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Robert
Robert, UK Qualified Car Technician
Category: Car
Satisfied Customers: 4716
Experience:  Fully qualified / self employed garage technician in the UK
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I have just changed the spark plugs on my 52 plate 1.6 petrol

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I have just changed the spark plugs on my 52 plate 1.6 petrol engine citroemn xsara picasso car which went ok but after driving 100 miles when I stopped I noticed water under the car when parked. When I checked under the bonnet the cooling fan was running and the radiator sounded like it was "boiling". There was also some water in the engine compartment around / under the radiator area! Once the engine cooled I topped up and it took 2 liters. As far as I know it was ok for water level before this problem. I am wondering if I have created a problem disconnecting air hoses or the electrical connector when I changed the spark plugs. Does the electrical connector on the engine in front of the ignition block/spark plugs control the cooling? Everything seemed to go back ok when I replaced the plugs and I didn't get any temperature alarms and the Guatemala showed no problems.
Robert

Hi..

 

Hopefully i can help..

 

Which engine does it have 16 valve or an 8 valve or if you can supply the full vin number?

 

 

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Customer: replied 4 years ago.
Hi

It is the 8v engine.

TheVIN is

VF7CHNFVB39337376

The car has not lost any radiator water over night while parked up so I don't think it is a leak. I suspect the water loss I saw yesterday is due to overheating.

Hope that helps

Hi..there sorry for the delay..

 

Ok..i can see your engine..but the only temp sensor as such is actually on your thermostat housing - that on the right hand side of the engine - if you follow the top large radiator tube back to the engine you see the housing with the sensor on the top usually either green/blue body sensor."some" might have temp sensor on the rad so just double check that.your air filter tubing will run over that way too the thermostat housing as mentioned above..as long as you havent disconnected those sensors on that and left them off then it cant be that.if they are still connected and they must be if the temp guage is working and the fan kicked in...

the only plug really to remove on these would be the ignition coil plug in the centre of the coil pack as the plugs are right in at the back on these engines...there is an intake pressure sensor on the inlet manifold further back from the coil..but doesnt control cooling..It is possible the leak may only crop up when the system is under pressure or has heated up and things expand..it might be worth at least maybe tracing the area the water leaks from and inspect further..if its pushing out the expansion tank.rad..then it possible you either have an air lock.which would mean purging the air from the system check for the small shrader valves on the cooling tubes if fitted on the matrix pipe work as it goes into the bulkhead.ensure that heater is set to hot before refiling or bleeding - if there is an increase in pressure due to failed headgasket..usually the only way to confirm that would be to a block dye test on the engine to check for the pressence of exhaust gases in the system creating and causing to much pressure to build up in the system...you dont say why your replaced the sparksplugs but if this was an initial missfire fault you where trying to to solve then it possible it might not of been them but a cylinder problem as again due to possible loss of compression/or failed headgasket..I do hope this helps..if you need to ask anything further or include anything else then just continue before you rate
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