Coolant loss

[TurnipSpeed]

Hi, I have a regular coolant loss from my 940 2.3lpt.
Definitely seems to be at the bottom edge of the engine(wet!).
Just wonder what is attached at the front of the cylinder block for there
to be a coolant leak?( had a new water pump and radiator recently(.
Due to back probs I just can’t get down close to get a look.
The car has air con. Does any coolant go there?
Thanks for any advice.

[Forrest]

From your description the first place I’d look would be the seals on the water pump. If any old gasket was left on the block there might be a slow leak there. It’s also easy to get a leak on one of the rubber seals, particularly the one at the back where the heater bypass pipe goes into the pump.

Tracing leaks can be a pain. They can often only be spotted while the engine is cooling. With no pressure in the system there’s no leak and at normal operating temperature a slow leak just evaporates straight away.

[bob12]

If it's the top 'O' ring you should see signs of coloured coolant caught on the 'fins' of the pump hub. If it's the back seal get a mirror out and have a lookie. You should be able to 'feel' the dampness of coolant with your fingers. Bob

[Laird Scooby]

Just to agree with the other two comments, if the pump was fitted recently there's a very high chance it's the top seal as many people don't realise the pump has to be pushed up towards the head while fitting - daresay your mechanic (or whoever did the job) didn't know this.

As for the air-con, totally separate system, coolant and refirgerant don't mix well! Brief description of how the air-con works - look at the fridge in your kitchen. Imagine the inside of the fridge is the cabin of your car, the evaporator that cools the fridge down has its counterpart in the heater box of your car but before the heater matrix and in no way connected to it.

The compressor mounted on the engine is the black pot at the bottom of the fridge at the back - what many refer to as the "motor". The condenser is the set of black fins, rather like a rqadiator on the back of the fridge and on your car, the radiator like object in front of the cooling radiator.

In your fridge you have a simple thermostat to maintain the temperature, a control system of varying complication performs a similar duty in the car. Has more sensors and switches in the car though!

[Dirty Rooster]

Originally Posted by TurnipSpeed

...( had a new water pump and radiator recently)...

During a time with no back problems I'd whip off the waterpump and fit new seals and gasket.
The top seal into the cylinder head is a known probelm area, especially right after replacement!
It needs a good quality o-ring and careful levering up while tightening the waterpump fixing bolts.