Loosing water

[Scooter55]

That's because it's only a small amount at this stage....The heat of the combustion chamber absorbs it....

As the gasket fails more, the signs will become more obvious...Like a milky colour on the oil cap and signs of it coming out the tailpipe....Very similar to a failing head gasket...

IMA, it is a common issue with ecotecs

Thanks, got milky colour now, it wasn't there a few months ago

 

[Pollushon]

There's water, oil and combustion gases passing by those manifold gaskets. You can get varying combinations of symptoms, water in oil, oil in water and both of them in the combustion chamber

Given how many times those cylinders fire per minute, the 300c temps in the chamber and the small amount of water, you won't see it in the exhaust but it'll add up quick

Super common issue on the Eco. I recommend installing Mace alloy gaskets. Which also allows you to add 5nm torque to the bolts and last practically forever

https://www.maceengineering.com.au/Inlet-Manifold-Gaskets

 

[shane_3800]

You can't detect a coolant into combustion leak by checking the exhaust.
I don't know where that stupid myth comes from.
There's more water in the exhaust due to the combustion by product of the fuel then a coolant leak would show.
The only way to see a bad leak is if there is steam and a sweet smell in the air, but that is a bad leak.

 

[ephect]

You can't detect a coolant into combustion leak by checking the exhaust.
I don't know where that stupid myth comes from.
There's more water in the exhaust due to the combustion by product of the fuel then a coolant leak would show.
The only way to see a bad leak is if there is steam and a sweet smell in the air, but that is a bad leak.

You can on cold startup. On cranking, it'll push any liquid out and on start will force it out the tailpipe.

 

[krusing]

Thanks, got milky colour now, it wasn't there a few months ago

Yup,

LIM gaskets.

If you are doing them your self,
They are not hard to do, just take you time, clean all the surfaces and componets,
Make sure of the way you disassemble the EGR valve, so you can refit it back the way it was,
Make sure you use enough RTV on the front and rear seals,
and top and bottom of the manifold gaskets, [front and back]
And you shouldn't have any water, Oil or Vac leaks.

 

[shane_3800]

You can on cold startup. On cranking, it'll push any liquid out and on start will force it out the tailpipe.

Again it needs to be a fairly substantial leak to see green or red coming out.

 

[Pollushon]

Wow. I agree, between the cat and condensation, most notably on cold starts you'd need a chemical detection kit (or dogs nose) to pick up coolant in the exhaust. Beyond that amount you'd probably be in hydrolock country. It's mostly noticeable via loss of water in the cooling system with no visible source

 

[ephect]

I'm not talking cup fulls, just spits out the back. You may not see the colour because it's mixed with the carbon soot in the exhaust.

There is still pressure in the cooling system when parking the car. That pressure will bleed into the combustion chamber via the damaged gasket. While its hot it will vapourise most but as it cools some may rest on the top of the piston.

Not all LIM leaks result in milky oil or coolant in the early stages. Definitely risky if left unattended too.

 

[shane_3800]

I'm not talking cup fulls, just spits out the back. You may not see the colour because it's mixed with the carbon soot in the exhaust.

There is still pressure in the cooling system when parking the car. That pressure will bleed into the combustion chamber via the damaged gasket. While its hot it will vapourise most but as it cools some may rest on the top of the piston.

Not all LIM leaks result in milky oil or coolant in the early stages. Definitely risky if left unattended too.

Exhaust systems heat the air then cold air comes back in as the hot air contracts brining humidity back in, this condensates and sits in the exhaust.
Fuel also has water as a by product of combustion.
This is why you see car's exhausts making steam on cold days.
My Mitsubishi with a freshly built engine and it doesn't use any coolant blows water out every morning in winter.

 

[vc commodore]

Thanks, got milky colour now, it wasn't there a few months ago

It does start off with loosing small amounts of coolant, with no obvious signs of leakage....

As the gasket perishes, the leak becomes worse and starts showing up as the milky colour you are now seeing....