If you didn't laugh you'd cry
Discussion
Driving home from work on a sunny Friday looking forward to some sunny roof off weekend fun 
5 yards from the house and the view gets a little misty as a large cloud of steam escapes out the bonnet vents
So I pull up on the drive, pop the bonnet, and have a look, expecting to see a broken belt or something obvious
but nothing obvious was visable 
So I go inside and leave it to cool down before having a better look, but still nothing obvious
so I start it up again to see if anything happens, and quickly switch it off again at the sight of clouds of white smoke billowing out the exhausts
So in the garage it goes for the night
Saturday morning comes and I take the Clio in for the final adjusting after it's new cambelt, after that snapped taking most of the inards with it
and then after a few calls it's bye bye Chimaera as it dissappears down the road on a lowloader 
So there goes the cash I had put to one side to smarten up the roof and the paintwork, spent on oily bits again
S'pose it could have been worse, it could have gone pop in 4 weeks time on the Mulsanne
So, everyone else have a good weekend
5 yards from the house and the view gets a little misty as a large cloud of steam escapes out the bonnet vents
So I pull up on the drive, pop the bonnet, and have a look, expecting to see a broken belt or something obvious
but nothing obvious was visable So I go inside and leave it to cool down before having a better look, but still nothing obvious
so I start it up again to see if anything happens, and quickly switch it off again at the sight of clouds of white smoke billowing out the exhausts So in the garage it goes for the night
Saturday morning comes and I take the Clio in for the final adjusting after it's new cambelt, after that snapped taking most of the inards with it
and then after a few calls it's bye bye Chimaera as it dissappears down the road on a lowloader So there goes the cash I had put to one side to smarten up the roof and the paintwork, spent on oily bits again
S'pose it could have been worse, it could have gone pop in 4 weeks time on the Mulsanne
So, everyone else have a good weekend
JonRB said:
I presume you did all the usual things like checking the coolant level, checking the otter switch is ok, checking that both fans come on when you short out the otter switch, etc., etc.?
Coolant level was fine, but going down if the puddle on the drive and the ammount of steam coming out the pipes is anything to go by
Didn't leave the engine on long enough to check anything else as the smoke cloud was filling the street, my usual trusted spanner men both just came out with 'thats your head gasket gone then' and 'thats going to cost you'
>> Edited by raceboy on Monday 17th May 10:32
Interesting thread.
Last Friday, decided to drive 300 miles down to Cornwall from Kent - wife wanted to see Eden Project etc etc.
First 130 miles were fine - motorway cruising around 75/80mph - quick 5 minute pit-stop and 3 miles later, water and steam spraying out of bonnet onto drivers side windscreen. Temperature and oil pressure were still fine!!!!
Stopped on dodgy part of A303 and opened bonnet. Waited for everything to cool down after burning hand. Couldn't find a leak anywhere - hoses all looked fine. Could only put in about 1 pint water so hadn't lost much. As water was only up the offside inner wing, started to suspect the pressure cap.
Took it off, looked at it and put it back on!!!!!
Let the car tick over for some time, let the fans cut in 5 times at usual 85/90 degrees. Still no problems or leaks. Checked usual signs for head gasket problem and all fine.
Decided to drive on slowly - still all normal. Stopped a few times and checked. Everything was normal.
Cutting a long story short - drove a further 600 miles in warm weather with absolutely no problems at all!! No loss of coolant at all.
Could only have been the pressure cap "blowing off steam" for a second or so. Any ideas out there- anyone have any explanations for this mechanical numpty?
Last Friday, decided to drive 300 miles down to Cornwall from Kent - wife wanted to see Eden Project etc etc.
First 130 miles were fine - motorway cruising around 75/80mph - quick 5 minute pit-stop and 3 miles later, water and steam spraying out of bonnet onto drivers side windscreen. Temperature and oil pressure were still fine!!!!
Stopped on dodgy part of A303 and opened bonnet. Waited for everything to cool down after burning hand. Couldn't find a leak anywhere - hoses all looked fine. Could only put in about 1 pint water so hadn't lost much. As water was only up the offside inner wing, started to suspect the pressure cap.
Took it off, looked at it and put it back on!!!!!
Let the car tick over for some time, let the fans cut in 5 times at usual 85/90 degrees. Still no problems or leaks. Checked usual signs for head gasket problem and all fine.
Decided to drive on slowly - still all normal. Stopped a few times and checked. Everything was normal.
Cutting a long story short - drove a further 600 miles in warm weather with absolutely no problems at all!! No loss of coolant at all.
Could only have been the pressure cap "blowing off steam" for a second or so. Any ideas out there- anyone have any explanations for this mechanical numpty?
You didn't wash the car or windscreen and have the water pool under the bulkhead/bonnet??
I've been driving mine, put the brakes on and had a cloud of steam come up.
I am imagining with mine it was water lying somewhere being jettisoned forward onto the engine, when I pulled up.
Had a bit of steam/hissing coming out from under the bonnet of mine the other day when I started it.
It had been out in the rain all night though.
I've been driving mine, put the brakes on and had a cloud of steam come up.
I am imagining with mine it was water lying somewhere being jettisoned forward onto the engine, when I pulled up.
Had a bit of steam/hissing coming out from under the bonnet of mine the other day when I started it.
It had been out in the rain all night though.
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