Hi Everyone just found this forum when trying to find out what the issue is with my car. Anyway below is the story so far

when I drive my car to work no traffic on the way get there and back no coolant loss everything is fine. Checked for white smoke gunk and nothing there. So dont think its the head

When I went for a longer drive today and pulled up in the car park checked under the car and water was dripping from the drivers side (was quite a big puddle). Popped open the bonnet and steam was comming from the little hole in the middle of the water bottle cap. and it had dumped my coolant from max down to about a 3rd full or a little less. after gf had been shopping left it at that level on the way home and had the temp sensor warning light all the way home

car temp never went more than 1/2 way. never heard the fan kick in. when I put on the inside fans to hot the temp starts dropping.

So could this be an issue with the car getting to hot and a faulty sensor? which is causing the dump of water. faulty water bottle under presure Or any other ideas?

I am going to have a good look tomorrow as I have the day off work. So any ideas what it can be and what I should be looking for

Thanks

Kev

Edited 31 May, 201115 yr by kevinm79

Two main things that are common

Thermostat failure

Head gasket

Before you panic neither are that expensive nor difficult to do. Get it hot and check to see if both top and bottom hoses are hot. I suspect your thermostat is stuck shut and not circulating coolant. Fans won't cut in as the switch is in the bottom part of the radiator which is still cold as there is no circulation, water is coming out of the overflow in the header tanks as it's getting to hot. Or it's over pressurising due to a blown head gasket. Check down the right hand side of the head and see if you have a temac gasket fitted.

These are modified, however they still can give issue as they didn't always bolt the head down fully at factory.

Thanks for the quick response.

Just had a look could not see that on the head. top pipe omfg that was hot would say near to boiling point bottom pipe was not as hot but still quite hot. temp did not go past 1/2 way at any point. It just gets 1/2 way then stays there. water bottle was vhot. cooling fans never kicked in.

So does this point to a thermostat failure? Or something else ?

Sounds like the head gasket then over pressurising the system, especially if it's not a temac gasket.

Did mine for just over £100 so not the end of the world.

thanks for that will get the job done.

Only thing that makes me think it was not that is the fact when it dumps the water. its boiling hot. it does not do it when driving just when stuck in traffic no airflow. so made me think it could of been down to the fact its running way to hot and my sensor is not reporting the correct temp.

But hey I am a noob when it comes to this sort of thing

Thanks Tech1e

Just had it checked and yea its back pressure that seems to be causing the leek. Just another question was it around £100 to get a garage to do it or did you do it yourself.

did the head need skimming as well ?