buggering sh*te.

 

on way home from work (15 minute journey).

 

after 6 or 7 minutes thought it was a bit weird that heater was still spewing out cold air.. it did this a couple of years ago and it was just the mixer getting it's knickers in a twist, so I adjusteted the climate control, changed fan setting, etc..

 

After about 10 mins there was a bit of heat, but not very much.. all other gauges (temp, etc) all normal.

 

stopped car to pick up parcel at a couriers, then started again.

 

After about 200 yards, I just slowed and turned onto sliproad to dual carraigway, and loads of smoke appeared around me (i.e. it was already doing it, but now I'd stopped it was visible where as before it was behind me (it was dark).

 

By this time I'm on the dual carraigway, so just take it easy thinking it was a turbo smoking bad, or my exhaust leaking (I had a bit of a leak at the cat, so figured it could just suddenly have got worse).

 

It took me another 6-10 mins to get home....

 

then when I stopped car, I realised it was coming from engine.. steam... feckin' loads of it.

 

Under pressure, and coming from top of engine.. bugger bugger bugger.

 

the gauge showed it as normal temp, but clearly it wasn't and has burst through the head gasket (?).

 

so, it's cooling down now in garage.

 

I suppose if I'm really really lucky I might not have damaged head gasket (might reseal ?? what do you think).. more likely that's gubbed.

 

However, of course the main thing is why the hell did it happen anyway.

 

My limited knowledge says it's either the fan or the water pump.

 

well.. if it was the fan (I switched engine off soon as got home so didn't check it was running) which the clutch has totally buggered up on, then it would get hot quicker, sure.. but it would mean the heater matrix would get hotter quicker too, so would not explain no heat in cockpit. Also, would not explain temp gauge staying normal.

 

So looks like it must be the water pump. If it wasn't pumping, the water in the heater matrix would stay cool, the water in the engine would get fecking hot, and the water around the temp sensor would be normal....

 

Thing is:

 

1) it was replaced by NISSAN (well they TOLD me they replaced it) when cam belt was done 30K ago)

2) it's on a direct drive on one of the accesory belts isn't it ? And they are all fine... even if it had ceased.. you'd expect the belt to break that was driving it wouldn't you ?....

 

so.. I'm a bit depressed.

 

Can anyone shed any light on what are the likely causes of this, what damage I've done.. and what I'm best to do next.. and how much it's likely to cost me ?

 

just after spending all weekend washing/waxing/fettling too... bummer.

 

thanks.

 

stu

ah.... of course the other reason could be no water....

 

just checked (and I check every week), and the overflow bottle shows fine (between min and max).. however take radiator cap off and I stopped pouring in water at 2 pints... it's not full.. it just takes time to drain into it.. looks like it's been leaking... and not pulling in water from the overflow for some reason.

 

so I take it the water pump has been pumping 'wet air' around the system.... if it's still working at all.

 

would this explain the temp gauage too ? where is it ? could be it measuring air temp now ?

 

The other reason I've not refilled it, is that at the moment it is clearly still very very low.. there is no water in the top left hand rubber pipe coming from the radiator and going into top of engine..

 

when I squeeze this (to find out if water in it), I can hear the air coming out of the top of the engine where the steam was coming out of (sort of at the back of the engine plate between the inlet manifolds).... so it looks like the gasket is well and truly buggered ? arse arse arse

 

So I'm looking at almost definately a new head gasket job.. possibly a new water pump too ?

 

just going to throw a rope over that big tree in the back garden...

 

stu

Stu

 

Could still be a hose thats gone and dumped your water - eventually it'll boil up the rest. You might be lucky and have no damage other than the burst hose. You'll have to fill it back up when cold and run it on idle to look for the leak. Obviously check your oil for water in it - salad cream and your water for oil in it - shiny colours on the surface.

 

Hope it's not so bad as you make it sound. I've never seen a head gasket go so badly that steam poured out of it. I've lost compression or blown to the water jacket or oil has burst out from an oil way but loads of steam, not in my (limited) experience.

And if the water is low the temp gauge dont work too well - hot damp air is not the same as water - once you have steam well thats another gas!

I'm loath to start it again in case I do more damage.

