Darren74

Morning all.
I found dry coolant around the top of the radiator and all round that vicinity in the engine bay yesterday.
It wasn't there a couple of weeks ago when i washed the car so it's only happened the last week.
I took it to work yesterday which is only 4 miles and time i got to work it had chucked a load more coolant out.
I'm a bit worried as other threads have indicated possible head gasket issues, but I've checked to see and there is no evidence of oil in the coolant, no sludge in filler cap and the oil looks a good colour.
I haven't started the car this morning with the radiator cap off to see if there's any bubbles coming through the coolant.
A mate at work said the radiator cap may be faulty.
Anyone had a similar issue, it's a 2004 Sti and point me in any other direction?

fpan

iTrader: (11)

It usually cracks on the top left of the radiator as you look at the engine bay.

Probably you have to remove the intake pipe to check underneath.

Firez34

iTrader: (5)

Hi mate, First it could be the Tank cap seal, it could be a cracked tank header pipe as they corrode and also it could be a crack in the plastic sides of the Radiator that will more than like only spew out on boost. The easiest way to visably see if it's the head gasket before other symptoms will show up is the overflow tank behind the passenger headlamp. Top it up when cold to the bottom line and then go for a drive. Give it a few short boost's once upto temperature, pull over pop the bonnet and look at the overflow tank if you can see loads of bubbles in it then one of the head gaskets is on it's way out. It will not show this early symtom driving off boost. If it's bubbling bad expect the other usual HG symptoms to follow. Mine did this for a month or so before the HG went and I pulled the engine and rebuilt it.

Darren74

Cheers for the replys guys.
Well this morning I decided to take the caps off and let it run up from cold to see if I could determine anything. The only thing I really noticed was quite a bit of air bubbling back which virtually stopped after a while (heater fully on)
Got up to normal temp fans cut in as should.
Closed it all back up with the caps and took it for a run, didn't do it at all, taken for two more slightly longer runs and still nothing
Checked the expansion tank for bubbles and nothing
Really miffed as to why this should have happened?

johned

Were you driving off or on boost?.

Darren74

On boost for some of the runs but obviously not on boost when I checked the tank.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Might have been airlocked and cured itself...they usually don't

Darren74

Panic over about it being head gasket, found a crack just under the radiator cap neck. New radiator ordered

Firez34

iTrader: (5)

Been there, done that pleased your sorted fella.