had my car mapped yesterday and was driving today and loads of steam/smoke coming out the bonnet and scoop. pulled over and lifted the bonnet and there seems to be coolant pissing out from somewhere just below the header tank in front of the turbo area. there is water/coolant on top of the block as i can see it when looking down through the inlet manifold. i could also hear a gurgling or trickling sound of water or coolant dripping from somewhere. its not overheating and still blowing hot air from heaters. has the head gasket let go? or maybe a hose burst or slipped off? got someone coming to look but wanted any ideas or things to look or check for in the meantime. cheers.

 

Split hose, doubt it had any thing to do with the map

 

What age car? Would assume newage is similar to a classic.

There's a hose on the bottom on the header tank, than runs underneath and between the legs of the inlet manifold.

 

top hose is common

 

yeah as said, check hoses

 

Can be top hose and it runs down making it look like a leak underneath. Hose doesn't have to be split either, one of them is a funny fit.

 

cheers lads, as you probably know you always suspect the worst scenario first! im guessing if it was the head gaskets the coolant would be dripping from underneath and wouldnt be on top of the block?

 

it is unlikey you'll see it if its the HG, tends to leak internal and not be physicly visible. only other option like that is if its blowing it out the expansion tank.

 

im betting it is the radiator
A penny, come on people whos with me?

 

any of these scenarios will do me over the hg. dont think its the rad as i said the coolant seems to be leaking around and under the inlet manifold to the right of the header tank in front of the turbo somewhere and the coolant is sitting on the block. there is no coolant from the front beside the rad

 

theres no mayo in the oil, or oil i can see in the coolant and isnt blowing it out the expansion bottle either. i dont see any bubbles in the coolant when revving the engine.

 

There are only two tests for hg failure: sniff test and strip it and see.

My bet is a hose, when my top hose went, (well, not mine, the car's), it was a split, it pissed out under pressure, engine revving, but at idle...nothing.

 

My top hose developed a tiny hole (fitted incorrectly so the rad fan ate through it) - it was squirting out and finding it's way onto the exhaust manifold so looked a lot more serious that it was


Serious enough to get Snetterton on to a red flag and have the marshals greet me with fire extinguishers.

 

thanks for reply,s lads. hoping your scenario is right alcazar. and konan that pic is pretty much exactly how mine looked except my coolant is pissing out onto the block and the hot engine block is obviously boiling it off. long weekend until monday tho .

 

Mine did that at a roundabout...luckily only a quarter mile from home. Opened the bonnet expecting a fire.

And once, had the same clouds of vapour and an eye-watering smell of petrol. Opened the bonnet at home to find petrol P*SSING out of the flexible pipe that runs across the bulkhead, all over the hot exhaust, turbo etc

I waited for the "woooomf" and fire, but it never came.....phew.

 

when it suddenly gos its enough to make you brown your trousers lol

i had it joining a bypass, nailed it up to 70 and suddenly water all over the screen clouds of smoke out the back and of ****, i've just blown the engine. luckily was just the rad hose had split. As long as it didn't run with no coolant in will be fine

 

scary moment that! as i said i feared the worst as its always a gamble upping the power as it puts stress on lots of other components. fingers crossed for mon! be a shame if its something serious as the car feels fantastic after the map and the power is very smooth and linear in its delivery.

 

from what you have described i wouldnt loose too much sleep over it

 

cheers tidgy. will post up a pic of the graph AFTER i know the engne is ok lol.

 

Not me.

I've done a rad, it's quite impressive when they burst and quite visible where it's burst.

 

being fair they do go on the very top L/H corner(looking from front) there is a small hose that comes off the rad that fractures and it can be a fine jet under pressure.

 

3 for me. first time after upping boost etc and on tickover it wasnt visible but upin revving you could see it spray through a tiny crack in the plastic end tank of the rad.
Second and 3rd were similar but wept on idle.

 

right guys ive got a m8 coming to see if we can track this problem down. im just after advice for coolant. we will no doubt have to drop the coolant and redo it. can i use this stuff just now as i dont see the point of using expensive stuff until the problem is cured
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Su...f7c1e16&000397
its Ethylene glycol based and suitable for aluminum engines etc.
thanks for any advice.

 

I had this. It was near to the top-front of the driver's side endtank.

 

Use any coolant designed for alloy engines, yes, but try not to mix types.

And do a search for how to fill without airlocking if you don't already know.
You CANNOT bleed it once it does airlock.

 

cheers alcazar, yep ive read your coolant refill post. stick a funnel in the turbo water feed hose and slowly back fill that way? had the car ticking over until the heaters got warm and fans came on so thats a good sign at least. must be a bad leak tho as coolant is dripping from the undertray when you look underneath the car when its running.