[MarkYuma]

Yesterday I drove my Disco2 about 12 miles (mostly freeway) and when I stopped I have a stream of water coming from the back of the engine near the bell housing. When I first looked at it, it just looked like condenser water, (I was running the AC) but I had a piece of white paper and let it run on that and saw a orange caste to it like coolant.
I let it cool down for about 5 hours ( no pressure in the hoses and cool). And ran it again. I got the same substantial water flow.
About 4 hours later I topped off the coolant with distilled water (That's all I had, fill to the seem line of the tank). It was down about a pint. To the best of my knowledge it was full before I started the day.

It did not leak anything on the way home. I did not run AC.

Today no mater what I do I can not get it to leak.

I really dislike intermittent problems.

Any ideas would be very much appreciated.

 

[DiscoAdam]

It's going to be much harder to tell where the leak is coming from with the clear water…

Not sure what your problem is, but I'll offer this. About a month and half ago, I parked my truck at work and noticed steam billowing from the hood. Turns out, it was the throttle body heater plate gasket (or lack of - the previous owner either DIY'd it or hired some hack mechanic to use RTV high temp gasket maker instead of using the actual heater plate gasket) leaking coolant onto the top of the motor. The coolant would find it's way down the side and back of the motor and drip onto the catalytic converter, turning to sweet smelling steam.

I replaced the throttle body heater plate gasket and no more steam/leak.

 

[jhmover]

Check the corner of the valley pan gasket. My old D2 had coolant dripping on to the cat, that's what it was.

 

[gurunutkins]

Check the corner of the valley pan gasket. My old D2 had coolant dripping on to the cat, that's what it was.

x2
the rear bolt particularly on the left (from drivers seat) of the inlet manifold often works loose and can leak quite a lot of coolant as the inlet to the head is right next to it.
cheers
Barri

 

[MarkYuma]

It's going to be much harder to tell where the leak is coming from with the clear water…

Not sure what your problem is, but I'll offer this. About a month and half ago, I parked my truck at work and noticed steam billowing from the hood. Turns out, it was the throttle body heater plate gasket (or lack of - the previous owner either DIY'd it or hired some hack mechanic to use RTV high temp gasket maker instead of using the actual heater plate gasket) leaking coolant onto the top of the motor. The coolant would find it's way down the side and back of the motor and drip onto the catalytic converter, turning to sweet smelling steam.

I replaced the throttle body heater plate gasket and no more steam/leak.

This is something I had not thought of at all.... I do get that "sweet smelling steam" far more often than the rain of liquid from where ever....

All three posts are helpful and will give me somethings to check on tomorrow.

Thanks to you all..... I will get back to you.

 

[MarkYuma]

x2
the rear bolt particularly on the left (from drivers seat) of the inlet manifold often works loose and can leak quite a lot of coolant as the inlet to the head is right next to it.
cheers
Barri

OK....
I know this is a dumb question, but I am going to ask it anyway.....
When you are talking about being sure the intake manifold has no lose bolts....
In my case with the water leak issue are you talking about the upper or lower or both parts of the intake manifold?

 

[gurunutkins]

the lower part of the intake where it bolts to the head. They are famous for leaking water at the valley gasket on the rear drivers side (USA model) there is a large inlet into the head for coolant.

 

[gurunutkins]

picture of head , valley gasket both water jacket points arroved and the position of the often loose bolts circled

 

[MarkYuma]

picture of head , valley gasket both water jacket points arroved and the position of the often loose bolts circled

OK....

If I need to take the plenum off to get the Upper Intake manifold off to get at the lower manifold bolts..... Then why not just take the lower intake manifold off and replace the valley gasket at the same time???? The car has 135K miles on it.
I do have a slight leak in the throttle bode heater plate gasket anyway.
And I assume I need to take the plenum and everything else apart as it is....
Is there more to this than I think?
Is there a good place to get the gaskets from?

You know these new guys are a little thick headed.

Thank you so much for your help this far.

 

[gurunutkins]

I would get an inspection mirror or a camera down the back and see if that is indeed your problem area, it could be leaking from somewhere else - this is just one of the more obvious areas for a water leak from the rear of the engine. Also often the gasket isnt damaged when mine leaked the bolts were finger tight and I just tightened them up.
It not a long job to get the upper manifold off, everything is easily accessible and you can re-use the upper to lower gasket if you want.
One thing to do if you remove the upper manifold is at 135K replace the valve cover gaskets as the inner bolts are only accessible with the manifold off. blow the holes out with brake cleaner and use blue locktite on the inner bolts as they also work loose. cleans up oil leaks that drip almost directly onto the O2 sensor connections.
cheers
Barri

 

[MarkYuma]

I would get an inspection mirror or a camera down the back and see if that is indeed your problem area, it could be leaking from somewhere else - this is just one of the more obvious areas for a water leak from the rear of the engine. Also often the gasket isnt damaged when mine leaked the bolts were finger tight and I just tightened them up.
It not a long job to get the upper manifold off, everything is easily accessible and you can re-use the upper to lower gasket if you want.
One thing to do if you remove the upper manifold is at 135K replace the valve cover gaskets as the inner bolts are only accessible with the manifold off. blow the holes out with brake cleaner and use blue locktite on the inner bolts as they also work loose. cleans up oil leaks that drip almost directly onto the O2 sensor connections.
cheers
Barri

All good solid advice. I priced an inspection camera yesterday.... Need to go get it tomorrow. I guess I was just being a pit paranoid about reusing the upper manifold gasket.... I will do as you say to get the bigger issue resolved first.... Then I will sweat the little stuff later or other problems as I find them. Thanks for helping me get my head strait .