[purplebug]

Looks like my header tank is leaking. Seems a pretty common issue on this car. My mechanic mate is winding me up saying head gasket is probably away!!!

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

Cheap and easy to replace.

At pressure it'll start spraying coolant everywhere even with a small hairline
fracture.


Be careful of the plastic snap-on connectors for some of the
smaller pipes. They snap easily and on mine it looked like
it had been cracked for a while before snapping completely
when the tank was replaced.
Easily fixed with the right sized jubilee clip


You'd be surprised how cool the engine stays even with the header
not connected.

 

[purplebug]

Car has a warranty so they'll be doing it FOC I priced tank and it was about 45£ From dealer :thumbup:

 

[Old Engineer]

I'm starting to see a connection. I'm chasing a dash rattle and my last thoughts were about the header tank on the other side of the bulkhead. My header tank had a split about 2 years ago. If the splitting is common perhaps it's caused by rattling on the bulkhead?

 

[m.tuohy]

I'm starting to see a connection. I'm chasing a dash rattle and my last thoughts were about the header tank on the other side of the bulkhead. My header tank had a split about 2 years ago. If the splitting is common perhaps it's caused by rattling on the bulkhead?

Mine split on my 1750 tbi on the joint between the two half's of the expansion tank, as it is made in two sections I had a pin hole in the joint facing the bulk head, I had coolant all over the engine bay engine, the temperature when up a bit quicker than normal this is how I picked up on mine, this happened last year when the car was 5 years old with about 35000m on the clock so out of warranty.

****

 

[Cacker]

Bizarrely, just had my 159 in for squeeky rear brakes (service had tightened handbrake too much) and they (alfa specialist near my work) spotted the coolant tank crack. It actually looks like it's been folded, that kind of zig zag pattern and the transparent plastic has gone white. Pretty pink coolant, that's dried on the hose gives it away. Surprised they (alfa dealer near my home, allegedly alfa specialist) didn't pick it up at the service. I think I shall be switching garages

I did have an issue with losing coolant in it's first year, a mysterious loss of coolant with no evidence, mechanics were mystified. Turned out after a lot of pressure testing (and I believe Desira had to get in special equipment) to be a hairline fault in the ali head, so was burning off water in the engine and luckily repaired under warranty thank god.