When I got my zed, I was ignorant of the "when you have this bit dismantled you may as well replace that bit while you're in there" nature of these cars.

 

Consequently when I had the cambelt etc done the water pump appeared OK so I didn't get it changed.

 

Now I'm getting a strong coolant smell after high speed driving and there are antifreeze splashes over the front of the engine around the belt cover and metal pipe in which the temp sensors fit. It is definately not from the rad, I shone a torch down there and there are more coolant stains on the engine block between cam belt covers.

 

The car doesn't overheat (yet) and I've only needed to top the expansion tank up an inch in 3 months.

 

Does this sound like the water pump dying?

or it could be the 2 small water pipes down there......

 

Vijay

Yup get torch and her make up mirror and look under the top water connection for the 2 hoses that go to each cylinder head. When the engine is warm and stopped. Droplets under hose conns to each cylinder head a likely cause.

 

Hoses about £8 for the pair. Not too hard to change. Silicone gasket goo also needed for top connection.

 

Heard they go every 3 years or so.

I agree with the others - check your hoses first. The move from summer to winter can cause these to crack, and leak small amounts. If you can see coolant at the top end of the engine/cam covers/radiator then I think its more likely to be a hose than the pump.

 

My top rad hose went when the weather cooled down - just a very small leak (self healing on normal drives!), but enough to want get it changed. Doesn't help that these hoses are held on by those awful wire clips - should get around to some proper jubilee clips one day....

 

HTH

 

StuartR

my waterpump went - bearing seal failure. Started leaking coolant - you could see the pool on the plastic tray that protects the bottom of the engine. It leaked for months then went bigtime. When it was running it didn't leak, but when it cooled down then it leaked. So check before you start off in a morning, puddle on the plastic tray, and it could be the pump.

 

good luck

 

Jack

Cheers guys,

 

probably more like the two hoses as there are coolant stains reaching the top pannel between the plenums.

 

Richard:)

Hi again

 

Well the front of my zed's engine has been removed to replace, yes you were all right, the two crappy little hoses:)

 

However as the car has done 65000 miles and I didn't have the pump changed with the cambelt I asked the mechanic to replace the waterpump anyway.

 

Sod's law says it will go within a month of replacing the hoses (and coolant for the 2nd time in 6 months;) )

 

Richard