Hi all.

I just drove my mini home from getting a whole bunch of stuff fixed and when I got home and turned the engine off, I heard a lot of steam and dripping.

Had a look and there was a big puddle of coolant under the car. I checked the hoses and nothing seemed to be leaking. It was dark, but I shone a torch in the engine bay after removing the front grill and saw where it was dripping from.



That is a picture of the nut. It's the one with the arrow which is out of focus. The coolant was dripping from it, but I'm not entirely sure where it was coming out.

Anyone got any ideas? What are the chances my block has corroded all the way through?

no chance on that
your body wouldnt be there if the cast iron block rusted away

my mini leaks (just ask steve n mikey)
emptied 2L out in their front yard

mine leaks from the bottom radiator hose
and threw fluid everywhere
when you get another chance,
pour water over the entire section, the sizzling and bubbling will tell you where it is leaking

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I'd check the water pump, and the bypass hose.
Best thing to use for the bypass hose is a bit of 1/2" heater hose, as fitted to Cooper S. NOT those concertina rubber things.. they are not real reliable these days.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I used a bit of silicon hose - its the only place in my car where I allow that bright blue stuff coz you cant see it anyway - its more flexible and so is easier to fit and should last longer than rubber.

my moneys on the water pump gasket

I think it could be a Gasket or the Pump has corrode out.

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I've Got One
You've Got One
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What Is It



A Bloody Mini

1970 Mini K, 1380cc, 1.75 HIF SU, 30 70 Cam, 2" Zorts
1969 Mini K, Stock Standard and Orginal. (Slow as Hell)

Thanks all.

I'll take the water pump out tonight and have a look.

5th time removing the radiator. Wahooo.

At least you should be getting good at ripping it out

Yeah .

15 minutes out. Ages going back in.

I bought ratchety type spanners now tho. Should be much easier .

Yep, the right tools always makes a job easier

Doc, a lot of people just block off the head to avoid problems with that stupid bypass hose - what do you think??

BTW the concertina by-pass hose was produced as a "easy temporary fix" for the solid heater hose. It was a failure because people tended to fit them as a permanent fix!

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Mick,
I'm not a fan of blocking it off- as you then have to mess with the thermostat, by drilling holes around it.
The bypass is there for a purpose- it allows water to circulate thru the block and head while the thermostat is shut during warmup.
Only other problem in that area is the bypass hose adaptor in the head. BMC made it from `destructo metal' (steel or iron) so they could sell spares for $10+ each.
I make them from hex brass- it lasts forever.

If I remember correctly, that concertina hose is a Mowog part, came stock on Morris Minors, also Morris 850, Deluxe etc. Cooper S was the first to bin it and use straight hose instead.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

i will never put a concentina hose on a mini again the delux with the cooper motor had one and guess what it is the cause of a cracked block (due to the previouse owner driveing it with no water in the rad cos it had split)so number 1 never ever use them use a decent bit of hose
makka

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Karcraft still dont have the normal hole only the rubbish one.....I'll cut some of the heater hose and put that instead

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Turns out it was the water pump gasket at the top, so danidad is the winner .

Water pump seems to be half decent. I know it was replaced not that long ago so I'm not too surprised. I have a concertina bypass hose, but I bought 1.5m of heater hose the other day, so I'll stick a bit of that on instead.

I flushed even more crap out of my heater while I was at it.

Still don't know why my car is running hot though. When I put it all back together, it will be running a new radiator, all new hoses and will have been flushed 5 times.