Overheated with steam
03 March 2009, 12:54 PM
#1
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Overheated with steam
Right this all started last night
I was sitting at the lights an noticed steam from the front of the car.. Not alot but i noticed it never usually does this.
I never thought anything of this until today
Im driving to work an the car is at normal temp but the heaters are stone cold.... then they come on warm randomly for about 3 secs then go cold again. does this a couple of times over 3 or so miles ( i know this has i had my hands on tehm as i was cold at 7am)
Anyways i pop into the local garage to get my invoice for my mintex brakes... come outside an there is more steam so i drive about 500yards an the car starts to over heat ( its at just over half now) i stopped pop the bonnet an noticed behind the radiotor is all wet..... Also no water in the expansion tank....
So i put some in an drove it back to the garage. They are looking at it the now
fingers crossed its nothing bad
I was sitting at the lights an noticed steam from the front of the car.. Not alot but i noticed it never usually does this.
I never thought anything of this until today
Im driving to work an the car is at normal temp but the heaters are stone cold.... then they come on warm randomly for about 3 secs then go cold again. does this a couple of times over 3 or so miles ( i know this has i had my hands on tehm as i was cold at 7am)
Anyways i pop into the local garage to get my invoice for my mintex brakes... come outside an there is more steam so i drive about 500yards an the car starts to over heat ( its at just over half now) i stopped pop the bonnet an noticed behind the radiotor is all wet..... Also no water in the expansion tank....
So i put some in an drove it back to the garage. They are looking at it the now
fingers crossed its nothing bad
03 March 2009, 01:27 PM
#7
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they called an said the car is pushing water out of the system and it also has a hole in the radiator - They said a radiator would sort it.
Surely if the head was gone it would of overheated completey not stay at around half way plus a little
Getting a new raditator then im picking it up at 4pm.
The fans were cold aswell
Surely if the head was gone it would of overheated completey not stay at around half way plus a little
Getting a new raditator then im picking it up at 4pm.
The fans were cold aswell
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03 March 2009, 02:22 PM
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they called an said the car is pushing water out of the system and it also has a hole in the radiator - They said a radiator would sort it.
Surely if the head was gone it would of overheated completey not stay at around half way plus a little
Getting a new raditator then im picking it up at 4pm.
The fans were cold aswell
Surely if the head was gone it would of overheated completey not stay at around half way plus a little
Getting a new raditator then im picking it up at 4pm.
The fans were cold aswell
Issue really is whether driving it with little water in it has caused damage. Hence the fingers crossed comment.
J.
03 March 2009, 02:35 PM
#10
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Thanks for the comments
Well the second the temp went to half i stopped the car an there was a cloud of steam........ Looked like i was about to drive on the "stars in your eyes" stage
Owell my fingers are so crossed i have broke them both :-)
Cheers lads
Well the second the temp went to half i stopped the car an there was a cloud of steam........ Looked like i was about to drive on the "stars in your eyes" stage
Owell my fingers are so crossed i have broke them both :-)
Cheers lads
03 March 2009, 05:41 PM
#17
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Right
Got it back with a new Aluminium radiator - Looks good
The heaters are working again etc
He said keep an eye on the water level.... It was quite empty (looking in the metal one on top of the engine) car was warm tho
Going to refill it and then give her a good run
But no mayonaise or anything like that. Water is circulating through the header tank as normal - They drained the system
Got it back with a new Aluminium radiator - Looks good
The heaters are working again etc
He said keep an eye on the water level.... It was quite empty (looking in the metal one on top of the engine) car was warm tho
Going to refill it and then give her a good run
But no mayonaise or anything like that. Water is circulating through the header tank as normal - They drained the system
03 March 2009, 05:50 PM
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Right this all started last night
I was sitting at the lights an noticed steam from the front of the car.. Not alot but i noticed it never usually does this.
I never thought anything of this until today
Im driving to work an the car is at normal temp but the heaters are stone cold.... then they come on warm randomly for about 3 secs then go cold again. does this a couple of times over 3 or so miles ( i know this has i had my hands on tehm as i was cold at 7am)
Anyways i pop into the local garage to get my invoice for my mintex brakes... come outside an there is more steam so i drive about 500yards an the car starts to over heat ( its at just over half now) i stopped pop the bonnet an noticed behind the radiotor is all wet..... Also no water in the expansion tank....
So i put some in an drove it back to the garage. They are looking at it the now
fingers crossed its nothing bad
I was sitting at the lights an noticed steam from the front of the car.. Not alot but i noticed it never usually does this.
