GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: dom on 08 September 2010, 16:54
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It's just one thing after another isn't it?!
Whilst trying to sort a knocking coming from the rear of my car (see here (http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=165846.0)) I noticed that when the car was being revved a fair amount of water was being spat from the tailpipes along with the occasional puff of what looks like white smoke.
This combined with the fact that in the last 8 weeks(ish) my coolant level has dropped from max - min is worrying me that it could be the head gasket.
However there isn't any 'mayo' under the oil cap.
Am i worrying unecessarily or is it likely to have gone? :undecided:
Also are there any other signs that it would be showing if the head gasket has gone?
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Check to see if there is any mayo like residue on the iol dipstick :smiley:
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Check to see if there is any mayo like residue on the iol dipstick :smiley:
No mayo on dipstick either.
I may just be worrying a bit, but i'm going to be doing 800 miles a week for the next 3 weeks and really don't want any potential problems with the car :undecided:
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is the water in your header tank bubbling? any loss of power?
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I had this and it has turned out to be the coolant pump. Listen out for a thumping or clunking sound on idle from around the pump area. I haven't gotten around to changing it yet because having to redo the timing is a bit scary :embarassed:
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I dont want to upset you but if you fill your header tank back up and go for a drive say 1mile or something like that and you lose all your water again and the car overheats its possible you have a cracked liner or or block!
maybe a piston ring if its chugging lots of black/white smoke could still be the head gasket though try a presure test that could tell you a few things.
Maybe the water pump has gone or you have a split in one of the coolant hoses underneath somewhere? any water dripping down underneath the car when upto full working temperature ? check all these and im sure it will be one :D
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get a coolant check done, if there's exhaust gas residues detected in your coolant then your head gasket has gone to splitsville
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I dont want to upset you but if you fill your header tank back up and go for a drive say 1mile or something like that and you lose all your water again and the car overheats its possible you have a cracked liner or or block!
maybe a piston ring if its chugging lots of black/white smoke could still be the head gasket though try a presure test that could tell you a few things.
Maybe the water pump has gone or you have a split in one of the coolant hoses underneath somewhere? any water dripping down underneath the car when upto full working temperature ? check all these and im sure it will be one :D
As I said in my original post it has taken about 8 weeks for the header tank to empty, also the car isn't overheating.
is the water in your header tank bubbling? any loss of power?
No real loss of power and water doesn't appear to be bubbling but can't be sure.
Here is a video of it, it's not the best quality but you can just about make out the water and the occasional puff of smoke (one around 20 seconds in and one around 30). There is more smoke but the camera didn't pick it up, also the quality is a lot better on my comp...it deteriorated when I uploaded it to youtube :angry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xLlHpa49OE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xLlHpa49OE)
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I'm probably just being paraniod about it all, i've topped up the coolant for now. Gonna try and get a chemical test done tomorrow which should let me know either way! On a plus side i've sorted the knocking noise :grin:
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From look of the vid it seems fine, do you think it could be condensation in the exaust?
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From look of the vid it seems fine, do you think it could be condensation in the exaust?
I know the vid doesn't show it up very well, the car had been running for about 30 mins prior to the filming so i'm sure all condensation would have been gone by then. I'll get the chemical test done tomorrow and take it from there, i'm probably just worrying for no reason!
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I'm probably just being paraniod about it all, i've topped up the coolant for now. Gonna try and get a chemical test done tomorrow which should let me know either way! On a plus side i've sorted the knocking noise :grin:
What was it?????
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stop been a girl, bit of water is normal
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stop been a girl, bit of water is normal
Pretty much what the mechanic has just said. Water = normal, loosing coolant = water leak :grin:
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How rude Dom, you ignored my question :sad:
What was the knocking noise? lol :grin:
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dom, another thing to check is your RAD, Im loosing a bit of coolant too now, their is the most tiny leak in the very corner of my RAD. took some finding
im gonna wack a new ad in when i do my engine conversion
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Pressure test then! :rolleyes:
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How rude Dom, you ignored my question :sad:
What was the knocking noise? lol :grin:
Sorry dude, didn't even see your question! It was a severly corroded bracket that supports the backbox, the bit that holds the rubbers were screwed into the bracket ok but the whole lot was bouncing up and down due to corrosion. So the noise was the backbox :rolleyes:
dom, another thing to check is your RAD, Im loosing a bit of coolant too now, their is the most tiny leak in the very corner of my RAD. took some finding
im gonna wack a new ad in when i do my engine conversion
Pressure test then! :rolleyes:
I've filled the coolant again, over the weekend sometime i'll leave the car in the garage and let it run upto temp, see if theres any obvious leaks. If not then pressure test it is :smiley:
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I dont want to upset you but if you fill your header tank back up and go for a drive say 1mile or something like that and you lose all your water again and the car overheats its possible you have a cracked liner or or block!
maybe a piston ring if its chugging lots of black/white smoke could still be the head gasket though try a presure test that could tell you a few things.
Maybe the water pump has gone or you have a split in one of the coolant hoses underneath somewhere? any water dripping down underneath the car when upto full working temperature ? check all these and im sure it will be one :D
As I said in my original post it has taken about 8 weeks for the header tank to empty, also the car isn't overheating.
is the water in your header tank bubbling? any loss of power?
No real loss of power and water doesn't appear to be bubbling but can't be sure.
Here is a video of it, it's not the best quality but you can just about make out the water and the occasional puff of smoke (one around 20 seconds in and one around 30). There is more smoke but the camera didn't pick it up, also the quality is a lot better on my comp...it deteriorated when I uploaded it to youtube :angry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xLlHpa49OE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xLlHpa49OE)
I have the same damn problem, though im still learning; i was told possibly head gasket. not seen any mayo yet. car starts to chuckle abit when stationary... not terribly but noticeable enough, dunno if thats anything to do with the same problem?! ive got abit of white smoke too. cant seem to see any mass leaks when coolant tank vanishes! tubes and pipes seem ok tho. :sad:
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I'd forgotten about this thread!
Quick update then, pressure test done, leak but unknown where :angry:
It was 100% not going into the oil, so I started with a new expansion tank lid and replaced a hose that had seen better days, retested and not loosing pressure :smiley: