Possible HG Failure

[NobleGuy]

Having done the front turbo I was hoping my smoky exhaust would go away but it hasn't. It's now doing it when warmed up and it's fairly thick white smoke/steam that dissipates around head height.

I don't think it's condensation as it is fairly thick and constant. Temps seem normal, although I haven't had the confidence to really push it with smoke coming out of the back and it's definitely losing a small amount of coolant. Oil level seems to be constant.

I'm going to replace all the coolant hoses this weekend just to make sure it's not just old pipe leakage. If it is the HG what should I get done while that's being fixed (nothing too expensive please as the car has killed me this year already ).

I was thinking valve stem seals for a start. I've got the benign but dreaded tappety sound from the known issue at the top of the Ford engine that might be worth sorting. Bondy also mentioned uprated valve springs. Any other bits I should consider?

[RobP]

Have you checked the oil-filler cap? If coolant is getting into the sump via HG usually you will find a creamy brown emulsion on the inside of the filler cap.

[NobleGuy]

I checked it on Saturday just after stopping the engine and found a very small amount of bleachy-looking residue in the cap but to be honest I don't know if that is normal.

The car overheated in November 2007 for a very short time (stopped as soon as the needle shot up from normal to max in front of my eyes) after a coolant hose broke and I had a defective coolant tank cap this year which caused coolant losses but with no obvious overheating. Got a feeling it's been present since then and has just got very gradually worse.

I read that white smoke might be fuel filter related (although mainly diesels from what I can gather) - changed this on Saturday and it was pretty dirty and probably should've been done earlier. After changing it the smoke seemed to subside a bit, but that might be my optimistic imagination.

[Adrian W]

Is it using any coolant? is the level going down? you can get a chemical thingy to see if there is petrol/oil in the water. rather than change the hoses, find a way of pressurising the water system,a bung and a bicycle pump. You can buy a proper kit to do this but it costs loads (or id have one)pump it up and see if any water comes out, if it doesnt come out anywhere but the level goes down it's internal.

[daddysumo]

Yep as above most decent garages will have a kit that checks the gasses in the coolant header tank for hydrocarbons etc which means leaking gasket.

[Adrian W]

That gave me the enthusiasm to go out and find a leak on mine, Last time I used it, I could hear hissing and there was a puddle underneath the front. Went out in the freezing cold, warmed the car up, had a good look and it was the bottom hose to the radiator, not split just leaking so tightened it up. So maybe they need checking every now and then. Feet are by the fire now, warming up.