Well ive got a blobeye wrx.. And every now and again, il be sat in traffic and steam comes out the driver's side of the bonnet not a fat lot just a cloud then it'll stop. Its happened about 3 times in 3 weeks!!!

Ive looked and found that the bottom of the rad seem's abit wet, but there's never anything on my drive to sugest there's a leak and after checking the water it doesnt appear to be losing any..

Ang idea's guy's???

 

mine was the same.coming from the corners where the metal meets the platics,went and got a alloy 1 for 150.

 

Alloy what??

 

Rad??

 

ye

 

Scooby boy, how old is your car? Mine's rad went after 12 years, it now has one EXACTLY the same for over 400bhp, if it can last 12 years, why pay more?

 

Is a 53 plate

 

If the rad was leaking though wouldnt it be steaming all the time?

 

No, maybe just under pressure, pressure falls, leak stops, temp rises again, pressure rises, it leraks, etc.

Mine did that on the top hose too.

 

Yep, mine did the same, tiny crack top left, as above if pressure rises then it will mist and cause steam under bonnet, new rad cost me, I think from memory about £40

 

Surely over time the water level will drop with this scenario no?

 

Yes it would.

 

Mine did/does exactly the same. Haven't noticed it for a while now though. First time it did it, I went out and bought a fire extinguisher for the car just in case, as I didn't know what it was!

 

Thats the thing though i check the water everyday now since it started and its not loseing any ;-/. Im gunna wipe were it's wet later and see what happens.

 

Are you checking the header tank or plastic expansion tank?

 

The top of the rad and the tank to the left if the engine. My cooolant needs topping up mind.

 

Don't forget that LOTS AND LOTS of steam is produced by only a few drops of water.

If it's steam, find out where it's coming from and replace that part.

 

was going to say the same.. doesn't take much water to make a significant amount of steam. the level will drop eventually but better get it sorted now imo.

 

Definitely steam? And not perhaps smoke? There is a common oil leak, where the oil drips on to the headers....

 

Not 100% sure its steam but lers just say it diesnt smell of oil if you know what i mean. And ive been looking to see if theres any oil anywhere no obviuos signs.. If it was leaking oil though surely it would leave evidence on my nice clean driveway???

 

No, not necessarily. When mine needed doing, it only occasionally leaked, and only when driving. I'm not sure you'd really see evidence of it on the headers either to be honest.

It maybe isn't this at all mate, but just thought I would give you the heads up

 

I'll have to have a look but there not the best engine's to look over lol no bloody room around them!(

 

If you are not loosing any water over a period of time it is very unlikely it is steam.
Remember your header tank is on the driver's side of the engine.

 

You wreckon steam is coming out the header tank then?

 

IF it is steam that is the probable source. Check your header tank cap and the overflow pipe. Sometimes the pipe weld breaks allowing some leakage. This is the pipe next to the header tank cap.
Other than that it is a matter of observing what is happening over a period of time and narrowing down your search area.