Get the violins out.... something else just went pop

[moneypit23 0]

Sorry to bring this subject up again bu i've used the search but i'm still not exactly sure whats wrong.

 

The water temperature has been slightly high but stable for a few weeks and the fan has always come on at about 110. Today though, it got to 110 (in heavy, going no-place traffic) and stayed there for ages, luckily i found clear road and that seemed to cool it down.

I then hit more traffic and the temperature kept rising past 110 and the coolant light came on, i pulled over as soon as i could and was greeted by steam coming from the bonnet (passenger side) and water coming from somewhere.

There was also a gurgling, burbling sound coming from somewhere and the coolant level had risen about an inch above the maximum mark, if definately was not over-filled before.

The real p1$$er is that i've had a new radiater and water pump in the last couple of months, i was hoping all my cooling nightmares were over.

 

Please could someone suggest whats going on so i can arm myself with knowlege (seemingly) when i go to get it fixed, so i don't get ripped off.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Kate

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

It sounds like you have a head gasket problem to me as you have changed waterpump,rad ect...

Air is being pumped past the leaking headgasket into the waterways and its subsequently forcing the coolant past the Expansion tank cap.

 

What engine is it Kate?

[moneypit23 0]

thats sounds expensive, just what i need

[coolrado 0]

is your fan kicking in at all? i forgot to plug the fan back in a couple of months ago while i was working on the engine and while sitting in traffic it overheated and spat a load of coolant out, the gurgling noise is normal when it overheats, its the coolant bubbling though the system.

 

check there is no creamy sludge on the bottom of the oil cap or in the coolant bottle.

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

It wont be cheap(depends where you go) but get it checked out by a good mechanic as its unlikely its trapped air ect.

 

Does this problem happen only in traffic or also while moving? Is your radiator fan working?

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

Sludge on the oil cap can be normal if you don't do long runs as condensation does form in the engine.

If there's oil in the coolant tank then that's a different story

[moneypit23 0]

Fan has been coming on but only after the temperature has gone sky high, today it didn't come on at all just before it spat its dummy out.

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

It might be worth getting the radiator fan or switch checked out incase they have gone faulty

[coolrado 0]

yeah but it shouldnt be more than a thin layer of sludge on the oil cap.

 

did it seem to start/run ok once it cooled down again?

[coolrado 0]

the fan should kick in on low speed at just over half way and then high speed if it gets really hot, you shouldnt really see the high speed as it shouldnt really get that hot.

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

yeah but it shouldnt be more than a thin layer of sludge on the oil cap.

 

If you dip the dipstick and there is sludge ...worry

If its just on the underside of cap or rockercover....its ok.

 

If there is no sludge that's even better!

[coolrado 0]

take the plug off the radiator temp switch(bottom right as you look at the car from the front) and link the pins across cant remember the colours but if you check which one has 12v on it, link that to the other pins, one should make the fan run slow the other should make it run fast, if that works that rules out your fan motor and would point to the temp switch.

 

allthough thats on a g60 so not sure it applies to the vr?

[moneypit23 0]

Right, i just ran over to where i abandoned it and theres no more water coming out, the dipstick is clean, the oil filler cap is clean and the radiator cap is clean, yay!

So that looks like good news, PS forgot to mention is a late 16v 9a.

 

Thanks for all the help by the way

[bcstudent 0]

The headgasket could still have failed between a cylinder and a water-way, causing the cooling system to pressurise and restrict flow. A block test would prove/dis-prove that theory and, best of all, it's cheap to do.

 

If the headgasket checks out then the problem can't be too serious and you've already replaced the most expensive components!

 

You could try removing/replacing the thermostat on the off-chance that it's stuck closed and is preventing circulation through the radiator.

[Andy D 0]

Sounds like head gasket to me best thing to do is fill the engine with water run the engine with the interior heater blowing and try to bleed the system with the cap off. If the engine boils over before the fan kicks in then the head gasket has gone. Also make sure that top and bottom hoses are getting hot as a stuck thermostat can cause this problem as well. Also a good tell tale sign is if the heater blows hot the proves that the water is circulating. If when the engine is hot gently hold the top hose if you can feel air bubble going thought the pipe then the head gasket is the culprit

[Andy D 0]

Sounds like head gasket to me best thing to do is fill the engine with water run the engine with the interior heater blowing and try to bleed the system with the cap off. If the engine boils over before the fan kicks in then the head gasket has gone. Also make sure that top and bottom hoses are getting hot as a stuck thermostat can cause this problem as well. A good tell tell sign is if the heater blows hot the proves that the water is circulating. When the engine is hot gently hold the top hose if you can feel air bubble going thought the pipe then the head gasket is the culprit

[andy 0]

Also make sure that top and bottom hoses are getting hot as a stuck thermostat can cause this problem as well. A good tell tell sign is if the heater blows hot the proves that the water is circulating.

Yep it could still be a stuck thermostat or several other things, a bit early for people to assume its a headgasket tbh.

[keithmac 0]

Personally I`d put a fan switch on it and a stat if you can get in there, run the car hot and check the rad is getting warm especially around the fan switch area. Stuck in traffic with no fan is definitely going to boil the coolant, if the temp goes high while driving (air flowing over radiator) then that`s an indicator of a failed head gasket..

[markmcie 0]

Replace the cap on the expansion bottle. The rubber ring inside the cap can sometimes brake down and the water system is no longer air tight and will result in the coolant boiling over and out the overflow.

 

Its a cheap fix and worth a try before you go getting a headgasket replaced.

[dr_mat 0]

Sounds like the fans aren't working to me!

 

"Fan has been coming on ... today it didn't come on at all just before it spat its dummy out."

[scarlett 0]

hiya.... i had something similar a while back on my previous valver, turns out it was the fan switch and not the head gasket as had first been thought.... flushed system, replaced switch and stat and was fine... eliminate the cheaper, simpler possibilities first!!!