steaming/overflowing radiator cap

  1. Established Member Joined: Jun 2009 west mids (dudley) Posts: 1201 cammed 106 flatty
    #1
    Right just been out around an hour driving, warm day, water temp guage on the dash is sitting 3 quaters the way up, goes down when im moving, goes up slightly when in traffic. fan comes on etc

    Now ive just pulled up back at home, and spotted a trickle of water running from the front of my car down the road and it has oil in it.

    lifted the bonnet up and the cap is steaming very slightly, with water coming out of it. This is a shitty thin radiator btw. car is a 106 gti

    im hoping this is an airlock problem? not gunna be happy if its head gasket. no yellow shit on the oil cap yet and no performance loss etc....
  2. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2014 Blackburn, Lancashire Posts: 596 2002 Citroen Saxo desire 2001 Volvo V40 1.9D
    #2
    Can you get the interior fans to blow hot?

    Was it coming from the radiator cap?
  3. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #3
    Oil in its water that's leaking can mean a couple of things either your oil heat exchanger is fecked although being a gti it might not have one.
    Unlikely though to be that if it's fitted. It's probably the head gasket, pressurising the system with exhaust gas hence the expulsion of coolant and the oil in it too


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  4. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2003 United Kingdom (England) Posts: 7064
    #4
    Try a flush & bleed of the cooling system.

    Also check that the cap is holding pressure!
  5. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182
    #5
    It could be that but how much oil is in the water? Loads or just a film of it


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  6. Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Dec 2007 smurfland. Posts: 17346 Ex saxo owner.
    #6
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Quick View Post
    Try a flush & bleed of the cooling system.

    Also check that the cap is holding pressure!
    Had this on mine and needed a new cap,but would be concerned about oil in the water though.
  7. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2003 United Kingdom (England) Posts: 7064
    #7
    If the trickle is on the ground, the oiliness might just be crud from the engine bay!
  8. Established Member Joined: Jun 2009 west mids (dudley) Posts: 1201 cammed 106 flatty
    #8
    Right guys - thanks for all the help, anyway ive had a look at this tonight and im 90% sure it was an airlock.

    So i took the radiator cap off, followed by the bleed valve near the engine mount, the other bleed screw on the thermostat housing, and the radiator bleed point.

    Started the engine, had a look, no water coming out anywhere....

    Followed a bleeding guide off of here, and then let it run for 20+ minutes.

    Temp gauge is sitting at half now constantly, goes a smidge amount up but the fan comes in and cools it back down and that's stationary on my driveway. Better than it was before which im guessing was down to the airlock.

    I will test it on the road tomorrow but im pretty sure i have sorted it.

    The oil in the water on the ground could be from where i park my car as there's a few oil spots there. Atleast i hope so lol.