Legacy using water

[albaru]

My legacy is using water. The overflow keeps going empty. I cannot see any water lying around the engine so am guessing (without proof) that once the engine heats up, there is a high-pressure leeak somewhere. Chances are, this car has never had all its hose replaced.

Are there any hoses that should be replaced first?

[Guest boostcut]

you should get it pressure tested..

[dumbskate]

Most common would be leaking hose or head gasket I imagine.

You should be very careful driving the car until you have found the possible leak. Is this a turbo model or N/A? Also be careful that you don't just keep filling up the overflow as this is only add that 500mls of water back into the system as the car cools down after use.

I had a very small split in my old TT's top radiator hose I didn't know about after a drive on the motorway I ended up with warped heads.

Find that leak before you do any more driving.

[Guest keltik]

Im losing a tiny bit of water out of my wagon. I think its a pin hole in the radiator in my case. Ive seen whiffs of steam out of the front of the car on cold nights.

Would they be able to find this kinda thing during a pressure test? Whats it involve?

Temperature gauge hasnt moved above normal ever.

Best hoses to replace would be heater hoses, top and bottom rad hoses and the water return from the turbos.

[DRFVDR]

yup pressure test could find the pin hole

I Have the gear here

[albaru]

I see you're in Raetihi. Would be a good excuse to drive up the paraparas to see you but I'll have to get it pressure tested down here in Wellytown.

It's a 94 TT, so there's the added complication of water pipes going to the turbos.

[DRFVDR]

was talking to Keltic

and yes the paras are fun

I would get it pressure tested BUT seems as you dont have a noticable leak then I would suggest a very high chance of it being a head gasket

[albaru]

Would that make the oil look muddy etc or not make any diff? because the oil looks fine. Changed it previous weekend and it was black like nomral.

[Johnnynz]

 al said:

Would that make the oil look muddy etc or not make any diff? because the oil looks fine. Changed it previous weekend and it was black like nomral.

Little bubbles on the dipstick when you check the oil are a dead give away.

Also Keltick if you wana take it out to check you just go to any radiator place and they should be able to test it. Or you could chuck food coloring in your water (dont know if this is a good idea but seen it done on a $50 paddock thrasher.) and it makes it easy as to spot even a small leak.

[DRFVDR]

 al said:

Would that make the oil look muddy etc or not make any diff? because the oil looks fine. Changed it previous weekend and it was black like nomral.

FYI

90% of blown headgaskets leak water from water gallery into combustion cylinder so are hard to actually see water anywhere

In my 20 years as a diesel Mechanic and having seen numerous headgasket failures(including a fair few Subbie ones) I have seen only one or two leaking into the oil

[GC8E2DD]

Could it be a leak in the heater core? I guess you would smell the damp in the car though.

[albaru]

Haven't found any damp in the car yet. Will keep looking.

Ran the engine up to temperature with the radiator cap off, and a clear hose poking up from there, to see if I could see any bubbles coming up through the water from the head. Couldn't see anything.