My Common Rail is terminal ?

[Hodge]

Well one of the dreaded CRD cancers took no exception to my patrol. It seems that way anyway ...
The same spot I reported a coolant leak a while back, now holds a dried out toothpaste like green/white residue. This if I'm not mistaken is coolant mixing with oil.

Original thread: http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?24978-Coolant-leak-CRD-3-0L

Where it's leaking from is very hard to tell. I'm not that mechanically minded when it comes to this engine's anatomy. It seemed to have happened over the last 2-3 days. I had a couple of 45 minutes trips during these days in 34+ weather with air-con running. Maybe it's something to do with that I don't know. Engine didn't overheat or anything it's sat at it's usual half way mark.

I checked the oil (dip stick) and it's nice and clean no trace of any milkyness. Likewise with coolant I checked overflow bottles as well as in the radiator all seems fine and well topped up. One of my neighbours is a mechanic and although he doesn't work with diesels he doesn't believe it's oil/coolant as it wouldn't be this dry and crusty, although he can't say exactly what it could be.

Can somebody confirm that is the air-con compressor in the photo. Does that have anything in it that could leak out??

I'm not hoping somebody here has another idea about what it could be, but at this stage it's not looking good.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/513/i288.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/843/77gu.jpg

[nissannewby]

Yes it's you aircon compressor. It looks like a coolant leak mate as they leave a snail trail like that. I think the thermostats are on that side of the engine so it could be leaking from that area. ( not 100% on thermostat location as I haven't had a lot to do with crd's)

[Hodge]

Thanks for that reply mate! Definitely coolant, however last time it was nice and clean... This time it's dried out and white / powdery. Can coolant look like that after drying out ??

[Hodge]

( not 100% on thermostat location as I haven't had a lot to do with crd's)

To me it looks like it's right above the leak. Because the outlet coolant house is directly above.

[Stropp]

hodge, small amounts of dried coolant can look like that but if it is wet it will look green, i dont think it is terminal, easy way is check the oil as it will more likely be milky in the sump than leaking outside of the engine. if that makes sense, like newby i think just the thermo housing is leaking.

[oncedisturbed]

Aircon when it leaks can turn a different colour due to the dye that is put in it, as the others have mentioned, check all fluids

[gaddy]

Any chance of a Welch plug near by

[threedogs]

I'm thinking a loose hose clamp, easy enough to check
Patrol too new for welsh plugs Imo
What are you up to Thursday I'm going over your way

[nissannewby]

Thanks for that reply mate! Definitely coolant, however last time it was nice and clean... This time it's dried out and white / powdery. Can coolant look like that after drying out ??

Yes mate. It's a good tell tale that you have a coolant leak. If it was oil mixture then you would have an oily residue after the coolant evaporates. Also ac refrigerant leaves a residue similar to oil due the the lubricant that also runs through the system, unless it's a pin hole.

[Drew]

I'll defer to the experts but I don't think its terminal. It looks similar to the amount I had leak.

How's the coolant level ?

[Hodge]

I'm thinking a loose hose clamp, easy enough to check
Patrol too new for welsh plugs Imo
What are you up to Thursday I'm going over your way

Checked all hoses and made sure everything is tight as far as I can reach. I'm away for work for the rest of the week mate.


I'll defer to the experts but I don't think its terminal. It looks similar to the amount I had leak.

How's the coolant level ?

Coolant level is fine, I've been checking it every since the initial leak notice. (my first thread)

It's going back to nissan for a warped / cracked EGR pipe replacement soon, so I'll get them to have a look at it.

[Drew]

Careful dude, they might blame the ARB bullbar as the culrpit ;) :)

[threedogs]

Far from terminal, when the motor is cold get a mirror and try to follow where its coming from.
Who knows may be a small hose in there somewhere.
Carry some water just in case you need to top it up ay some stage

[Hodge]

Just a bit of an update. Good and bad news. White crap thats leaked out as well as the white powder all over some of the coolant hoses, is just that, dry coolant which has reacted to something, or reacted to left over old ( different ) coolant. Mind you come to think of it nissan replaced my coolant few months ago. I didn't think of this.

Bad news. The fact its leaking. And it doesn't appear to be leaking from a hose connection or anything, it's apparently leaking from the block just above/behind the A/C compressor.
The bloke who had a look at it "thinks" it's a hairline fracture as far as he could see without stripping that area down. I needed the car back tonight so he ran out of time.
So not out of the woods yet, but I'll be seeking another opinion.

