Hi all,
My 159 has a pinhole sized leak in the front coolant pipe (just before the bleed screw which has been changed to a metal one from the original plastic). It's not losing much coolant so I though I'd wrap it in silicone tape? From the stains it looks like it's been that way for some time.... but only when pressurised :-\
Pricing up a new whole pipe assembly ~$200 delivered from the UK but woud involve a lot messing around with labour/coolant flush etc - perhaps a job for the first 10,000 klm service.
Other than the leak it's fine and not overheating - I've not heard the thermo fan kick in (like my SAAB used to do when stopped) - should this kick in very often? Or are they just quiet?
Your fan should come on pretty much whenever temp hits a few degrees above the vertical (90C?) mark on your gauge, assuming it's same as in a 156. Exactly when depends on the car. Fan in my first 156 would come on as soon as gauge got a fraction past vertical, in my current 156 it comes on at what I would guess is about 95C. Pretty easy to check, when you next arrive home in it, leave it running and pop the bonnet. After a couple of minutes idling while stationary it should be running hot enough to trigger the fan. If you have a coolant leak, you definitely want to know fan is working.
The fans on my 159 V6 kick in a tad over 90°C and cut out a tad under 90°C and can be heard easily when stationary with the window down. They'll probably kick in as soon as you fire up the air con.