Long term consequences to engine overheating?

In Actuality

I had an issue with my radiator in December which caused my engine to overheat. When it overheated, I estimate that it was 11 to 12 seconds before I stopped my car after the point I realised something was wrong. As I drove to my mechanic's about two hours later that evening it overheated again for about the same amount of time as I finished that short journey. So does that mean this it was overheating for 12 seconds each time? or was a certain amount of damage occurring before that too? My mechanic didn't say anything about the possibility of engine damage and I tried to tell myself that surely not too much damage could have occurred during that time.

Since then the car's been fine but recently I've realised that the coolant seems to have been leaking out quite fast. I think it was full of coolant when it passed the NCT in January, and I had to re-fill it yesterday after realising that I had no hot air conditioning in the car. My mechanic said texted "when those engines overheat they're f**ked... keep an eye on the coolant level".

kirving

What caused you to notice the overheating? Was it a red or yellow engine light, or was it the needle that you saw?

Either A) the coolant leaked and caused the overheating, or B) the engine overheated for another reason, and the damage done has caused a coolant leak after the fact.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118926816#Comment_118926816

The radiator was sabotaged... new radiator put in. So the coolant leaked for that reason. I forget what caused me to notice it... I think it was a red engine light. The smoke started coming out at about the same time as when I saw this light. Could this have caused a leak after the new rad was put in? Because if that's the case then it would imply that the engine might be fine? But if the engine is "f**ked" then would that require it to use coolant at a faster rate?

Henry Ford III

How was a rad sabotaged?

Damage can be done quite quickly, and can occur even before the red light comes on.

There are definitive tests that will establish if your engine is damaged or not.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118934043#Comment_118934043

Could you tell me more about these tests?

Sabotaged with a drill btw. It was about a 4 mile journey I did before it overheated. Was onto mechanic yesterday and he said "it's gone I know it". Said that those engines (07 opel astra) are very hard to take apart. I'll have to keep a tub of water in the car with me from now on. He said he knew someone who tried to put in a new head gasket in one and it didn't work.

Topped it up half way yesterday with water and is close to empty again today. But funnily I was driving away with it for about two weeks without hot air conditioning and it seemed fine. I'd imagine it was next to empty that whole time.

daarmcd

It sounds like you have a crack somewhere and the water or coolant is leaking out. Happened on my friends astra, I will ask him today

fryup

a warped cylinder head and a blown gasket and breakdown on the side of the road are the consequnces

but hey! don't worry Scotty Kilmer has got a quick fix 😎

zg3409

Definitely you want to make sure issue is solved and no air pockets or leaks are present and you have enough coolant and that the system is working correctly, but what I really want to know is do you know the sabbateur and revenge is a dish best served with a cold engine.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118946699#Comment_118946699

I checked it today. I heated up the engine and noticed a leak. It's the hose exiting the engine at the connection where it seems to go back into the car... for the aircon. So it mightn't be anything to do with the engine at all. Bringing it to my mechanic later. Engine still isn't great I'd say as it's quite oily underneath.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118934575#Comment_118934575

Any news on that?

CreadanLady

Astra of that age isn't worth repairing as it'll cost more than the car is worth.

I'd say get the mechanic to do a pressure test on the system and re-check every hose and connection for leakage.

If a head gasket is the problem, then I'd say it is for scrap. In that case, I'd keep the gallon of water in the car for regular topping up and you might get a few months more driving out of it before it is completely knackered.

daarmcd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118947181#Comment_118947181

Can you take a picture

can you see picture in here

https://www.google.com/search?q=astra+front+thermostat+housing+2009&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwix546BnqH3AhUfS0EAHU9HA6cQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=astra+front+thermostat+housing+2009&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1DSCFjmD2C7EWgAcAB4AIAByQGIAckFkgEFMi4zLjGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=mD9fYrG7Gp-WhbIPz46NuAo&bih=873&biw=1596&client=firefox-b-d

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118947215#Comment_118947215

Mechanic said he's going to order a new part that will replace the connection where the leak was occurring. He seems to think the engine will keep going away grand then. When we ran the engine last week there didn't seem to be mush pressure building at all in the coolant container.

