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coolant leak
https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=877		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  68matic [ Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:13 pm ]
Post subject:  coolant leak
warming up my car this morning,

i noticed bright green coolant fluid around a nut on the thermostat housing,
and a line of it (about 7cm long) between the engine block and head at the engine number platform.

this is the first time ive seen it, there are no white chalky stains (dried coolant) around it, so it might be the first time it has happened

what should i do?
ive never taken the head off, and hope not to anytime soon. if i have to, then ill have to arrange an appointment with a friend of a friend.
Author:  ausminis4u [ Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: coolant leak
68matic wrote:
warming up my car this morning,

i noticed bright green coolant fluid around a nut on the thermostat housing,
and a line of it (about 7cm long) between the engine block and head at the engine number platform.

this is the first time ive seen it, there are no white chalky stains (dried coolant) around it, so it might be the first time it has happened

what should i do?
ive never taken the head off, and hope not to anytime soon. if i have to, then ill have to arrange an appointment with a friend of a friend.
id say the coolant line on the block is where the coolant has rundown, the coolant soulds like its coming out of the top rad hose, tighten up the clip and see if it keeps leaking ;)
Author:  drmini in aust [ Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:29 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yeah maybe a hose, or a thermostat gasket is leaking. No big deal.
If you take the thermo housing off clean it up real good and use new gaskets and some gasket cement. Don't buy the cork gaskets- they are too soft and will squeeze out when you tighten it down.
Author:  68matic [ Thu Jun 17, 2004 9:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
thanks for the note, ill search around again

as for the thermostat housing, i put a thermostat in it in January, after heating problems and bought a paper gasket with the thermostat.
put the dark brown gasket glue and popped it on.

the problem with the housing is that one bolt and nut have been worn away badly. there still is traction between the two, but you can twist and twist. i only did it enough so that it wont wear away even more.

this brings me to another question:

can you replace the bolt that is embedded in the head?
Author:  drmini in aust [ Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes you can replace the studs. Take the housing off, then put a pair of vice grips or a stud extractor on the stud and undo it. Put a 5/16" UNC bottom tap into the hole to clean it out before fitting a new stud.
I would take them all out and replace with Allen head bolts. This mod has several advantages:
1. You will not get the usual problem of the housing corroding onto the studs, as the act of undoing the bolts will crack off any corrosion between them.
2. These bolts are high tensile steel and less likely to break.
3. Whenever you take it apart it's easier to scrape the gasket surfaces clean.

If you want to make it look pretty, (BLING!) you can get some 5/16" UNC or Whitworth bolts in S/S instead from a boat shop- Bias Boating Warehouse are pretty cheap. Either 304 or 316 grade, won't matter. 5/16" W and 5/16" UNC have the same thread pitch, yes they do fit. Only difference is thread angle- 55* vs 60*, `dusn' matter' in this application, as Con the fruiterer would say...
Don't overtighten them. S/S bolts are not as strong as some people think.
If you fit either type of bolt use some aviation gasket cement on the threads, it makes 'em come out easy next time. 8)
Author:  68matic [ Thu Jun 17, 2004 11:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
great Doc
ill look into it after my exams
thank you
duc
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