Dear Guys

After several months of trouble free motoring three days ago up popped the "ENGINE COOLANT LOW" warning with a red light. Car has been serviced as per schedule and recently had 176,000km service done. On inspection engine coolant is not low and there are no visible leaks. Can anyone tell me what is causing the warning light to go on, what needs fixing and how hard the back pocket is going to get hit?

 

Be VERY careful as many parts involved are brittle with age/heat.

The sensor is in the bottom of the header tank. Search on here for threads as they explain the removal etc.

 

As already stated, careful with teh plastic bits.

The sensor is part # XR8023688, according to my parts book. About $84, but that is possible a very OLD price.

Check with JagDaim in Melbourne.

 

If the coolant was replaced it could be air in the system. If it's the sensor I have a used one I pulled off my expansion tank when I replaced it.

 

First things first...IS the coolant actually low? Have you checked it? Look at the tank and see where the level is. If it is full then it sounds like the sensor float.

 

Yes, checked coolant level and definitely no problem there or with any visible leaks.

 

Can anyone tell me how to remove and replace the sensor please. I cannot find the info on the forum but perhaps I am looking in the wrong places.

 

hi there.
can you tell me how to take the sensor out and replace it?
best wishes, Russell

 

I am not sure with your year but on the 2003 V6 you would siphon out the coolant in the expansion tank, disconnect the sensor cable, gently turn the sensor counter clockwise and it should pull out. I pulled mine off when the tank was out of the car so it was real easy.

 

Cheers mate. Thanks for the speedy response.

 

Just an update. I found coolant level was in fact low. After replacing coolant there was a further big leak of coolant on to my driveway and permanent red coolant level low warning light came on. Local mechanic investigated and water pump is broken. Total price of $750 to fix this. Can I ask you guys how long this job would take to do and what you think about the price? It sounds expensive to me but I am not a mechanic!

 

My stooging around has water pumps at anywhere from $90 to $130, depending where in the world they are.

Check with JagDaim.

Thee $750 sounds a tad rich to me. At about $100 for teh pump and $40 for coolant, that leaves about $600 for labour based on $100/hour, which seems to be the standard down here.

I have not done ours, but a V12 one takes about 6+ hours and I really do not think these are that difficult.

 

Dear Grant
Thanks for the reply. Part of the difficulty is that the cheapest pump available without waiting for delivery overseas was $350. If I did not need the car ASAP I could have had a new one from $100 to $150 sent from the UK. Is $400 labour reasonable?

 

I did mine recently, I don't suppose the earlier car is too much different, if you have everything to hand it's an easy half day job.

 

Cheers Norri. That makes me feel a little better. I really wouldn't know where to start so it would probably take several days for me to do and I still might get it wrong!

 

Russel,

Yep, based on the pump price you have, I reckon a fair call.

 

Dear Guys
Thought I might give you an update and ask for your help again. Water pump was replaced for total cost of $800. A week later and after a 300km round trip to Sydney the dreaded low coolant level light came on again and on checking coolant was indeed low. Took it back to my local mechanic and was told the radiator was shot and needed replacing. Five days and $1000 later I today have a new radiator. However, on my way home the low coolant level light is back on despite the coolant level being ok.

Can anyone please tell me what they think is causing the current problem?

 

Mechanic looks to be less than great

 

Any time I've worked on the coolant system, I get low coolant messages a couple of times until all the air is worked out. It usually only takes a small amount of fluid to top up.

 

I'd have a look at the DCCV. Replaced one that was old but not leaking last year. Shortly thereafter the new one sprung a leak. Reinstalled the old one which was good for another week or two, then it started leaking. Installation of a second new one seems to have bought a bit more time. In each case, the leak was manifest by a recurring "coolant low" light - the first couple of which after each service I assumed were burping air out of the system. Unfortunately, not. Only in the latest stages of the second (original DCCV) leak did I manage to find any coolant anywhere.