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car overheating

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  • 12-01-2015 12:04am
    #1
    hadepsx
    Registered Users Posts: 1,503 ✭✭✭


    Hi lads. My car has been running poorly. Early I was checking d oil and noticed the coolant had turned grey color.last week it was a dullish pink.
    Then driving home the temp gauge shot up to over 100 degrees. Pulled in and popped d hood to see coolant/water all over area near coolant reservoir. Coolant level had dropped alot in 10mins.topped it up to get home. Couldn't see any loose pipes and cap was on tight. Any thought's pls. Thanks.


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    #2
    Andrewf20
    Registered Users Posts: 3,187 ✭✭✭Andrewf20


    When you take off the oil cap, is there any sign of a milky white gooey substance on the back like here:

    http://www.offroaders.com/tech/images/milky-oil-cap-2.jpg

    Also can you see oily bubbles in the coolant expansion tank? These would hint at head gasket issues.

    Make sure you/others dont fill the expanson tank up with coolant to the brim as ive heard of people doing this before. There is a bleed screw to let the air out of the expansion tank as the water temperature rises and the water therefore expands. Hopefully the expansion tank wasnt brimmed to the top putting big pressures on the bleed screw which is usually located near the coolant cap. Perhaps the bleed screw is simply loose.They can be delicate if made of plastic so they dont need big torques to tighten them down.

    See an example of a bleed screw to the right of the coolant cap:

    http://www.cyberforma.com/auto/issues/bmw/528i/1998/cooling/005.jpg

    You say the coolant cap is tight - just make sure its level with the expansion tank and not on at an angle which can happen with threaded caps, thus feeling tight but its actually leaking. Ive seen this once with an oil cap.


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    #3
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    What car is it?

    And don't drive it any more until you have it resolved. You could already have seriously damaged the engine.


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    #4
    hadepsx
    Registered Users Posts: 1,503 ✭✭✭hadepsx


    Opel zafira 02.
    Not driving it until I've to bring it to mechanic which is 5 mins away. Would it be OK to drive for that?


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    #5
    Hachiko
    Registered Users Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭Hachiko


    your better off to get him to come to you tbh, the damage could be bad enough as it is.


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    #6
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    hadepsx wrote: »
    Opel zafira 02.
    Not driving it until I've to bring it to mechanic which is 5 mins away. Would it be OK to drive for that?

    Not at all. Do not start it would be my opinion. Your mechanic would agree.


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    #7
    hadepsx
    Registered Users Posts: 1,503 ✭✭✭hadepsx


    Mechanic came for it.

    There was no white substance on oil cap. Nor any oil that I cud see in coolant tank.no smoke out of exhaust either.

    He has it now so hopefully not too much damage done.


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    #8
    hadepsx
    Registered Users Posts: 1,503 ✭✭✭hadepsx


    Mech just called said it was actually fecked water pump throwing water up to timing belt onto engine and draining coolant. Also was causing a terrible noise since this started yesterday.so gonna get new pump n belt while he's at it. And new coolant. And minor service .oil.oil and air filter.sparks. e400 d lot including labour and vat. So not too bad. Was expecting worse damage and cost


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    #9
    hadepsx
    Registered Users Posts: 1,503 ✭✭✭hadepsx


    Got the car back today. Water pump totally fcuked. Broke itself up. Just as the overheating/ coolant escaping began there was a terrible noise. It was the water pump the mechanic said.
    Here's a PIC of the old pump.


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    #10
    hadepsx
    Registered Users Posts: 1,503 ✭✭✭hadepsx


    Mechanic said he got all the big bits out.then flushed the system.and also put down a pipe with magnetic tip into it and got most of the little shards of metal that broke up. He couldn't guarantee he got all of it. Just have to keep ear out for any bad noise again. Been driving great so far since 1pm.purring away. Hopefully it'll stay like that.


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    #11
    delly
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 7,653 Mod ✭✭✭✭delly


    hadepsx wrote: »
    Mechanic said he got all the big bits out.then flushed the system.and also put down a pipe with magnetic tip into it and got most of the little shards of metal that broke up. He couldn't guarantee he got all of it. Just have to keep ear out for any bad noise again. Been driving great so far since 1pm.purring away. Hopefully it'll stay like that.

    Sounds like a good result considering, any major engine damage might not have been worth repairing. I've an '01 myself and am paranoid about the coolant, I reckon I'll have worn the reservoir cap threads away by the time the car is retired.


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