Strange Coolant Leak

[Bolly]

The car is a Series 2 XR8 2000 model..
Done 55,000 Kilo`s ..The car has been sitting for 8 months ..
Went into the shed and noticed a decent pool of coolant on the floor coming from the front left section of the car..

Lifted the bonnet and it seems to be leaking from the top left side of the radiator.. Using a torch the top left core was wet near the side tank of the radiator..
I started the motor (first time for 8 months) and let the pressure build up as the radiator was warming up.. so to induce the leak further and see where its coming from..

Nothing showed up, so i used a pressure tester and bumped it up to 18psi..still nothing.. Left a tray under the car over night and still no leak??

Seems by warming up the radiator solved the problem..
The only thing i can think of is the rubber seal in the left radiator tank must of shrunk and by running the engine to normal running temp..swelled the rubber seal in the side tank???

Any ideas??

Cheers

[MNM96]

Not good leaving it sit for extended period without running. I wouldn't worry too much.

Was the engine warm when you pressure tested it?

[Bolly]

Originally Posted by MNM96

Not good leaving it sit for extended period without running. I wouldn't worry too much.

Was the engine warm when you pressure tested it?

Did it cold and hot.

[mik]

you might be right, but i would be worried after sitting for 8 months, the crap in the radiator/cooling system may have settled to the bottom like silt, then you`ve started it up and the floating crap has filled the leak in(but i`m a wimpy old bastard), i`m thinking a cooling system place could flush it for you and run some dye through it and check it with the black light while under pressure for some peace of mind?

[Bill M]

I had a leak in my AU XR6, original radiator with no obvious leaking or coolant reservoir depletion but on occasion a strong hot coolant smell.
At the top passenger side of the rad a seam had a large crusty green build up that had crystallised.
I think the crusty build up had prevented it from leaking too much. I only spotted it by accident when the cooling system had lost pressure.
I caught it before it became a roadside issue.
The system had been maintained regularly with hose and coolant changes.
In your case corrosion was possibly working on the rad while it was sitting unused for 8 months and shown it's hand when the system was under operating pressure.
Bill.

[Whoosha]

Fairly common in truck motors cold water leaks that seal when warmed up pain trying to chase them down best thing is to remove all the hoses clean the pipes and fittings, check for rubber deterioration clean and or replace and but them back on again if any have those spring clips on them as opposed to hose clamps I would be looking at them too.

[Bolly]

interesting.. no build up of coolant that i could see..still no leak?
Going to get it on the road and that should sort out whats going on..?