I have a Previa 1994 2.4L petrol that is losing water.
I can't find any obvious leaks and I have tried a new expansion cap to no avail. I am hoping that it may be a simple leak/pump/rad and not a head gasket problem, otherwise it is a scrapper!
Only problem is that I am working all over christmas, but I need a car.
Is anybody out there who will do some diagnostic checks/repairs for me today?
I finish work at midday in London Docklands but live in Mitcham if anyone is available to help.

i had a similar problem on a laguna the leak was on the pump where it mated to the engine and only leaked when hot due to expansion and most of the water must have been turning to steam so never actually saw a leak,
changed gasket and re-sealed everything fine

yeah if there's no creamy gundge on the dipstick I'd just get the engine fully hot and have a look. Check for crystal like furry stuff the same colour as the anti freeze around pipe connections.

No gunge on dipstick or oil in the water.

add some rad weld then, always works even on my digger when it was p%ssing water all over the place. Any steam coming out the back after its been for a run? Must be going somewhere, looks a pain of an engine to work on or even get too.

Good news! Not the head gasket......looks like the RAD.
Anyone fancy changing it today?

quote:

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Anyone fancy changing it today?

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id love to help............oh sorry im stuck at work................oh and im about 300mile away..............oh and its christmas eve
cant you do it yourself?
surely not that difficult to change are they?

hope you get it fixed soon

chris

Found someone to do it now. They are just trying to locate a Rad!
I would do it myself, but time is short and I need the car for work until new years eve (yes I am working all over Christmas).
Hopefully they will find one and fit it this afternoon.

Bung some rad weld in it

Some dim and distant part of my memory suggests eggs can also be used- not sure whether the white or the yolk though!!!

Half a container of K-seal will seal it without doing any damage to the engine, raddiator or thermostat.

If it is a really bad leak a little 2 part epoxy glue applied to area can make quite a long lasking repair.

Avoid putting Radweld in a modern engine and especially never every put Bars Leaks in any engine. Many modern (particularly) Japanese engines have very fine water passages in the head Bars Leaks blocks them completely.

Radweld as well as silting up the water ways causes thermostats (luckily they tend to stick open)and heater valves to stick.

Link to K-seal info

http://www.kalimex.co.uk/section.html?secpath=01.04.&pgid=17

Thanks for that.
Even if I can get a rad, it looks like good stuff to bung in anyway!

Apparantly ground black pepper also works though I would have also thought that it makes a quite excellent grinding paste for your water pump......

Ihave used an egg white before to cure a leak in a core plug on a Kent engine. You can also buy silver solder granules which block the hole on exit.

The hole in the Rad was too much for K-seal so the car is currently sitting in a garage waiting for the rad replacement on Saturday.
There is always a bright side....at least it wasn't the head gasket
I am borrowing my dad's car until then.
Cheers for the help/advice guys!