In Actuality

So my mechanic replaced a radiator hose back in April/May and it's been going fine until about a week ago until I noticed my heating go. I had driven 100 km/hr plus a few times in December, which I usually don't, so maybe that didn't help. I did leave the oil go too low so I topped that up myself. Unless that would've caused the system to force out more coolant. NCT is due in February so I don't know if I should aim to buy a new car before then. The last my mechanic said was that people won't be able to tell anything from just looking at the engine and I should just aim to trade it away in without saying anything.

Buffman

So you're loosing oil and coolant? Sounds like your cylinder head gasket is damaged. Personally, I wouldn't be putting any more money into a 07 Astra with those issues.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120055468#Comment_120055468

Thanks. I'd like for my next car to have guages. Apparently some cars have gauges that allow the driver to see things such as:

•the thermostat open/close

•oil P go change with engine speed

•coolant level

•temperature

Know anything about this sort of thing?

greasepalm

Weekly check on car oils , coolant and washer additive and tyre pressures.

Lights are a pain as bombing down M50 in fast lane and no where to stop or pull over.

Buffman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120057641#Comment_120057641

Coolant temp should be on all cars IMO, some cost cutting manufacturers deleted them which was ridiculous. Lots of cars do have them so make sure to look out for it when buying.

All the others you mention wouldn't be as standard on modern road cars.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120059775#Comment_120059775

Is that the same as engine temp? I would've thought that the coolant temp wouldn't be able to go above 100 degrees.

Forgot to mention to you. It might sound like a silly question because all cars are different, but mine currently gives about 42 miles/gallon. What does that sound like to you?

SCOOP 64

What engine is it ?

greasepalm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120061644#Comment_120061644

Some clocks i have seen 120 and if you hear plenty of rattling its your engine stating to seize and slow down

cml387

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120061644#Comment_120061644

Normal boiling point of water is 100 degrees but the water in an engine cooling system is under pressure so it will be higher.

Once an engine overheats then there is the danger of the engine head becoming warped. When that happens either or both of two things can happen. The compression can be lost in they cylinder, or there can be a leak of coolant into the cylinder. If the latter happens then the coolant system is no longer properly pressurised so coolant will be lost and overheating will occur making the problem worse.

Al this I know from personal experience.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120061688#Comment_120061688

Sorry, it's 1.4.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120063223#Comment_120063223

I couldn't be losing coolant in the cylinder because it was grand between May and December. The leak is somewhere near the radiator. Couldn't see in with stuff in the way. I doubt radiator is the problem. I'd it's one of the connections from one of the hoses near it. I'll be showing it to the mechanic on Friday. NCT in Feb so I'd like to think I can get some trade in value on it.

greasepalm

Put cardboard underneath car and look for the stain hours later , coolant is easy to see see if dry it will be build up growth around the area.

Look for damp stains around the engine bay and water hoses do go from rocking the engine back and forth.

Waterpumps do leak and leave stains underneath the pulleys.

Expansion bottles and caps do have a life limit and can leak and show stains underneath.

Did you say what car it was?

db

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120057641#Comment_120057641

search for Astra coolant temperature and you will find plenty of YouTube videos that show you how to check the temperature.

ask your mechanic to do a pressure test which will tell you if the head gasket is gone.

greasepalm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120067207#Comment_120067207

You say pressure test to find a leak but to be 100% use a sniffer on the expansion bottle as the blue fluid changes from blue to green to yellow as combustion gas is detected in cooling system .

A blocked rad or stuck stat will make pressure build up or the return hose to expansion bottle been a lovely tomato colour and crinkly rust inside.

SCOOP 64

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120066654#Comment_120066654

i have a 1.4 petrol, 42mpg your doing well.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120067207#Comment_120067207

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt5gEDhFbDo&ab_channel=montoya%27sgarage

That option doesn't show up in my car. Pressing the BC button just gives 'no function'.

In Actuality

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120055468#Comment_120055468

My mechanic just put found a new piece of hose-tube that had a similar diameter and bend to the piece with the leak, and cut it to a similar length, and shoved it in. It's fine again. I asked if he could do a pressure test. He said yes, but that he'd been looking at these thing long enough to know if the head gasket's gone or not.