Have I cooked my engine? 1983 VW T25

[LegenderryT25]

Hi all,

first time poster and thanks to all the other posters who I've read already on trying to get my first van registered and ready for the road. Today was supposed to be the glorious day when I would get my MOT and finally get a V5 for a Dutch import 1983 1.9L Petrol T25. I'd had her checked by the local mechanic last week and he did spot a coolant leak in the metal pipe underneath connecting the engine to the radiator and so he fastened a bit of rubber hosing over that to stop the leak. He then flushed the coolant and refilled it with tap water. He told me to gradually top it up with antifreeze and keep an eye on the levels and the pipe.

Last night was a pretty cold snap. This morning I had an early start and a bit of a flat battery so was in a rush to get to the MOT centre. The red warning light on the dashboard coolant indicator came on and I drove for probably a further 5 - 10 km before smoke started pouring out the engine. Pulled over and checked the level in the water tank behind the number plate. It was still fine. Engine wouldn't turn over at all so got towed home. Checked the level in the upper water tank inside the engine bay and it was completely empty. Tow man thought that I may have cooked the engine and will need a replacement. Mechanic can't look at it till Friday but thought I would try to see if there's anything I can do before then or have something to suggest to the mechanic.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do to get her running again? Or can anyone recommend a garage in Northern Ireland or close by that specialised in VW campers? Or has my goose been cooked before I ever got to try her?

[lloydy]

only thing i can say is refill and bleed the system, run it and keep your fingers crossed. You may be lucky......

why was the coolant only filled with water??

Sounds like the system wasn't bled properly after coolant change, or your leak come back, or if it got that cold water could have froze (because it had no coolant in it)

[tforturton]

Refilling the coolant on these things can be a bit tricky, and it looks as though your mechanic left you with a lot less than you needed, due to a lack of knowledge. Suggest you read up in the Wiki (up at the top of the page - Section 7 Cooling and Heating) before attempting that again. Also, note that the correct coolant type and mixture is very important. Hard to say whether it's done any permanent damage - you'll need to find someone who can take a look at it for you.

[LegenderryT25]

Thanks very much lloydy and tforturton for the quick replies. Yeah, I had looked through the wiki section on the cooling system and was aware that it was important to use the right anti-freeze and I've now seen a few posters on here with some similar tales of woe. I think I have myself more to blame than anyone else as I was aware of the anti-freeze issue more than the mechanic. I'll maybe try to see if I can try the bleed and refill but with the engine not even turning over now I'm not optimistic. Appreciate the tea and sympathy if nothing else

[nicktennear]

I know it sounds obvious but have you tried to start it now it's cooled down? Old wiring makes starting hot hard, even if you keep your foot on the gas when starting. I thought I'd done the same when It got all steamy in the back for me, but it needed a drink and a long wait. Changed all my wiring and bush now and starts fine when hot. Hope you get it sorted, bet someone on here will be more useful but they work longer hours than me.

[CovKid]

He does say smoke though rather than steam and 4-5 miles with little or no coolant doesn't bode well. You can fry an engine in much less than that. Could be melted wires in engine bay but first thing to do is see if engine can even be rotated by hand.

[LegenderryT25]

Tried following nicktennear's suggestion this morning and poured water into the empty coolant tank which then instantly escaped from below the main engine block. Didn't get underneath to see exactly where it was escaping from but took this as a bad sign. Obviously, two weeks ago when we were flushing the coolant system after repairing the small leak in the metal pipe underneath, this wasn't happening. So looks like no way of getting it running at the moment and will just have to wait for the mechanic to look at it later this week.

[nicktennear]

I was definitely clutching at straws there, sorry. Hope you get it sorted

[slippy8v]

fellow T25 owner here in Northern Ireland, where are you at. Im in Ballyclare legenderry would suggest the maiden city?

[tandemsandy]

I've tried to find my original post on this subject from about 4 yrs ago but cannae find it.

We had similar - had owned Vinnie for 10 days, didn't spot a coolant leak, spectacular overheat with steam & smoke everywhere. When cold engine would turn over but water just poured out of the water jacket seals.

I dropped the engine, heads off, pistons & barrels out, honed the bores, replaced the water jacket seals, new piston rings, rebuilt everything, fixed the coolant pipe leak (hole in the metal pipe near the rear wheel). Cost about £200 in parts & fluids & tools. I have to say I was fortunate that all the head studs were in good condition, mainly due to the previous owner being particular about coolant changes that prevented the dreaded stud corrosion.

That was 20,000 miles ago and he's run brilliantly ever since. I'd never have attempted it without the knowledge of Club80-90, but in hindsight it was probably the best way to get to know an old VW. Vinnie & I are now intimate and I also know what jobs have been done, what potential pitfalls I've already prevented, and how to fix any future issues. And lets be honest you're in the same position we were, you've nowt to loose by trying but lots to gain!

Rob