Water works

[AlanM6]

For a few months now ive had problems with my cooling system, now and again the rad would pour a couple of ltrs of water out through the expansion bottle on to the tarmac, so I decided that it was time to flush the system renew the coolant, thermostat and rad cap. All has been fine for the past 5-6 weeks until today. After running around local for half an hour parked up and nipped in to a shop on returning to my motor and starting her up i was horrified to see a cloud of white smoke billowing from my exhaust. jumped out to see water pouring from the expansion bottle, Convinced the the worst had happend I get on the phone to Stevo only to find that he,s away on his hols.
Thing is now i,m not sure that its the head, Ive toped up the cooling system
started her up no sign of white smoke, reved her up no white smoke, took her out and hammered her, plenty black smoke, no white smoke no water in the oil no air bubbles in expansion bottle, no over heating
anyone got any ideas

[poppy986]

Hi Aian.
I'm no expert but I would say it the head has cracked.
Mine had the same symptoms on and of for about 6 mths or so
before it gave up altogether.

I would surgest to get it presure tested that will determine it
one way or another.
Then wait to Stevo gets back from his hols if you wait

Cheers Chris

[Maverick]

Yes I'm afraid to say that sounds exactly like what mine did, and it was the head. I was caught out because previous motors the oil and water mixed producing the white slim, but where the Surfs crack on the exhaust the coolent system just over pressures and blows it out the expansion tank.
A simple test is to start the car with the rad cap off (do not do this with the engine hot), water should not come out of the rad cap. If it does chances are your cars head has gone.
Mine was replaced by TonyN cause I'm a southern boy using one of Stev0s' heads, and to be honest in this situation I'd personally only trust people like Stev0 or TonyN, cause of their specialist knowledge.

Hope you sort it soon, cause I still think there's nothing to touch a Surf.

[Malenibo]

For a few months now ive had problems with my cooling system, now and again the rad would pour a couple of ltrs of water out through the expansion bottle on to the tarmac, so I decided that it was time to flush the system renew the coolant, thermostat and rad cap. All has been fine for the past 5-6 weeks until today. After running around local for half an hour parked up and nipped in to a shop on returning to my motor and starting her up i was horrified to see a cloud of white smoke billowing from my exhaust. jumped out to see water pouring from the expansion bottle, Convinced the the worst had happend I get on the phone to Stevo only to find that he,s away on his hols.
Thing is now i,m not sure that its the head, Ive toped up the cooling system
started her up no sign of white smoke, reved her up no white smoke, took her out and hammered her, plenty black smoke, no white smoke no water in the oil no air bubbles in expansion bottle, no over heating
anyone got any ideas

Hi Alan, mine has exactly the same symptons. Suddenly started overheating for no reason after 6 miles of travel from cold. Now runs fine with no movement in the temp gauge for days then suddenly it chucks water out through the expansion bottle. I top up and everything is ok again for days then it happens again. Seems as though the pressure builds up it blows off the excess water as it should do into the expasion bottle but then it does not suck back as it cools down, eventually it throws out most of the water and then overheats. My garage is baffled as we have fitted a new rad and fully flushed all the system and the pressure test is ok. So if you find the problem or a cure Please let me know.

[AlanM6]

Malenibo

Malenibo you say that your motor passed the head pressure test, have you checked your Viscous Fan, mine acts kind of strange at times it will kick in while i,m motoring along at 50-60 mph and doesn't kick in when i would expect it to i.e sitting in traffic after driving at speed. I did as Maverick986 suggested and started her up from cold with the rad cap off and water poured out, so if what he says is right then i need a new head. Might get a pressure test done just to confirm.
Took her out to-day done 80 miles no problems.

[marky]

ALAN you will have good days then bad days but i'd agree with the others as i had the same symptons.

[Malenibo]

When the pressure test was done it showed up a leak in the rad hence it was changed. Not sure if the garage re pressurised to check for the head. I notice that all the over vehicles mentioned in this thread are 2.4 engined. Mine is a 3.0 ltr 3rd gen. Are they prone to crack in the same place.

Have not checked the fan but it seems ok. Will try the rad test mentioned tomorrow after it has been stood overnight.

Back to France next week, not sure whether to risk it or take the wifes car.

[TJG]

Not sure if this is a con or not but my mates Rangey was overheating in trafic with aircon etc on the other week when it was really hot out. He took it to the garage he usually goes to, they put something over where the rad cap goes, started engine and crystals in it changed colour or something, thus proving it was the head gasket. Now this all sounds like "snake oil" to me but has anyone else heard of this?

[Pete]

Not sure if this is a con or not but my mates Rangey was overheating in trafic with aircon etc on the other week when it was really hot out. He took it to the garage he usually goes to, they put something over where the rad cap goes, started engine and crystals in it changed colour or something, thus proving it was the head gasket. Now this all sounds like "snake oil" to me but has anyone else heard of this?

The crystals change colour due to there being combustion gasses in the coolant.

[TonyN]

Mine is a 3.0 ltr 3rd gen. Are they prone to crack in the same place.

No 3.0 arn't prone to it, but like any engine it could be cracked, you don't know if its overheated in the past and done damage, but more likely to be just a head gasket with a 3.0.

The crystals are another way of proving combustion gases are in the cooling system, but it won't tell you if its the headgasket, cracked block or head.

[Malenibo]

Thanks Tony that is a little more encouraging news. However I am due to go back to France next Monday so does not leave a lot of time to get the head gasket replaced and then if they strip it down and it is a head crack I am cream crackerd. At the moment it is behaving normally with no sign of the temp gauge rising. Tried the test with the rad cap off and when reved water overflows. Honest opinion please. Do you think it will get me 600 miles there and 600 back if I baby it. I am covered for european recovery but I just do not want the hassle.

[Rob]

The water will gradually overflow anyway, as the engine gets hotter and the water expands. It will overflow more so when you rev it as the water pump will create a greater pressure, so some will come out the top of the rad rather than going round the system. This is normal.
If you have loads of air escaping from it and its taking most of the coolant with it, and it does this straight from cold, then this is when you should be worrying. Not the best test in the world tho - just shows up a common symptom.
However, I wouldn't like to guess if anyones car will do a 1200 mile round trip, even without any problems!