Yep, it sits in the water, it's a totally sealed unit obviously... try nipping up the bolts holding it in, if not sounds like a new seal...

I'd mop it up and let it dry then start it and watch till you see where it's coming from, leaks can travel a fare bit before they show....  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Hi Pete, thanks for the speedy advice as always.

Thanks for confirmation on the alternator arrangement.

I shall mop it up and recheck. I have got the 80deg thermostat kit to fit and new water pump(precautionary change) - reckon I shall do it next spring.

If it is a loose bolt I may leave it loose as otherwise the coolant will likely find the next weakest point, and it may be larger, and more vital! think I may leave it loose as a temporary pressure release valve! At least this way I know where the leak is
. Howard
____________________________________________________
2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

I'd get it done now if I were you, pretty easy job, worst bit is getting the fan off, I've got a home made tool for it.

If you want it PM me...  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

same problem. I nipped the all the bolts up, but bought the seal YKW000010 for the inevitable
6months so far so good, but here commith the frost

@Haylands - thanks for the offer on the fan spanner - presently running without the fan anyway - easier to leave it off over winter and speeds up access when I have repairs to do - should that need ever arise with the FFRR

@espaceboy & @Haylands - so "nip up the bolts" shall be carried out at the ealiest and order from Dan for the ring (thanks for the part no  Howard
____________________________________________________
2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

You say you running your car without the viscofan SMUTT, how does that effect your cooling temperature? Is it safe to drive without the fan over the winter?

I have the 80 deg stat mod and thinking about removing the fan.. Were i live it gets around -10 to +5 in the winter.. L322 Vogue 2003

Its safe to do so but! A, you need to make 100% sure your AC fan is working and you drive with your AC on, as this now becomes your emergency cooling if stuck in a traffic jam! & B, if the AC fan gives up the ghost... You have NO redundancy sir

when tightening the bolts, just be carefull not to touch the red battery cable with the socket, or spanner, it will spark big time! do not overtighten, if you strip a tread on that housing, its a massive job to replace the front timing cover. if you take alternator out, use a bit of paint to mark one bolt hole to the corresponding bolt hole, as its easy to put it back in on 'out of position'
the O ring neds a tiny bit of black rtv sealant to hold it in alternator is heavy, dont drop it into your radiator!

^Now there is a man with experience^... Great advice

@Cam-Tech-Craig - thank you for the warning

@johnboyairey - been down that road before have we? Absolutely sound advice (again) thank you for your time to drop by and type it up.

Looking at the SH I can see the alternator was changed 08/05/2013 (by prev owner) so it could well be the old seal was re-used. (Also in the SH it shows Sparks were changed as well - but I now know the story behind that one after the recent saga with No.6)

BTW - hijacking my own thread - on tickover (about 640rpm) I notice the green LED dash lights dim slightly (probably once every 4 seconds for about a second or so). The engine sounds smooth on tickover and does not appear to drop revs (although I am only going off rev counter dial - not a digital readout).
No load on (eg lights or AC etc) - I don't know if this behaviour (slight voltage dip) is normal on these alts at 600rpm or the first sign of impending doom. Not happen at higher rev eg idle with AC on approx 800rpm.
Is it normal (yes some / all do that sir - it is just a feature)? Howard
____________________________________________________
2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

Yep, they quote 10lbft for the alternator bolts, that's not very tight at all so don't go mad....

Mine did what your describing just before it let go... mind you I never usually turn the air con off so I wouldn't know if it did it before anyway....

And a comment about the air-con fan, mine didn't come on until the water temp at the top sensor was well above 130 deg C.... Far too hot in my opinion for these, now ageing, engines...

My 80deg stat and electric fans peg it to 100 deg C, any hotter and it just smells wrong...!??!!? Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Yes, had to remove said front lower timing cover, to change the timing chain, (bought car with chain job required) yes its a massive job. and i removed alternator first. so yes, i know its heavy, and cumbersome. and how silly they have been to let you place it back in (i think) at any rotation, and it fits, so you think its right, till the leads dont reach. and i dropped a spanner after it was all ok, and it touched the red connection, and a few sparks blew out, -you do more damage to yourself getting out of the way. so just a dab of nail varnish over the two faces ensure it goes back same position. there is a write up i read a few days ago on repairing a failed alternator, but this doesnt mean yours needs repair, just resealing. -perhaps.
so yes, i saw how shallow the threads were and so, easy to strip. . as you know, these cars do like to leak. but its normally just a seal, -somewhere!

oh, and remember your new friend, -plus-gas!

@Haylands - 10lbft - that is light - thanks for pointing that out to me.

@johnboyairey - Thanks for the tip to mark alt orientation - would not be the first time I have had to dismantle something due to missing some subtlety like that. As for the timing chain replacement - how would I know if that needed doing. I used to have a 2Ltr Opel Manta with chain and that was said to be bullet proof - so I thought they all were (naive )

As for the alternator output - I shall monitor it for a while - Do you know if you can get genuine refurbished Bosch units - I see them on the USA Bosch site not sure if there is a service centre in UK?

. Howard
____________________________________________________
2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

Yes you can mine was a Bosch refurbished one, got it just before last xmas... Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-