rgriffiths Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 (edited) Following the fan belt breaking and engine overheating, we are regularly having to top up the water - daily and a couple of litres. Thinking (hoping) it might be an airlock I have removed the thermostat and watched it run for an hour or so. Bubbling slightly and foam. Can this be anything but the gasket? Edited November 28, 2020 by rgriffiths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 What does the underside of your oli filler cap look like ? Ditto the end of the dipstick ? Creamy, 'yoghurty' isn't a good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgriffiths Posted November 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 It all looks fine. Nothing strange there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 4 minutes ago, rgriffiths said: It all looks fine. Nothing strange there. I must disagree, all those bubbles come from somewhere. You are using red antifreeze? Before you go mad tearing it down, check the water pump first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgriffiths Posted November 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 (edited) When I say looks fine I mean the oil cap and dipstick. Adding just water at the moment and I know it looks a bit rusty. Full flush also needed. Will put antifreeze in once there are no bubbles. When you say water pump what is your thinking? Edited November 28, 2020 by rgriffiths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tehmarks Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 I'm no intenal combustion expert, but I'd have thought that if you were losing a couple of litres of coolant a day through a knackered gasket, it'd be quite apparent either from a rising oil level or from the amount of vapour (white smoke) coming out of the exhaust? I assume that there's no external sign of a coolant leak — coolant in the bilge, etc? When you say a couple of litres a day, is that a couple of litres each day you run the engine, or are you losing coolant even without running the engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgriffiths Posted November 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 (edited) No smoke in the exhaust, no visible leaks anywhere, nothing in the oil. While the engine has been running no leaks and no topping up. Just tiny bubbles. Come back the next day and it needs a couple of litres. Runs really well too. Edited November 28, 2020 by rgriffiths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain_S Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 Search for combustion leak tester on eBay or a local motor factor, about£10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 55 minutes ago, rgriffiths said: No smoke in the exhaust, no visible leaks anywhere, nothing in the oil. While the engine has been running no leaks and no topping up. Just tiny bubbles. Come back the next day and it needs a couple of litres. Runs really well too. What does the coolant level look like 20 minutes after stopping the engine? If it is still (almost) full, but by next morning it is 2 litres lower, then 2 litres of coolant has either emptied into the bilge or into the engine. With the coolant unpressurised hardly any will find it's way through a failed head gasket into the cylinder, so it must have gone somewhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
system 4-50 Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 I am no expert but could you have boiled dry your skin tanks during your overheat session and are now gradually refilling them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgriffiths Posted November 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 Thanks all. Skin tank is bled and full. Will double check things again tomorrow. Been running with the thermostat out today so as not have that being a problem. Combustion test kit looks like a great idea. I have not seen that before. Will get on to ebay. Would a gas meter do the same thing I wonder? I have one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWM Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 3 hours ago, rgriffiths said: No smoke in the exhaust, no visible leaks anywhere, nothing in the oil. While the engine has been running no leaks and no topping up. Just tiny bubbles. Come back the next day and it needs a couple of litres. Runs really well too. It could be that the gasket has blown between water jacket and cylinder, if the engine is hot enough you may not see steam from the exhaust and the expansion of the water qhen hot may make the level seem higher than it is when running, only to go down when hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 24 minutes ago, rgriffiths said: Combustion test kit looks like a great idea. I have not seen that before. Will get on to ebay. Would a gas meter do the same thing I wonder? I have one of these. How do you use it? I read the product description and even watched the video but I'm no wiser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 I would use an elastic band to clip a plastic bag onto the filler and run for 10 minutes or so and then stick the probe through the bag and sample the gases inside. Detector fluid may well be cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmr Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 These things are not always easy to diagnose, but you have a consistent story here: overheated engine/problem started/water loss/foamy water. It is very much pointing to an engine failure and most likely the head gasket. "Never take an engine apart till you have diagnosed the problem" is a good bit of wisdom. It would be good to work out where the water is going to before taking any action. ..................Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko264 Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 When you say it needs 2lts are you filling the header tank full if so it will be blowing water out as the water expands making you think it’s short of water next time you check the tank graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted November 28, 2020 Report Share Posted November 28, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, jacko264 said: When you say it needs 2lts are you filling the header tank full if so it will be blowing water out as the water expands making you think it’s short of water next time you check the tank graham If its a constant 2 litres across a range of run times and loads then I think this is a good call. Maybe fill until you can just get a finger tip in the water, run, allow to cool and see if you have lost any. Edited November 28, 2020 by Tony Brooks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddjob Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 On 28/11/2020 at 13:16, rgriffiths said: Following the fan belt breaking and engine overheating, we are regularly having to top up the water - daily and a couple of litres. Thinking (hoping) it might be an airlock I have removed the thermostat and watched it run for an hour or so. Bubbling slightly and foam. Can this be anything but the gasket? Head gasket gone gas getting into coolant side hence bubbles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted December 9, 2020 Report Share Posted December 9, 2020 ^^^^^ If that's not red antifreeze your cooling system is in desperate need of a flush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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