I never thought anything of this until today
Im driving to work an the car is at normal temp but the heaters are stone cold.... then they come on warm randomly for about 3 secs then go cold again. does this a couple of times over 3 or so miles ( i know this has i had my hands on tehm as i was cold at 7am)
Anyways i pop into the local garage to get my invoice for my mintex brakes... come outside an there is more steam so i drive about 500yards an the car starts to over heat ( its at just over half now) i stopped pop the bonnet an noticed behind the radiotor is all wet..... Also no water in the expansion tank....
So i put some in an drove it back to the garage. They are looking at it the now
fingers crossed its nothing bad
Last edited by chocolate_o_brian; 03 March 2009 at 05:53 PM.
03 March 2009, 06:10 PM
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Connor had the same issue with mine. The radiator was my problem - it was leaking but I also had a seal gone on the rad cap allowing pressure through to expansion tank. Might be worth looking at it as well for all they cost. Its not allways a h/gasket problem thankfully!
03 March 2009, 07:45 PM
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03 March 2009, 08:42 PM
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Good to hear your cars running as it should be.
I'm having the same sort of problem with my WRX at the moment(minus heater blowing cold)
going to drain/flush all the coolant system when i get the chance. Hopefully I get the same results as yourself.
I'm having the same sort of problem with my WRX at the moment(minus heater blowing cold)
going to drain/flush all the coolant system when i get the chance. Hopefully I get the same results as yourself.
03 March 2009, 08:52 PM
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Is your a Classic?
When mine did it I could smell steam and would get a slight wet patch appear in front of the driver-side wheel. On mine the rad was leaking - from the front looking at the engine bay - left hand side of the rad, the smallest jet of water spraying out of a crack in the rad. Trouble was it stopped spraying out as soon as you switched off. Also, one of the plastic pipe connectors corroded away from the expansion tank about a month later.
Both common faults.
When mine did it I could smell steam and would get a slight wet patch appear in front of the driver-side wheel. On mine the rad was leaking - from the front looking at the engine bay - left hand side of the rad, the smallest jet of water spraying out of a crack in the rad. Trouble was it stopped spraying out as soon as you switched off. Also, one of the plastic pipe connectors corroded away from the expansion tank about a month later.
Both common faults.
03 March 2009, 09:15 PM
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Head gasket failure/warped head is often caused by a dodgy/blocked rad, blocked/silted up waterways, stuck thermostat, etc. and is worth keeping an eye on.
Connor - did the garage perform a 'sniff' test and if so with what result - this will confirm the presence of oil/gases in the water.
If you do top up your rad please use coolant, not water mate
and keep an eye on it over the next couple hundred miles, check it each morning to ensure the levels look OK
Connor - did the garage perform a 'sniff' test and if so with what result - this will confirm the presence of oil/gases in the water.
If you do top up your rad please use coolant, not water mate
and keep an eye on it over the next couple hundred miles, check it each morning to ensure the levels look OK
03 March 2009, 09:28 PM
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what tank should i be checking
I have had to top it up(the tank next to the intercooler)
Temp staying normal an all that
Heaters warm
there are bubbles going into the coolant bottle behind the headlight - Not alot just little bubbles
Im getting confused about the 2 tanks
1 pressured and 1 not
If the head is gone i have sourced an engine tonight so thats sorted
Garage didnt do any tests im going back tomorrow or thrusday to check
I have only done 45miles
I have had to top it up(the tank next to the intercooler)
Temp staying normal an all that
Heaters warm
there are bubbles going into the coolant bottle behind the headlight - Not alot just little bubbles
Im getting confused about the 2 tanks
1 pressured and 1 not
If the head is gone i have sourced an engine tonight so thats sorted
Garage didnt do any tests im going back tomorrow or thrusday to check
I have only done 45miles
Last edited by Connor_scotland; 03 March 2009 at 09:39 PM.
03 March 2009, 11:10 PM
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Connor that all sounds ok. The bubbles are the pressure just slightly escaping from the radiator top up tank (alloy) to the expansion tank (plastic). As long as there arnt loads bubbling like crazy causing overflow - which is defo sign of h/gasket as its pressuring.
You need to check the water level in the morning stone cold. Open the top tank rad cap and this equalises the system in the expansion tank - then check the level.
Have just been through all these probs/worries myself.........not nice! I got the sniffer test done as well just to be sure cost £20 and is 100% reliabile and gives you peace of mind!! Well worth it.
You need to check the water level in the morning stone cold. Open the top tank rad cap and this equalises the system in the expansion tank - then check the level.
Have just been through all these probs/worries myself.........not nice! I got the sniffer test done as well just to be sure cost £20 and is 100% reliabile and gives you peace of mind!! Well worth it.