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Water loss

orthas

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Hey all vx commy here

I have searched on here but have yet to find someone with the same problem

I seem to lose a little bit of water from somewhere. I have to top up and bleed the cooling about every 50-100kms with around a liter of water otherwise the temp rises (mainly while idling in traffic etc) I have recently replaced the heater tap, thermostat and radiator. Also when they replaced the radiator they flushed out the system but the problem still persists. I have tried looking for a leak while the engine is running but yet to find anything. I know these vx's have a lot of common problems. hopefully someone here knows what it could be.

Thanks
Jeff
 

_R_J_K_

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Intake manifold gaskets. Suuuuper common on all the V6s.
 

gossie

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Water? Or green coolant?
 

orthas

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When it was flushed it was filled with coolant but now to save money I replace it with water. Can't see what and where it's leaking from
 

losh1971

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Intake manifold gaskets. Suuuuper common on all the V6s.

x2 if the manifold gaskets have never been replaced they will need to be. Given the description of the prob I'd say R_J_K is 100% on the money.
 

gohrdrgomad

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When it was flushed it was filled with coolant but now to save money I replace it with water. Can't see what and where it's leaking from
lt needs coolant within the system. Water isnt suitable and simply adding to what coolant is left however long ago it was added is diluting it further creating heat. It may be serging out the overflow, if it isnt functioning as per required you will always be topping up as you said in my opinion.
 

losh1971

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Water isnt suitable and simply adding to what coolant is left however long ago it was added is diluting it further creating heat.

Since water transfers heat better than coolant, how can it make the engine run hotter? :confused:
 

_R_J_K_

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Since water transfers heat better than coolant, how can it make the engine run hotter? :confused:

Like above, it's about different boiling points. Water/coolant boils = car overheats and blows its lid, one just happens faster than the other (some coolants boil at like 130deg). Not that there's much in it, but I'd wager coolant is a better conductor for heat (particularly where industrial non-water coolant is concerned), otherwise what's the point of putting an insulator in the thing you're trying to cool if it can't exchange thermal energy through a radiator properly?

Also, depending on where you live coolant won't freeze anywhere near as easily as water (i.e. cold night). Then there's the corrosion inhibitors they usually incorporate too.
 
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losh1971

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Given the above theory this suggests that the ultimate then would be straight coolant. Just because it raises the boiling point doesn't mean the engine runs cooler. I could put in enough glycol to raise the boiling point to 180deg but in doing so the engine would probably overheat.
 
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