 

we are talking turkish bath here.. when I stopped in traffic, car engulfed by steam. when I put car in garage, whole double garage filled up with steam in a minute or so.. loads of the stuff. Took about 5 mins to stop coming out fast, and another 5 to top completely.

 

As I say, main reason I now think I'm not gonna get away with no damage, is that I can hear the air coming out the top of engine somewhere when I swish that hose.. I was figuring that it might be easier to track down where it's coming from if I didn't fill it up for now.. i.e. could put some water/fairy liqud on top of manifold... swish hose and trace where air bubble are... clearly if it's coming from the manifold/head seal though it's the gasket that gone. ANd something tells me that ain't gonna be a 1 hour job... at least it'll be the first thing that has been !

 

stu

Fraid i cant help at all, but when i had an air bubble in the system i had a couple of journeys resulting in loads of steam, 1 occasion the temp gauge was a couple of mm of the maximum, but no damaged seemed to occur and that was about 5 months ago.

 

You never know you could be lucky, you say you can hear air coming out the top, could be just u looking for problems if you get what i mean. Ya never know & my fingers are crossed for ya.

Stu - don't forget that there are LOTS of small bore (8mm) water pipes underneath the inlet manifold, and around the back top of the engine (feed the turbos).

 

These perish with age and burst.. I know, coz mine did, on the M40, and did just what yours did - absolutely TONS of steam, then dumped the remainder of the coolant on the hard shoulder..

 

Have a look at the Courtesy page here to see the ones I mean..

 

If you're lucky - the HG is fine, and it's one of those hoses... It was with mine..

Stu

 

I had the same problem. Only my temp gauge showed that the engine got hotter as it continued running. There was sh*t load of steam. It turned out to be worn inlet manifold pipes to the engine block. I had to refill the radiator every 3 miles after it had cooled down sufficiently.

 

Same as Aaron also.

 

All that needed doing was replacement inlet pipes and I also had the water pump changed as well whilst had all the ancillary belts out etc...just in case.

 

Hope it turns out ok for you mate.

 

Van

Stu, always difficult to be 100% correct but from your description it sounds very very much like one of the by pass hoses where the inlets are attached (middle front of engine) has gone, oddly have seen an increase in the failure of these in the Winter ?? have had maybe 5 zeds in with that very same fault since the new year!

 

Good news is they are easy to change no need to dismantle much, takes about 1.5hours

 

Jeff TT

The more I was thinking about what WillieO was saying (never seen that much steam), the more I was thinking it must be something like that.. also I had a small leak on one of those very pipes about 6 months ago.. though it had gone away, but clearly not.

 

So.. maybe.. fingers crossed thats what it is (certainly explains the tons of steam and the fact that there is such a free escape of air).

 

The next question is... if I fix it... how do I know whether my water pump is working and AOK (not damaged at all) ? Is it a matter of taking a pipe off and checking it spurts water out ? or can you see the water flow through the radiator with cap off ?

 

stu

stu

 

If your water pump is not leaking then its working!

 

Find your burst hose before you worry about the next issue.

 

If it is one of the short by pass hoses just under and behind the top water pipe on the engine it is actually possible to change these without taking the fan off. Provided you dont have big hands. You need a mirror and torch to check em though. If water is running down onto the floor it can look like it is coming from the water pump when it is rally coming from one of these.

 

These hoses are said to go every 3 years or so.

 

good luck

 

Willie

thanks.. I'll have a look.

 

it's the back of engine that is leaking though not front (i.e. above turbos. I'm hoping if I take the name plate off the middle of inlet manifold (the thing that says NISSAN v6 on it) I might be able to see leaking pipe..

 

stu

Heater matrix pipes are at the back of the engine. Slightly offset to the drivers side of centre. Absolute PITA to replace BUT easier than taking the plenum off to replace the 8mm bypass hoses Aaron mentioned. Can you take a pic of the area???

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

Originally posted by WillieO

stu

 

If your water pump is not leaking then its working!

 

 

thats a bit of an ambiguos statement!!!!

 

what if the impellors come off?? :rolleyes:

 

its a problem iv come across on many models (not saying thats happened here or anything! ;) )

Its a burst hose. No coolant in the system isn't caused by trapped air or anything. Steam everywhere is not a trapped air bubble either. Can you describe exactly where the steam is coming from?