Car Steaming

[Wrighty_1988]

The car (MK2 1.8 8v GTi) has just started smoking from the back almost all the time whilst driving, even when idling it smokes. I got down on my knees and smelt the smoke and it smelt of nothing really, so odds on its steam. Im gonna keep an eye on the water over the next few days and if it is going down i guess the headgasket has gona. Ive looked in my haynes manual and am fairly confident i can undertake the job myself. Thing i am wanting to ask is is there any other things whilst the head is off i could replace, talking most things that are readily available at GSF. Thanks alot.

[...joe]

is it steaming out of your exhaust? if its steaming constantly your water wont last long at all! you sure its not just the cold weather we're having? also if your headgasket is gone enough to produce constant steam it'd drive like a bag of sh!t!

[Conker]

I've got exactley the same thing on mine.  I think its the gasket but have also read that it could be the oil cooler leaking water into the oil.  Apparently if your not getting mayo on your dipstick/filler cap it could be the oil cooler.

While you've got the head of you could do valve stem seals, but from what I can gather this is a bit tricky, as you need valve spring compressors etc.

[peaky83]

I have a 1991 Golf GTi 8v 1.8, and am considering fitting an oil cooler,
1. where do i get one from,
2. how do i fit it
and 3. is it worthwhile?

Dan

[Wrighty_1988]

Thought it was the headgasket now im stumped, it isnt running like a big of sh!t, im starting to think that with all of the condensation and mist its just how it should be. There is alot of steam comming from the back end tho, stretches across the other side of the road sometimes, but might be cause ive got a small bumper and more of the exhaust is uncovered, even yesterday the bonnet was steaming in traffic so guess it must just be the car, laos water hasnt gone down in two days.

[turbodub]

If you've got steam coming from the bonnet area then you are leaking coolant in the engine bay. My money would be on the plastic flanges on the front/side of the cylinder head.

[Agreeable Slick]

Mine would be the seal on the expansion tank has gone.

[Village Idiots]

If you're not losing water you haven't got a water leak. That may seem obvious.
The oil cooler fitted can break down and when it does it leaks oil into the water, not the other way: the oil in the engine runs at a greater pressure than the water. This results in a scummy (oily to the touch) surface to the water in the expansion tank.
Cold weather will appear to produce more steam, like your breath on a cold morning.
If the car is kept where it can build up condensation (or dew) on the bonnet, heat from the engine will turn this into steam, hence the bonnet steams. Leaks in the engine bay will result in steam appearing from out of the edges of the bonnet.

[DarnPB]

If the ´smoke´ is steam and you suspect a head gasket, then you will have low compression in one or more cylinders. Steam is generally dirty white. Oil is generally a light blue haze unless the engine has a serious issue, in which case it will belch out blue smoke with a disgusting smell. Over rich burning is indicated by black smoke.
If it is just condensation, then this would disapear after a few minutes of running. If it is continuous, I would suspect rings or very worn valve guides.
If just the valve guide seals were gone, then you would get a smokey engine on start up, but then would clear. You would then get a puff of smoke when planting your foot after an over run.
Hope this helps.