serious wisdom needed please

[edpryce]

Ok, Firstly some background information to my problem -

 So I just tried to drive my car for the first time in since last tuesday (the day of all the snow.)
When driving in the snow, i realised that my heater wasnt blowing hot air as well as it used to, and that it took a while to come warm again. At the back of my mind I thought possible air block, and decided to wait until i drove next time to see if it was something to do with the cold.
I also noticed smoke, which i now think was burning oil, in the light of my headlights, but at the time dismissed it to exhaust fumes, as i was sitting in traffic. Car was keeping steady temperature throughout this.

So today I left my car running and went inside to fetch something. Came back and smoke was definately coming through the grill of my car. Opened it, and there is a lot of oil on the manifold. It looks as though it has come from the rocker cover. There was always a slight leak, but there was substaintialy more oil there today.

I then checked my water level, and it had all been used.

I am fairly basic in knowledge of engines, so could someone offer advice on what has probably happened? How easy the fix, and the steps i should take now?

I know it had anti freeze in, so that should elimanate a cracked pipe?

I tried to look on the road to see if the oil has leaked onto the road, but it is hard to see with our awful road surfaces in sheffield.

what are my best and worse case scenario? if it was the head gasket, i would have thought i would have had more overheating warnings by now?

I am thinking, fill it with water and oil (cant check current levels in the dark) tomorrow and see if it leaks if i leave the car standing?


Thanks, Sorry for this essay, trying to explain as best as i can.  Would really appreaciate ideas on what to do next?  I'm pretty heartbroken

Ed

Oh yeah 1984 8v gti, if it makes any difference

cheers

[DarnPB]

Remove the oil breather and check for ice. If that is clocked up, then chances are that you have had crankcase compression and it has vented through your dipstick.

[Alpine mike]

sounds like you had some sort of water leak, top it up with water and see if you can spot where its coming from with the engine off, hopefully there's no crackes! Then try to spot the leak with the engine on, it could be the valve in the expansion tank cap... giving way under pressure resulting in boiling over/steam everywhere. make sure there's no grit on the threads of the expansion cap.

[edpryce]

Remove the oil breather and check for ice. If that is clocked up, then chances are that you have had crankcase compression and it has vented through your dipstick.

will do,

if this has happened, is it bad news?

[edpryce]

sounds like you had some sort of water leak, top it up with water and see if you can spot where its coming from with the engine off, hopefully there's no crackes! Then try to spot the leak with the engine on, it could be the valve in the expansion tank cap... giving way under pressure resulting in boiling over/steam everywhere. make sure there's no grit on the threads of the expansion cap.

thanks,
I am awful at terms, the expansion cap is where?

[DarnPB]

Remove the oil breather and check for ice. If that is clocked up, then chances are that you have had crankcase compression and it has vented through your dipstick.

will do,

if this has happened, is it bad news?

No. Just clean it all out and you should be ok. Just top up the fluid levels.

sounds like you had some sort of water leak, top it up with water and see if you can spot where its coming from with the engine off, hopefully there's no crackes! Then try to spot the leak with the engine on, it could be the valve in the expansion tank cap... giving way under pressure resulting in boiling over/steam everywhere. make sure there's no grit on the threads of the expansion cap.

thanks,
I am awful at terms, the expansion cap is where?

On top of your expansion tank, where you put your coolant in.

[edpryce]

ha, thats embarrassing

[Agreeable Slick]

Check the water for oil droplets, and also the oil for mayonnaise.

In current temperatures it is not unheard of for cooling channels to crack in the block which could explain the water loss.

[DarnPB]

ha, thats embarrassing

Not at all. If you don't ask, how will you know?

[CHRIS_MC]

the responses in this thread are the reason, i love the vw community ;]

i had a similar problem, but it was my head gasket...