hi ppl my name is julie im new too this and i need some help i just got my vs commordore its been leeking coolent my father had a look at it we found a hole behind the motour where i can put my finger in can this be a welsh plug what is it? where can i find the other 3? is there some sort of manual you can look up on the net for i dont have one yet please can you help me
There are plenty of people who will help you here if they can. Could you perhaps provide a little more info about where the leak is coming from, like is it leaking onto the ground under the car or just disappearing from the coolant bottle? Is it a large leak, like a puddle, or a smaller drip? If it is under the car where is it relative to the front of the car? Can you see a path where it has leaked down. Dried coolant will be a brown powdery stain. The most likely cause will be a hose, perhaps a split or just leaking from where they are clamped to join to the engine or other components. Other things to look at: Radiator - directly in front of the motor Water pump - on the front of the motor Unlike earlier models, VS Commodores don't have a particular problem with leaking welch plugs, which is not to say it isn't that but look at the easier things first.
Agree with CHEAP6. If the engine coolant has been reasonably maintained (like changed as recommended), then the welsh plugs should be OK. Is the leak sufficient that you are having overheating problems? If not, keep the reservoir at a suitable level by checking daily. If the reservoir drops to empty each day, then check the coolant level in the radiator WHEN IT IS COLD (like first thing in the morning). If coolant loss is appreciable, you will have to do something. As already said, most likely causes in rough order of probability are: 1) Hoses, particularly the top radiator hose. 2) Leaky radiator. 3) Leaky heating radiator inside car. 4) Corroded welch plug. 5) Blown cylinder head gasket. 6) Cracked cylinder head. 7) Cracked engine block. The latter two problems have generally been restricted to old Magnas, not Commodores, but they are possible. If coolant usage is more than a little, and you are not mechanically gifted/trained, get a radiator place to check it out. Don't risk the engine unnecessarily.
Go to your local library for a manual. Trust me. It is much easier to flick through a manual than scrolling through web pages.
yeah plus those manuals are a big set and cost like 80 bucks each..library is the go but they dont let you take them out! funnily enough i couldnt seem to find one available on the internet for the leak yeah just check all the hoses i went to radiator place with that problem they pressure tested and told me where the leak was at no charge
Sounds to me like your car is stuffed, I suggest that while you can still drive it get it down to the wreckers!
While not reccomended to stay there, and will require the coolant being changed after, pour a small bottle of food colouring into a cold radiator, that should show a difference between fluid from the a/c and internal fluid and also where it's coming from much simpler as it will stain the block and ground, just park in the same spot. Not all use proper engine coolant, I used soluble oil from a lathe in older days, normal coolant fluid is typically green in colour, most use it these days but some don't, welsh plugs are easy to fix just sometimes hard to get at, check the engine block coolant drain plug, all shown on any $30 service manual. Beleive it ! stick type chewing gum fixed one of my car's radiators, it lasted for many years and even was sold with it still there, 5 min Araldite will also fix what's usually a stone that's tossed up and hit the radiator, it will work if the part to be fixed is dry, and heaps cheaper than a new or reco radiator.
