Radiator or head gasket? Please advise

  1. L-plater Joined: May 2011 Blackpool Posts: 65 Saxo VTR mk2
    #1
    Hi

    I recently discovered that my vtr was overheating, its not going into the red but sitting at 3/4 when idle and going to halfway mark when driving.
    After lifting bonnet I discovered that my coolant level was way below the min level and then I noticed that the radiator is leaking on the bottom right hand side, thus explaining the practically non existent coolant level I guess.
    After getting help on here yesterday/today I have been told I need to change the rad and then bleed the system, problem solved.

    But I have also noticed that when I first start the engine there is a swooshing sound of liquid behind the dashboard that goes after a few seconds, I am now worried as I have looked on here for people experiencing a similar sound and most of the people have said its the head gasket on its way out and only a very few have said its caused by air in the system and not the gasket.

    Is it more then likely that in my case its just air getting in the system caused by leak in radiator and low coolant?
    The car is a mk2 vtr and a 51 plate and its only done 68k

    Please can someone advise as I only had car less then a week and already had to change clutch on it and dont fancy having to sort head gasket out just yet!!!

    Cheers guys & girls
  2. Frequent Poster Joined: Dec 2006 telford, shropshire Posts: 968 E86 Z4 3.0 si coupe
    #2
    swooshing as you call it is air in the coolant going through the heater matrix. try bleeding again. check the oil filler cap for light coloured "mayo" gunk, or check the coolant and see if theres any oil residue in it. is there any excess vapour (thats thicker than normal vapour when cold) from the exhaust when at operating temp?
  3. L-plater Joined: May 2011 Blackpool Posts: 65 Saxo VTR mk2
    #3
    I haven't bled it at all yet!
    Gona get new rad and then bleed it, already checked the oil and oil cap and there is no 'mayo', as for coolant colour its hard to tell cos its right below the min level and from what I can see its a murky colour

    I spoke to another lad on here and he reckons its just air causing the sound from the hole in radiator
  4. L-plater Joined: May 2011 Blackpool Posts: 65 Saxo VTR mk2
    #4
    plus there's no excess vapour that I have noticed
  5. Frequent Poster Joined: Dec 2006 telford, shropshire Posts: 968 E86 Z4 3.0 si coupe
    #5
    when you do a coolant change empty it into a bucket and see if there are any oil particles in the coolant. might be a good time to change the thermostat too.
  6. Frequent Poster Joined: Dec 2009 E yorkshire Posts: 947 53 black vtr
    #6
    mine sits above half on temp gauge most the time fan kicks in tho so it aint overheating but i aint happy with it. gonna put another rad in see how is then already done thermostat bled system had same noise slushin sound just keep bleedn it will go