heated and is running fine. Was in for oil change about 1 month ago, they topped up the water apparently. There's a bit of mayo on the oil cap but that's it, nothing on the engine parts you can see. Certainly no more than what my 12v used to get in damp cold weather.
Going to top up tomorrow and take it for a decent run so it heats up properly and see what happens.
What we reckon? Head gasket? Leak? Random anomaly?
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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Just thought I'd check the passenger footwell. As dry as a nuns.
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--ToM--
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Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
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I'd sway more towards a leak, if it was head gasket and was using water to the point where it had lost that much water (full header tank worth) is expect to have more symptoms, white smoke misfire poor running etc
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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Taaa 
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ed
Member
Registered: 10th Sep 03
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I'd say that she's forgotten to keep it topped up and it needs more coolant. Case closed.
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3CorsaMeal
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Registered: 11th Apr 02
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Shouldn't really lose any water. Meant to be sealed system.
I'd take it for a hard drive and then look for any leaks.
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
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Not sure Iv ever really had to top up the water in any of my cars
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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Spent a few weeks helping a friend through a Corsa C water leak, we ended up finding leaks in multiple places 
Heater Matrix under dash
Rain water coming in through brake servo
Water pump had a cracked nozzle for a pipe (fairly easy to replace)
Then a Ben G style crusade to dry out the interior over several weeks
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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Missed the bit where he said it'd been topped up a month ago  Leaky hose joint is the second diagnosis - take a look at the hose joints, especially around the radiator; You'll be able to see crusty dried coolant around where it's leaking. It could be the radiator that's failed too, though whenever I've had one go it's been a fairly short and sharp affair with the car pissing the contents of it's coolant system out in a matter of minutes.
A small bit of mayo on the oil filler cap is fairly normal, it's generally caused by condensation (or the breather hoses for the cam cover being blocked). If it was anything serious there would probably loads of it and it would be in the expansion tank.
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gazza808
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Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
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brothers c was leaking coolant,
turned out the steel hose tail end in the egr valve had rusted right through, as i wiggled the hose it fell out,
turned up a new alloy one and pressed it in job done,
obviously a new one would of done the job lol,
so check the egr valve coolant take off.
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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So there is dried coolant on the side of the engine where the alternator belt is. But a coolant pipe with a new hose clip on it.
When she took it in for oil change, it was mainly because the engine was making some horrible knocking noises. Turned out the oil filter had perished.
I reckon they took this hose off to iinvestigate when taking the rocker cover off, topped up with coolant tank but didn't allow for what would end up going round the system when engine switched off, if that is my understanding of how the coolant system works?
No other dried coolant anywhere else. But of a mystery.
I topped up yesterday, admittedly didn't take it for a run but sat idling for good 10 minutes. Level didn't go down at all and there was pressure in the header tank by the time I'd finished.
Weird.
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