Overheating issues
Posted: 06 Jun 2013, 20:20
Howdy all,
So today, my westy and I tried to tackle the alps. Unsuccessfully unfortunately.
I've got a 1.6td, which generally runs pretty well. I've only had it about a month.
It's fully laden as we're travelling, with myself and the other half.
Temp gauge generally sits quite low, just above the first line, probably a bit out of whack. On the last few hills we've battled and won, it's generally gone up to about half, but the accent hasn't been that great. Today, we were climbing for a good 20 minutes or so, with the temp gauge pinned on half. Could smell a bit of water steam, so I pulled over. When I got out to check it out, steam was pouring out of the side rear air vents. Nothing from the exhaust. No leaks under the car. I turned the motor off, pulled everything out of the back and had a look at the motor, but couldn't see anything. No water was dripping anywhere, and there was only a touch of steam remaining by that stage, on the left hand side by the looks of it. I let it cool down for 45 mins, then kicked her over again. Temp remained normal, no more white smoke. I turned around and headed back down the mountain for a much needed beer.
Just had a look at the motor after its been sitting there for a couple of hours and the header tank is full to the brim (it's usually a cm or so below the lid) and the expansion tank is a couple of cm's above where is was this morning. The water's Luke warm. Doesn't seem to have lost any water. Initially I thought head gasket, but now I'm not so sure. Oil looks the way it should. I thought that there might be a leak on the left hand side of the engine, but I'm finding it hard to have a look there. I thought water might be leaking onto the exhaust manifold, but that sits above the head gasket, and not below. Although the turbo sits there as well. Do any other water pipes sit in that area?
Has anyone got any ideas as to what's happening here? What should i check before taking her in? Assuming as white smoke was coming out of the air vents that water is escaping somewhere? Really praying its not the head gasket as the last thing I want to be doing is heading into a Swiss mechanic.
So today, my westy and I tried to tackle the alps. Unsuccessfully unfortunately.
I've got a 1.6td, which generally runs pretty well. I've only had it about a month.
It's fully laden as we're travelling, with myself and the other half.
Temp gauge generally sits quite low, just above the first line, probably a bit out of whack. On the last few hills we've battled and won, it's generally gone up to about half, but the accent hasn't been that great. Today, we were climbing for a good 20 minutes or so, with the temp gauge pinned on half. Could smell a bit of water steam, so I pulled over. When I got out to check it out, steam was pouring out of the side rear air vents. Nothing from the exhaust. No leaks under the car. I turned the motor off, pulled everything out of the back and had a look at the motor, but couldn't see anything. No water was dripping anywhere, and there was only a touch of steam remaining by that stage, on the left hand side by the looks of it. I let it cool down for 45 mins, then kicked her over again. Temp remained normal, no more white smoke. I turned around and headed back down the mountain for a much needed beer.
Just had a look at the motor after its been sitting there for a couple of hours and the header tank is full to the brim (it's usually a cm or so below the lid) and the expansion tank is a couple of cm's above where is was this morning. The water's Luke warm. Doesn't seem to have lost any water. Initially I thought head gasket, but now I'm not so sure. Oil looks the way it should. I thought that there might be a leak on the left hand side of the engine, but I'm finding it hard to have a look there. I thought water might be leaking onto the exhaust manifold, but that sits above the head gasket, and not below. Although the turbo sits there as well. Do any other water pipes sit in that area?
Has anyone got any ideas as to what's happening here? What should i check before taking her in? Assuming as white smoke was coming out of the air vents that water is escaping somewhere? Really praying its not the head gasket as the last thing I want to be doing is heading into a Swiss mechanic.