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Mystery coolant leak?


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1989 EA82t,

My coolant is going somewhere...I can smell it. But i cant see it. First thought was, of course, head gaskets. Compression is 115 on 3, 120 on the other. Block Checker didnt find combustion gasses in the radiator. While im sure it could still be the head gaskets, anything else it could be? My pressure tester wont do the small cap radiators.

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Where do you smell the coolant? Exhaust (internal leak), engine compartment (external leak), or both? Exhaust smell could be intake gaskets, head gaskets, exhaust port crack, or perhaps a cracked intake manifold. (Some have claimed that the turbo's cooling jacket allowed coolant into the intake, but I have not seen that.)

 

An external leak could be the usual culprits: Radiator and/or hoses, heater and/or hoses, waterpump, and thermostat... and that nasty little hose that runs from the t-stat housing to the top of the block. On the EA82Ts, you also have leakpoints at water crossover pipe, coolant pipe running from non-disty head to turbo (near impossible to see where it leaks) and the coolant hose that runs from turbo to t-stat housing (and disintegrates from the heat if you use regular heater hose). Probably missed a couple...

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1989 EA82t,

My coolant is going somewhere...I can smell it. My pressure tester wont do the small cap radiators.

 

Remove the rad adapter and connect the tester hose directly to one of the smaller coolant lines.

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I built a test adapter for the radiator from an old radiator cap. Soldered 1/4" tube into top of cap.

I am sure you can buy one of these. Hook up to air source with pressure gauge to set pressure.

 

Too find my leak I had too warm-up the engine (not hot so it can't be touched) but warm enough to open any cracks etc... and then you can get right in there and look for the leak. I warmed up the engine and pressureized the coolant system to 13-15 psi, looked for leaks.

 

I had to lower the exhaust pipes from the heads, pressurize and finaly found the coolant dripping out of the head. Yours could be anywhere but you could safely go too 13 psi and take your time too look for the leak.

 

testcap.jpg

 

http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/oneducklong/?action=view&current=testcap.jpg

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Remove the rad adapter and connect the tester hose directly to one of the smaller coolant lines.

Cant do...Permantly crimped together.

I got intake gaskets today. Think its internal, for the amount of coolant its losing, but not seeing any on or under the engine. But i havent had time to get it up in the air and really check it out.

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Cant do...Permantly crimped together.

I got intake gaskets today. Think its internal, for the amount of coolant its losing, but not seeing any on or under the engine. But i havent had time to get it up in the air and really check it out.

 

Can do.Cut the hose.Easily spliced back together later.

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