smokey engine

[Robbiet9999]

Hi long tale of woe. Got in minor this morning after turning over a few times got her started. In the time it took my wife to get in and belt up large plumes of smoke started coming out from under the bonnet. First thought was a fire so we both got out i popped the hood to have a look. The smoke was coming out of the air filter. so i turned her off as she was running at the time. Once the smoke had cleared I started her again, this time with no smoke coming from the air filter. Decided to take the short run to Tescos as she seemed ok (probably stupid idea!!!). Roughly 2 miles down the road I pulled over to check the engine as wife said she could smell radiator water. Steam was coming from the radiator overflow pipe but nothing else was apparent. Made it another 3 miles to Tesco with only a funny 'humming' sound coming from the engine. Once parked popped the bonnet to discover the humming sound was coming from the overflow pipe along with more steam. I checked the oil, which was fine but when checking the oil filler cap it was covered in creamy gunky stuff but the rockers were clean - so don't know if head gasket has gone. Waited 4 hours for AA to turn up as didn't want to risk engine going bang on the way home. When they arrived all they said was take it easy driving home - were unable to give any advice as to the cause of the problem. Managed to get home. No more steam from radiator however lots of smoke from engine oil filler cap area once parked. Could she be the victim of the cold - water in block frozen but not enough to split block? (it was around -5 here last night) Any advice will be greatfully received as this has really got me stumped!!![frame][/frame]

[Robbiet9999]

Now that she has cooled down have checked radiator and it is empty. have also checked oil its black not creamy. so i am stumped.

[dalebrignall]

did you have a good quanity of antifreeze in the water,could be that the theromastat is jammed,and did not open and the water in the rad boiled its self dry ,mine stuck closed and then opened and emptyed the rad .might be worth a try a new stat.as for the gunk it might be just the cold weather ,the engines dont get hot enough to burn off the water thats produced when driving along.

[Robbiet9999]

Have tried to remove thermostat housing but its solid so will have to try and get it off tomorrow . as for the quantity of antifreeze i have not got a clue but the water was a horrible brown colour.

[bmcecosse]

Obviously you MUST have antifreeze in winter..... It does rather sound as though there may be a crack in the head or block - although usually it would just pop out a core plug or two. I wouldn't worry about the thermostat - was the water pump maybe frozen and the fan belt just skidding round on the pulley? Was the fan spinning round ok? I suggest you fill up with water and see if there are any leaks - then run the engine at fast idle with the rad cap off for 20 minutes and see what happens. Does the heater produce warm air? Are there bubbles rising up in the radiator neck ?

[Robbiet9999]

Fan was spinning fine. it does seem as though it has just spat all the water out of the overflow pipe. if the head or block had cracked surely there would have been a mess under the engine bay when i got to tescos

[bmcecosse]

Depends - but we have to figure why it would be pushing water out of the overflow and 'smoking'.......

[Robbiet9999]

So what should i do first do you think. i am going to check the termostat just so i can eliminate it.

[bmcecosse]

As I suggested - fill it up and run it for 20 mins at fast idle...... You may have to smash the thermostat housing .... I wouldn't rush into that just yet.

[Dean]

Mine spat all the water out once when I had an airlock in the heater after emptying and refilling when adding antifreeze. It started to overheat on a run after several hours of motorway work. After refiling and purging all air correctly.. never had a problem since.

Did you change the water recently?.. I'm suspecting you didn't but need to ask.

[Robbiet9999]

No i hadn't . she was working well heater was amazing loads of warm air. will refill and check for bubbles.

[bmcecosse]

I have never ever had an 'airlock' in an A series engine. Thinking about it - if you had sub-zero temperature and no antifreeze, what has happened is that the radiator core has frozen when the fan started to pull cold air through and the car started to move through the air. The water then couldn't circulate and so it overheated and boiled up - there was some circulation of this boiling water through the heater - hence it worked well! If there prove to be no leaks and the 20 minute test is passed - drain and flush the old coolant out and refill with anti-freeze. You will have 'got away with it'.......... However - I have to warn that after a boil up - there is enhanced risk of a head gasket failure shortly after. If you have the time - it may be worth torquing down the head and resetting the valve gaps...........

[Robbiet9999]

Have refilled and run for about twenty minutes no leaks oil or water put a litre of anti freeze in as well but heater now blows cold. any ideas

[bmcecosse]

It will clear - just take it out for a good hard run!

[Robbiet9999]

Took her out around the lanes where i live heater working fine. how much anti freeze do you suggest. also what oil should i use

[Dean]

30% antifreeze mix, but I go for 50% to give me down to -20 satisfaction.

Oil should be 20W 50.

[Dean]

I have never ever had an 'airlock' in an A series engine.

The air lock was in the heater BMC, my heater pipes climb vertical through the bulkhead and drop down the other side into the engine bay. I'm sure my heater holds about 1 litre, which if it is 1 litre of air, gets heated, expands and blasts through like an elepants trump through a narrow sewer pipe. I guess this is why the water goes with it.

[Robbiet9999]

I have 10w 40 or 15w 40 in the garage would that be ok.

[bmcecosse]

Well - 15/40 would be 'ok' in winter - but get 20W50 for summer. Wilco stuff is fine.
An 'airlock' suggests it never moves - yes - an air bubble can get in the heater - but it clears almost instantly when you rev up - so not really a 'lock' ..

[Robbiet9999]

Started her up for the drive to work this morning all good. but at almost every tme I've had to stop she cuts out but will start and idle when i pull the starter afterwards. any ideas or is it just the cold again.