Car Over Heating

StaggerLee

This Morning my car over heated on the M50, steam everywhere and it was making a howling noise, I barely made it to work, the traffic was terrible and I was stuck in a Jam for about 50 minutes.

There is a slight oil leek in the car, I was putting Oil in the other day and noticed some creamey stuff aROUND THE OIL CAP, LOOKED LIKE BAILEYS..

Anyone any ideas?

Ratchet

StaggerLee wrote:

This Morning my car over heated on the M50, steam everywhere and it was making a howling noise, I barely made it to work, the traffic was terrible and I was stuck in a Jam for about 50 minutes.

There is a slight oil leek in the car, I was putting Oil in the other day and noticed some creamey stuff aROUND THE OIL CAP, LOOKED LIKE BAILEYS..

Anyone any ideas?

Baileys is not good, depending on the amount this will indicate headgasket problem. Just don't tell me it's a Fiat.

StaggerLee

No, its a 98 polo 65k on the clock only recently serviced

Raytown Rocks

Hey StaggerLee
I'm afraid to say it sounds like your head gasket is gone ( not a good thing).I just checked with a mechanic mate of mine.
This could be quite expensive to repair.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

StaggerLee

Yep that seems to be the concensus, the gasket is gone or going

will it get me home?

CTU_Agent

I wudnt drive it at all to be honest... u cud run the risk of it exploding and it wount be pretty if ur on a road like the m50.

fletch

We used to have a car that overheated a lot .....when we used to see the temp gauge rising, we'd open all the windows and turn the interior heater on full blast....it'd keep the engine cooler for that bit longer
Just thought I'd mention it.

CTU_Agent

this car is way past overheating.... the head gasket is actaully blown....a white mayonaisey type substance in your oil is the sure sign your head gasket is gone.... it would be really dangerous to drive it in that condition.

Ratchet

cost of work will be around 300 (not talking VW place)

alias no.9

Ratchet wrote:

Baileys is not good, depending on the amount this will indicate headgasket problem. Just don't tell me it's a Fiat.

Ironically, this is where it would be a good thing if it was a punto. The head gaskets blown, there's no altering that fact, but there would be no problem finding a mechanic who is experienced at changine a punto head gasket (reckoned to be a very simple job, you'll have the head off while the kettle is boiling!) and the gasket should be on the shelf in any motor factors!

BrianD3

Creamy stuff on the inside of the oil cap does not necessarily mean head gasket failure. In fact, I'd say that most cars 5+ years old which do only short journeys and rarely heat up properly will have some "baileys" on the inside of the cap even though their head gaskets are fine.

If there is creamy stuff on the dipstick or oil in the water or the car uses water that would be a more reliable indicator of HG failure. Overheating is another symptom of HG failure. Based on the info you've provided it is likely that your gasket may be gone but it may be something else - don't rule out other causes just yet.

BrianD3

StaggerLee

OK, all the coolant had gone out of the car, I filled it with water and it seems to be running fine, wont know for sure until I drive it some more, there is something amiss somewhere though. As for the gasket, I dont think that is gone, fingers crossed. I spoke to my mechanic, the creamy stuff at the oil cap could have happened due to steam/condensation mic=xing with oil around the area, he said if the same stuff was on the dipstick then that would suggest the gasket is gone...
Heres to hoping!

Ratchet

good news then. just watch the fluid and oil in next few days

lomb

probably a failing water pump id say, vws are known for crap oem water pumps. unlikely to lose that much coolant thru a faining head gasket.

Ratchet

lomb wrote:

probably a failing water pump id say, vws are known for crap oem water pumps. unlikely to lose that much coolant thru a faining head gasket.

yeah VW plastic impellers :rolleyes:

StaggerLee

when running, the heaters in the car are bloeing hot air, I think that means the engine is pumping water...??

Tobias Greeshman

If you can see any crap in the tank where the coolant goes its a sure sign of the head gasket after blowing. Its normally a ****ty brown in colour, also a water pump going would cause it to go as well (as someones already pointed out).

Also if the coolant level dropped too low, that'd blow a head gasket too, them pre 99 puntos were a bitch for doing that!

Keyzer

Staggerlee..
Weren't you convicted of having your way with cars before?
That creamy stuff sounds like ye got a bit carried away with the polo....

StaggerLee

I didn't do it, nobody saw me do it, can't prove anything

Seth Brundle

filling with water alone will not suffice!

Lord Nikon

Creamy substance under the oil-cap would be a symtom of HGF(head gasket failure).
I would advise you not to drive in heavy traffic, or avoid driving at all.

At the very least, fill coolant tank/expansion tank with correct mix of coolant/antifreeze. DO NOT OVERFILL, if you overfill, the coolant cannot breathe properly and the steam will find another way out, usually the Head Gasket.

If you can get the problem looked at sooner than later, you will be better off. The engine will warp more and more the longer you put it off.

Oh, another symtom is cold air blowing from the heating vents when they are set to hot.

Ratchet

neuromancer wrote:

Creamy substance under the oil-cap would be a symtom of HGF(head gasket failure).

........

not always, depending on the amount moisture will do this too.

as stated previously mixed oil is real give away

mike65

Have you considered the rad fan may not be cutting in due to a blown sensor? Or bad thermostat?

As for mayo, as said cars that live sad lives in urban traffic are prone to this as they never get a proper "heat through" so moisture in the engine mixes with oil and forms a goo. I would advise city drivers to get some country air every few weeks and give the old dear hell for an hour or two.

Mike.

BrianD3

Yeah the boiling over could be due to loads of things apart from a head gasket eg
-themostast not opening properly
-faulty cap on the expansion tank
-bad water pump
-fan not operating
-blocked radiator
-collapsed hose
-airlock in the system

If you want to provide more info on what the car is doing then I'll have a stab at diagnosing the problem. In any case, a decent mechanic who can do a pressure test on the cooling system and a compression test on the cylinders will be able to find the problem pretty quickly.

As already stated a few times the fact that there is mayonnaise on the oil filler cap proves nothing. I'd say it's a common trick among unscrupulous mechanics to immediately diagnose head gasket failure when they see the slightest bit of cream on the filler cap.

BrianD3

zapata

Something similiar happened a pals polo a couple of years ago, turned out the fuse for the rad fan was blown causing steam to fly out in heavy traffic. Replaced the fuse, topped up with coolant and not a bother since. Kept a check on it though. The baileys gunk is not necessarily a sign of HGF, possibly caused by the type of use the engine gets.

StaggerLee

I know, I am bringing it to the mechanic today. It overheats as soon as I turn off the hot air.