Coolant leak?

[ThomasD94]

Hey guys,

1 week into SC ownership and 2 tyres and a sensor later after I got my Lexus SC back today and another lambda sensor is required (bank 2 I believe now). In addition, I have noticed the coolant level has dropped to below 'low'. When I googled it seems to suggest the worst (head gasket). I have filled it with water and stuck my head underneath to try spot any leaks but I couldn't see any obvious signs. Oil is clean and the screw cap for the oil doesn't show any yellow, plus I shown a torch down the oil refill entrance and I can't see any yellow there (or on the dip stick after several pokes and cleans)

Any ideas? or solutions?
I am tempted to buy one of those gasket filler bottles (such as steel seal etc) but I am not sure if that is wise until I have a confirmation?

Thanks in advance, Thomas

[royoftherovers]

Thomas,if you bought it from a Dealer, then let him fix it at his cost.

[ThomasD94]

2 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Thomas,if you bought it from a Dealer, then let him fix it at his cost.

It was just bought off a guy on facebook sadly

[ColinBarber]

Check if it keeps dropping or whether it has just got to its natural level. My wife's old RX300 always spat out coolant until the level was below minimum - was always that way for the 4 years we had it.

 

[ThomasD94]

34 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

Check if it keeps dropping or whether it has just got to its natural level. My wife's old RX300 always spat out coolant until the level was below minimum - was always that way for the 4 years we had it.

 

Thanks Colin I will give that a try! I have topped it up today to the max, I guess I will find out tomorrow if its leaking or finds a natural point 🙂

[Neil E]

It might just be settling low but check all around the radiator for any signs of small cracks or leakage. Unlikely to be a head gasket.  

[Britprius]

Check also the area around the engine coolant pump for signs of pink encrusted salts. A sign of seal leakage. Check also for play in the pump bearings. 
My Gs450H was diagnosed by the dealers as needing a pump change because of low coolant level while being serviced. They did not top the fluid up but left it low. I topped it up, and it did not loose any fluid in the next 60,000 miles. I have just changed the pump as part of my head to toe service while SORNed. The pump showed no signs of leakage, but did have perceptible bearing play.

John. 

[ThomasD94]

On 5/30/2020 at 5:12 PM, Neil E said:

It might just be settling low but check all around the radiator for any signs of small cracks or leakage. Unlikely to be a head gasket.  

Thank you, I have now rectified the issue (touch wood) as it seemed to be a leak hose on the underside of the coolant container. It is now holding coolant.

[ThomasD94]

On 5/30/2020 at 10:08 PM, Britprius said:

Check also the area around the engine coolant pump for signs of pink encrusted salts. A sign of seal leakage. Check also for play in the pump bearings. 
My Gs450H was diagnosed by the dealers as needing a pump change because of low coolant level while being serviced. They did not top the fluid up but left it low. I topped it up, and it did not loose any fluid in the next 60,000 miles. I have just changed the pump as part of my head to toe service while SORNed. The pump showed no signs of leakage, but did have perceptible bearing play.

John. 

Thanks John, I will give the pump a check. I have now driven the car about 100 miles or so over the past 4/5 days and the coolant level has remained at the full mark. I have wiped down the hoses and surrounding area as there was some pink marks (looks like a previous leakage splashed on parts of the engine bay). I will keep you appraised but touch wood things should be ok. The previous owner did mention the water pump and cam belt were done around the 100k mark, car is around 130k atm so fingers crossed its not the pump as I am putting money into some tyres and O2 sensors, as well as trying to figure out why the audio wont come through for the radio but the sat nav voice comes through ok haha.

Thomas

[ThomasD94]

This was the previous mess that I cleaned up 🙂

[Neil E]

Hi Thomas, was the audio working when you bought the car?

Check the radio fuses, If they are okay, try to establish if the ML amp in the boot has power when the head unit is switched on.

To establish if there is a connection from the head unit to the amp, can you adjust the balance and fade levels displayed on the head unit despite the lack of sound?

[ThomasD94]

On 6/5/2020 at 2:13 AM, Neil E said:

Hi Thomas, was the audio working when you bought the car?

Check the radio fuses, If they are okay, try to establish if the ML amp in the boot has power when the head unit is switched on.

To establish if there is a connection from the head unit to the amp, can you adjust the balance and fade levels displayed on the head unit despite the lack of sound?

Hi Neil,

Sorry was caught chatting to you on the other thread. Yeah audio was fine when I bought the car, I went over a speed bump and it started going intermittent to the point it wont stay on unless I hold the connector to the ML Amp. Yeah I can adjust the fader and balance etc, I moved them from 5 to 1 to reduce the pumping noise it was making.
Thanks, Thomas