[happygu]

Hodge,

It isn't spill over from when the mechanics changed the coolant...

Once you are happy everyone has looked at it, I would try hosing it off with a Pressure Washer before you commit to anything else, and see if it returns.

Mic

[Sir Roofy]

well one of the dreaded crd cancers took no exception to my patrol. It seems that way anyway ...
The same spot i reported a coolant leak a while back, now holds a dried out toothpaste like green/white residue. This if i'm not mistaken is coolant mixing with oil.

Original thread: http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?24978-coolant-leak-crd-3-0l

where it's leaking from is very hard to tell. I'm not that mechanically minded when it comes to this engine's anatomy. It seemed to have happened over the last 2-3 days. I had a couple of 45 minutes trips during these days in 34+ weather with air-con running. Maybe it's something to do with that i don't know. Engine didn't overheat or anything it's sat at it's usual half way mark.

I checked the oil (dip stick) and it's nice and clean no trace of any milkyness. Likewise with coolant i checked overflow bottles as well as in the radiator all seems fine and well topped up. One of my neighbours is a mechanic and although he doesn't work with diesels he doesn't believe it's oil/coolant as it wouldn't be this dry and crusty, although he can't say exactly what it could be.

Can somebody confirm that is the air-con compressor in the photo. Does that have anything in it that could leak out??

I'm not hoping somebody here has another idea about what it could be, but at this stage it's not looking good.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/

wild guess here its either a thermo gasket or the pipes coming out the top of the
a/c compressor, if its not a spill over from the radiator ,if its still dry take it for
a hard run some place and then check it for a wet spot if its still dry stop stressing and
just keep an eye on it

[megatexture]

Low coolant alarm may be $ well spent and let you relax a bit ? That's if you can't work out where its coming from.

[Jimbo4x4]

I had the same on my CRD when it dried under the engine it looked milky and green. Ended up up just being a leaky hose. As long as the Engine oil is is good it shouldn't be anything to bad. Mine took ages to find the leaky hose clamp !

[Hodge]

Cheers for all the comments gents. Just spent a good hour with plenty of LED lighting trying to trace this leak and nothing! Makes it hard without unbolting the A/C. But drove around the place tonight and it isn't showing up a single drop. I think I'll assume it only happens during very warm weather. Next few days here will be the test 35+.

[GeeYouCRD]

I had a coolant leak in a simular place on my 2007 CRD, was the gasket on the thermostat cover where the bottom radiator hose goes onto the engine (could be a loose hose clamp at this spot). But also had a small weep just above this, that would seal itself up most of the time, between the rear of the front gearcase (timing cover) and the block. I put off fixing the weep because I wasnt losing any pressure and its an engine out job.

[Hodge]

Thanks for that Gee.
That's one of the first things mechanic looked at the thermo seal. But there is no trail of coolant from there. It's somewhere below it.
Car hasn't been driven for 5-6 days now so, I'll see how it goes now that I'm back in town.

[nissannewby]

Thanks for that Gee.
That's one of the first things mechanic looked at the thermo seal. But there is no trail of coolant from there. It's somewhere below it.
Car hasn't been driven for 5-6 days now so, I'll see how it goes now that I'm back in town.

Hey Hodge
Mate I have had this on my mind but have just forgotten to post it. Does your radiator hose from your thermostat still have the sill genuine spring style clamp on it? If it does this could be failing at higher under bonnet temperatures as the higher temps could be reducing the springs ability to retain enough tension on the hose to keep it sealed. I have seen these types of clamps fail a few times. Its a cheap thing to try but grab some proper hose clamps and replace them if it does still have the factory ones on there.

[Hodge]

You might be onto something mate as it hasn't leaked since the 35+ day it was driven in. I'll have a look at what clamp it's got wrapped around the hose later on.
Cheers for that though. Sound plausible.

[BigRAWesty]

Hey Hodge
Mate I have had this on my mind but have just forgotten to post it. Does your radiator hose from your thermostat still have the sill genuine spring style clamp on it? If it does this could be failing at higher under bonnet temperatures as the higher temps could be reducing the springs ability to retain enough tension on the hose to keep it sealed. I have seen these types of clamps fail a few times. Its a cheap thing to try but grab some proper hose clamps and replace them if it does still have the factory ones on there.

Good call. I had one leak on my heater hose, so all now propper hose clamps on cooling system.

[mudnut]

X2 with the hose clamp, plus use a thin smear of food grade or silicon rubber grease (rubber compatible) on the inside of the hose.