My daughter's car started loosing cooling water about 10 months ago but never any sign where it was coming from until we traced it from the expansion tank overflow due to too much pressure in the system. Even if I leave the car to cool down for 2 weeks (away on holiday) before checking the water level there's still pressure (definitely not vacuum) in the water system. Apparantly these systems are notorious to vent the air out of but I tried the upturned bottle (bottom cut off) sealed in the expansion tank cap hole to act as a header tank above the level of all hoses etc. The results were as follows; a lot bubbles started to bubble up through the bottle within seconds of starting the engine, it took 25 minutes for the thermostat to open and bubbles continued all this time and at the same rate after the thermostat had opened, they only stopped when the engine was switched off and did so within 1 to 2 seconds of switching off the engine. As soon as the engine restarted they started again and stopped as soon as the engine was switched off. Initially I hoped the initial bubbles were air venting from the system, then I thought because the thermostat was closed the bubbles were the result of boiling water but they continued after the thermostat opened and stopped immediately the engine was turned off. Which has led me to conclude it's a head gasket leak or crack in the cylinder head or wet liners. We don't get steam out of the exhaust shortly after starting the engine nor do we get water in the oil (except the normal for short local journeys). It has got a bit worse over the 10 months but not catatrophically which leads me to think the worse and it's a crack not just the gasket. Can you think of anything else it might be before I take the cylinder head off, I'm desparately looking for any easier answer, not least because the cost of a replacement head is probably a repair too far.
Thanks
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Go and get a local garage to stiff the header tank witha gas analyser to detect combustion fumes. This will tell you waht is wrong. Regards Peter
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Sounds like thermostat needs replacing..Would do that before looking too deep..
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Steve
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The bubbles plus the pressure point to a leak somewhere - no need for a gas test here! You're going to have to take the head off (which is I think not to onerous on these engines), then inspect it, and possibly get it pressure tested. The head gaskets on these engines are not exactly known as a strong point, so that's probably the problem. Head will probably need a skim whist it's off as well. I had similar symptoms on my BX TD that went on for about 70k miles before it got bad enough that I decided to take the head off. I couldn't see where the gasket was leaking, but it stopped with a new gasket, even without a head skim.
Best to get the head off sooner rather than later so it doesn't overheat and destroy the head by warping it....!
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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Pressure reatined in the tank for 2 weeks!?
Definately Head Gasket - the TUD 1.4 is a little prone to this.
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groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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