Water leak near water pump

[Chunk]

Guys,

I'm very fimilar with the F7P engine in a Clio 16v configuration, but not so familiar with the F7P in a 19.

I got to work today and pulled up in the car park noticing the temps were a bit high, then noticed steam erupting from the bonnet.

Killed the engine and opened the bonnet to find water pissing out the bottom from somewhere behind the water pump.

Couldn't really see where it was leaking from but it was literally pouring out the bottom, not just a trickle.

Now, the first thing that comes to mind is the pipe on the back of the water pump, but is there anything else down there that could leak? Core plugs?

Going to have to get recovered home and rip it to bits at the weekend.

 

[Peter T]

odds on it be the pipe. does the flow slow down, with the engine running.

 

[Neal R19]

The bottom end is the same as the clio one in all respects other than the ancillary mounting so assuming it's not the alternator or PAS pump pissing out water (which is somewhat unlikely I think you'll agree) then you can use the same deductive reasoning to identify the leak on the 19 as you would on your clio.

 

[Chunk]

Hoping it's the rubber pipe popped off the water pump or something daft. I hope it hasn't split!

 

[minichapperz]

probably the metal hose that backs in the water pump housing, bottom hose itself , core plug ???

 

[Chunk]

Ok, had all this apart at the weekend. Took the entire bottom pipe off and radiator out and checked for damage. No splits or leaks there, so just assumed a hose clip was loose. Re-fitted it all and made sure it was tight, filled with coolant, and ran up to temperature.

Heaters working fine, coolant level fine, no leaks, fan kicking in as it should. Took it down to the post office and all was fine.

Driven it tonight further afield and pulled up at a friends house. Noticed the heaters went cold and temp gauge raising. Killed the engine and cracked the bonnet, and coolant pissing out underneath the inlet manifold again.

From what I can see, it's leaking somewhere near the knock sensor underneath the inlet manifold. Was just a small jet of water pissing out under pressure, so looks like a small hole somewhere.

What's around there that could leak? A core plug?

I've got a spare bottom end in the garage so i'll have a look at that tomorrow for possible leaks. Hope it's not the head gasket. Any thoughts? has anyone experienced coolant spraying out from the head gasket?

 

[Peter T]

there is 3 core plugs at the back, however not sure about the front.

 

[Chunk]

I think there's some on the right hand side but don't think there's any around the knock sensor.

 

[Chris H]

there is no cooling system core plugs in that area.

if its near the knock sensor and not the water pump as you stated check the looped pipe, they split and leak.

its the rubber pipe on the left of the upper metal pipe thingy

 

[Chunk]

Ok, so I decided to change the head gasket this weekend













Spent Friday evening in the cold and darkness and removed the head from the engine, and had a good inspection of the head/block and head gasket. Could see lots of coolant stains all of the front face of the block and the head gasket didn't look too great, so was fairly confident this was the issue causing the coolant leak.

Prepped the surfaces on Saturday morning and did a filter/oil change at the same time. Also decided to fit a new thermostat whilst it was out.

Got the head back on in the afternoon, then it was just a case of plumbing everything back together.

Fired the car up and left it to idle whilst bleeding the coolant, everything was looking good. Then, underneath the car I noticed coolant leaking, again. This time it was leaking even more than before, so I thought the block must be cracked.

Grabbed my torch and had a look between the rad and the inlet and saw a little spray of coolant coming from underneath a jubilee clip securing the bottom hose to the water pump. Little bastard!!

Removed the pipe and found a good 2cm split underneath the clip. Shortened the pipe and re-attached, re-bled the system and all was well.

All in all, first time i've changed a HG on a 19. Wasn't too bad, just a bit tight in places as you'd imagine. Wouldn't say it was much easier than doing it on a clio though.

The end result is no more coolant leaks! I then spent all day on Sunday ripping the car apart once again to change the heater matrix. Another absolute nightmare of a job!

Sat at work now aching all over, tired as hell. Not sat down once this weekend.

 

[Chris H]

it will have been the pipe all the time.

The headgasket for coolant to go out the front of the block it has to pass over the oil drain channels.

Still another job done and off the list.

The clio is the opposite of the 19 more room at the back on the clio, the bonnet annoys me on the clios so I just take it off. But yeah same thing pretty much.

 

[Chunk]

Yup, I even took the pipe off and checked it and I didn't notice the split. Duh!

Yeah i was dubious about the HD, but i remember looking down at the knock sensor from above and saw water spraying all over it and it looked like it was coming from the gasket. Guess it was just bouncing off the block.

The bonnet on the Clio is seriously annoying, they get so scratched up on the edges from being taken off and placed on the ground all the time.

 

[Neal R19]

LOL, has someone taken a grinder to the exhaust manifold support bracket?

 

[Chris H]

gotta do what you gotta do

 

[Chunk]

No, hack saw.

Managed to get the head off with it still attached but it was not easy. Kept fouling against the block and starter motor bracketry as I tried to lift it ffs.

Had to chop it off with a hack saw when I got the head off. The joys!

Not needed anyway, so in the bin it went

 

[bidderman1969]

too many un-nessassary brackets on the rear of the valver block, makes harder work of a relatively easy job i have found

 

[Chunk]

Indeed there are! Much weight saving to be done!

 

[Chris H]

well they are there for a reason.

The manifold support takes a hell of a lot of load off of the head studs.

But yeah generally its fine without.

 

[bbracer16valver]

i say not! i always put mine back then again mine gets shit kicked out of it every possible chance LOL!

 

[bbracer16valver]

defo go for the block on the front for weight lol gota be a few kilo that and the charcol crap and exhaust boxes and air box LOL

one thing though make sure theres a decent heatshield on the starter and crimp the white wire on the starter a lil to save it falling off and one on oil pressure i would if its access like you got

had um both come off few times the starter one is most annoying!