Re:using Water!

[Little&Large]

Hello all.
It is with great trepidation that I write this post!!! My car has been back on the road since October after little use for several months.I covered 7500 miles in it over the summer and it didn't use any water or oil at all,even on long French Autoroute journeys and Periphique traffic jams!!!
It is now my daily car and has started using a little water. After a journey when the car is parked there will sometimes be a small puddle under the header tank on the ground-not very big but noticeable.The car drives normally at around 72 degrees on the flat at 70mph.It doesn't use any oil and there is no oil in the water.I took the cap off the tank and I have noticed the top brass diaphragm in the top has a split right the way across it and I wonder if this is allowing air in and thus water out via the overflow pipe???Another thought maybe the heater matrix leaking.For the 1st phase of its life I did not use the heater at all and it did not use water,now with the colder weather I am using it and I wonder if this is the cause of the problem.The heater adjustment switch has been by-passed so you can only have it on full.It is a little temperamental with hot air coming out 8/10 times the others being luke warm blasts.The carpets in the car appear to be dry and there is no musty smell when I get into it.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Regards Rob

[xmexclusive]

Hi All

A new rad cap is cheap, even from Citroen, will both be the right one and will quickly tell you if your problems are just a defective or wrong pressure cap.

Regards

XMexc

[Peter.N.]

The heater matrix has a full flow of water through it regardless of whether you have the heater on or not, so starting to use it will not make any difference. You will soon know if the matrix is leaking as apart from the mouldy smell, your windscreen will steam up when you put the heater on. Could be the dreaded head gasket but also may well be the faulty cap.

Peter.N.

[xmexclusive]

Hi

The little puddle under the header tank suggests that it is comming from the overflow and is more likely to be the cap. You could of course just keep topping up and see if it gets any worse. I had a weeping rad that lasted me 2 years of weekly topping up without getting much worse.

Regards

XMexc

[Little&Large]

Hi all
I have ordered a new cap from Citroen....£8.57 inluding VAT .Surely one of the cheapest parts they do!!! My old cap looks to be the original so the spring may have weakened as well,coupled with the cracked brass gasket on the top.............fingers crossed!! I managed to fit 18 Art Deco Cinema seats in it last week....without sitting on 2 and using the front passenger seat area either
Thanks to all for the replies.....I'll keep you posted!
Regards Rob

[Peter.N.]

My son used to borrow my CX Safari and put his window cleaning ladders inside!

Peter.N.