Overheated, replaced rad, now won't start

[RallyRaddo 0]

Here we go again & yet another thread on a non starting 16 valver.

 

The brief history:

 

New Years Eve, drove into Aberdeen and got steam from under the bonnet. In a nutshell, it was overheating due to a blocked radiator. Radiator now replaced (Thanks Laughingboy) and everythings reconnected & refilled with water.

 

Went to turn it over late this afternoon & it just wont fire up.

 

I know the ECU, fuel pump, accumulator, distributor & coil are all OK cos they have been replaced in the last few months. Remember, it was driving fine till the radiator overheat.

 

I know it's not a head gasket failure, as the oil on the dipstick is normal, no white / frothy residue from an oil / water mix.

 

Checked all 4 leads & there's a spark at the plugs when turning over.

 

The inside of the spark plug recess is pretty wet at No 2 cylinder. Probably caused from the hot water geyser that erupted from the header tank when the cap was removed, the others are dry.

 

Questions:

 

Could water have seeped into all 4 cylinders, through the spark plug threads causing the engine not to fire? I am going to get a spark plug socket tomorrow as I need to see if the plug ends have water, so right now, that's an unknown.

 

Could water have got into the engine any other place to cause the problem?

 

Anyone give me a couple of pointers please?

 

Cheers

 

Kev

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

Blocked radiators are very uncommon,headgasket failures on valvers are very common.Just beacuse there is no white mayo on on the cap or on the dipstick does not mean the headgasket has not failed.

 

Its way more common for the gasket to blow between the water jackets and the cylinder bores and hence white smoke from the exhaust.

 

Could you take the plugs out,keep them in order on 1-4 and post the pics on here so i can have a look at them.

[Supercharged 2]

Check the plug to the hall sender on the dizzy as this might have got wet...

[RallyRaddo 0]

Cheers guys, appreciate it.

 

The radiator was blocked due to a foreign object. I pulled a piece of rubber from just inside the top hose connection. It looks like it is a pice of rubber gasket or something. Using a hose into the top of the rad, nothing was coming out the bottom & same result vice versa.

 

Certainly didn't see any white smoke when I drove the car back & onto the driveway on NY Eve, so I am crossing my fingers it's not that.

 

I will look at the connections for the hall sender tomorrow & dry / clean as required.

 

Gonna nipt to Halfords 1st thing for a plug socket to pull the plugs out. Will put the pics up here as soon as I pull them. By the time Halfords opens on a Sun & I get home, should have pics up for around lunchtime.

 

Thanks again

 

Kev

[chubbybrown 0]

Kev check for spark,report back.

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

there's a spark at the plugs when turning over

[RallyRaddo 0]

Worst fears: HEAD GASKET :bad-words:

 

Pulled the plugs out a short time ago, on looking into the cylinders with aid of trusty maglite, found:

 

No 1. Damp with signs of condensation

No 2. Toddlers swimming pool

No 3. Olympic size swimming pool

No 4. The North Sea

 

Head gasket set from E-Bay £30

 

Next couple of weekends, head off, look for damage to pistons, fix as required, then Aberdeen Car Auctions or sell the serviceable bits of the car as parts. Hacked off ploughing money into this car.

 

Thanks for the tips on this latest problem guys. Putting a pic of the plugs up just for the hell of it.

 

Cheers

 

Kev

 

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

difficult to see the pics mate but does the plugs look steamed cleaned?

[RallyRaddo 0]

difficult to see the pics mate but does the plugs look steamed cleaned?

 

Hard to tell actually.

Plugs 1. 3 & 4 were I suppose, more of a grey powder colour, possibly from the water. No 2 was well oily.

 

Out of 3 digital camera's in the house, not one was able to focus in, close enough to get a shot of the plugs, sorry.

 

My missus has just told me that we WILL NOT be selling the Corrado or breaking it for parts! Think she's lost it if you want my opinion :cuckoo:

 

Kev

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

try use the macro button mate :tongue:

[RallyRaddo 0]

Nah, still not getting close enough with a decent focus. Maybe I can take them to work tomorrow & photocopy them as a pdf by e-mail........