Smoking Radiator in the Rain ?

[jeegnesh]

Just brought Elise S1 1998, as expected abs love it.

I drove it in the rain the first time today, I noticed when stuck in traffic there was smoke coming out of the front pod (radiator), I understand that the radiator is hot and rain hitting it will make it smoke but what I wanted to know is it normal ? is it safe to drive ?

Temperature ranged from 86-89 but it was a real short trip.

Appreciate any help you guys could give.

[Turnamere]

TADTS (they all do that sir), the water in the rad is pretty hot and rain falling on to it when stationary turns to steam. It's even more spectacular if stuck in traffic when the electric fan cuts in!!

You only need to worry if your radiator is steaming when it isn't raining.

[hbaumhardt]

Totally normal, all part of the Elise experience.

[shangani]

Sounds serious - probably terminal....






Only joking. As they said above. It scared me the life out of me the first time though!
Welcome to pistonheads BTW.

[jeegnesh]

Thanks peoples. Nice one shangani, you know it easy to scare a new owner :-)

So yet another new experience to enjoy, thanks for the welcome, been reading this forum for a bit, its well useful and quickly cures those scares as a new owner.

[bher]

Turnamere said:

You only need to worry if your radiator is steaming when it isn't raining.

It also happens after washing the car. Even more scarry or funny. You try to dry the windshield with the ventilation and the glass is still misted...
welcome in the real world

[Stu Hill]

Sitting in traffic with steam pooring of the front of the car, always makes me grin.

Word of warning though, sometimes, it can mist up the windscreen, thus giving bugger all visibility.

[shangani]

For the first while that you own the car, you will be worried about avary squeak or rattle. Don't be. These cars stand up to abuse better than anything I have ever been in. Without wanting to sound like an old f*rt, a few tips that I have learned over a couple of years of driving elises:

1) Let the engine warm up fully and then add 5 minutes or so for the oil temp to get above 60 degrees (no oil temp guage as standard) before thrashing the car. Helps enormously with engine life.

2) Take care in the wet - the car can swap ends rapidly if you lift off the throttle suddenly mid corner. That said, grip levels are phenomenal generally.

3) Get driver training - www.carlimits.com Andy Walsh is a top bloke. It will add no end to your enjoyment of elise ownership!

4) Get your car on the track.

'Nuff said. Enjoy the car M8 - trips for milk will take 3 hours you realise.

[ALE 111s]

Scared the life out of me, first trip in the rain and accelerated away from traffic light....whole indscreen misted up and cleared again within seconds.

Enjoy

[therossatron]

It's funny everytime you have a new passenger in the rain.

Sitting at the lights, "um dude, your car's on fire"

[Janitor]

shangani said:

...then add 5 minutes or so for the oil temp to get above 60 degrees

Shangers, I've taken that on board too and do it without fail every time... but I got to thinking that as the temp gauge shows the water temperature, could this mean that the oil would have actually warmed quicker due to it being in more direct contact as opposed to the transferred heat which the cooling system would have acquired?

I'm not arguing the oil warming theory, as I said I go along with that and I'm clearly no engineer, but just a thought

Sorry for the slight thread drift Jeegnesh... welcome to PH by the way!

[shangani]

I have an oil temp gauge - so I have a direct measure. In cold weather it takes 5-10 min longer than the water to reach optimum temperature. In summer it seems to take less time thoug as the oil is starting off at outside temp. At lower temps the oil is much thicker, hence the need to take it easy..

[sp60]

Which oil temp gauge do you have?
Was it an easy plumb in job (can't imagine it was!)

cheers

[jeegnesh]

This is good to hear, I had actually just waited for the temperature to get to 80 and then started to floor the car, so I guess I should wait a little longer then.

[Janitor]

Good stuff Shangers

The old 86 degrees + 10 minutes it is then

[shangani]

I have an Spa dual gauge - Oil temp and pressure.

£130 all in with sensors etc.

[sp60]

That's a good idea!
Easy to plumb in?

[shangani]

Ask Steve Williams - I couldn't be asked and he had the car for a radiator replacement.

[black_potato]

sp60 said:

That's a good idea!
Easy to plumb in?

Easy ish...

Buy Guages, Senders, bracket, cable, conectors, sumpplug adapter and conectors for pressure switch.

Get power to the gauges... Suggest, splicing into the radio loom
Run cables into Engine bay... Suggest, center tunnel and handbrake trunking
Install Drilled sump plug, and doing an oil change at same time.
Then connect it all up.

If you want a pressure sender as well you have some more work to do as you probably need a a few conectors and maybe a tee piece to locate the pressure sensor as its quite bulky by comparision and needs to be well mounted.

Around 3 hours work if you know what you are doing or a day for the DIY'er who is doing it for the 1st time.

If you just take you car to a garage expect a £400 ish bill.

[shangani]

On my car I had t pieces etec etc.

Final solutionwas as Richard outlined:

Temp sensor in sump plug adapter

Oil pressure sensor actually didn't need an adapter - there is a spare socket on the oil filter housing. The spa gauges come with all senders / wring etc etc.