Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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I thought my headgasket had gone on my new engine, but now I'm not so sure...
When it was first started obviously the engine could have been lying around for months, and there was only a very thin layer of mayonnaise on the oil cap, but after wiping this off and going for a 20 mile run (with no problems, no white smoke or anything) it hasn't appeared back, which tells me there was just a small amount of moisture in the engine somewhere and that was it just being burnt off.
The other thing that indicated headgasket at the time, was that it boiled over at about 93 degrees or so after a short amount of time. If you put heaters on it would be ok, as it's keeping engine temperatures down obviously.
Well today, I went for a 20 mile run, 10 miles with heaters blasting (no problems, engine temperature at 88 degrees) and then on the way back I turned them from 4 down to 1 and it crept up to 90 degrees which is normal. When I got back I let it idle whilst doing other stuff, and it took 10 minutes for it to start boiling over, but the thing is that happened on my old engine too?
Local garage said they don't think it's headgasket as there is no oil smells coming from header tank or blowers, and no mayo on the oil cap. He said he reckons there might be a blockage in the rad, so might be best to get it out and clean it out, or it could be a sticky thermostat where it's been sitting.
Sorry for the long post but I thought I'd best explain everything completely. Thanks 
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Warren G
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Registered: 14th May 06
Location: Kent
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they boil over normaly on corsa's
if its not getting hot, then dont worry!
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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Well that makes me feel better already, going to go for a drive later on with no heaters. Fingers crossed it just needed a run to clear everything.
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luke85
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Registered: 26th Nov 07
Location: Chesterfield
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Doesnt sound like a headgasket problem, when you say it boils over what exactly do you mean? does the pressure relief valve in the cap open?
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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Yeah, steaming out the top.
The header tank just slowly fills up and water comes through what I assume is an overflow pipe that connects to the top half of the rad.
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Simon_16v
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Registered: 14th Aug 06
Location: Yorkshire
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Could be a blocked radiator then. I dont know what you use to remove the obstruction though
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luke85
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Registered: 26th Nov 07
Location: Chesterfield
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Maybe try a different cap? there is meant to be pressure in the system, thats what keeps it from boiling. when does it boil over and does your rad fan come on?
The pipe from the rad to the headertank is to keep bleeding air out of the system
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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quote:
Originally posted by SRi_Si
Could be a blocked radiator then. I dont know what you use to remove the obstruction though
That's what the garage said. They said something about rad clean? Or just sticking a hosepipe in and wiggling it around to get shit out. Probably easier if removed.
quote:
Originally posted by luke85
Maybe try a different cap? there is meant to be pressure in the system, thats what keeps it from boiling. when does it boil over and does your rad fan come on?
The pipe from the rad to the headertank is to keep bleeding air out of the system
But the cap is working as it's meant to? It's meant to let some pressure out, is it not?
It boils over about 93-94 degrees, fan doesn't kick in until about 95-97 usually.
So if it to bleed air out, why is there water coming out of it?
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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Definitely not headgasket by the sounds of it.
If your headgasket had truly gone, it'd be using water, consuming oil, it'd be like whipped cream under the oil filler cap and you won't have warm air coming through the blowers/heaters because the warm water was reaching the pipes etc.
Sounds like a blockage. My temps generally sit around the 90-93 mark. And it heats up very quickly indeed, to about 97, when the fan kicks in.
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luke85
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Registered: 26th Nov 07
Location: Chesterfield
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The air should flow from the top of the rad back to the top of the header tank but lets not worry about that
The cap is not meant to let pressure out, no. Its meant to let the system get up to pressure and open if the pressure gets too high, engine temps of 130+ are needed to make it open.
The pressure in the system is what stops the water boiling, with no pressure, water boils at 100 degrees. When its under pressure it boils at a much higher temperature.
If your water is boiling in the cooling system at such a low temperature then you have a leak, showing its self as steam from the cap 
Or a large air lock in the system making some parts of the engine extremely hot and boiling the water that way
edit: I cant spell
[Edited on 24-01-2008 by luke85]
[Edited on 24-01-2008 by luke85]
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Warren G
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Registered: 14th May 06
Location: Kent
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sorry thought you meant without the cap on
no it shouldn't boil over
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Richardhhha
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Registered: 29th Sep 07
Location: Croydon, Greater London
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what did the engine come out off and go and grab a coolant cap of one of them cars.
also you most probably do ahve a air lock in teh rad or block, i found best way was to get it warm have all the fans on and heater on full hot, wait till it reached time for the coolant fan to cick in, turn the car off let it cool, open coolant bottle then run car till warm again.
if that dont solve it you will most prolly be looking at a thermostat or rad blocked, but if a rads blocked it would have blown a hose by now wouldnt it?
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luke85
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Registered: 26th Nov 07
Location: Chesterfield
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Just the thing that makes me say its not a blocked rad is that it sits at normal temperature, its just boiling too soon
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Richardhhha
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Registered: 29th Sep 07
Location: Croydon, Greater London
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put a new thermosts in it and change the coolant bottle cap.. should be all ok then
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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quote:
Originally posted by Richardhhha
what did the engine come out off and go and grab a coolant cap of one of them cars.
Same engine as before mate.
I think I'll probably flush the system, and get the rad off and shake it about etc, if that doesn't work I'll need to have a go at the thermostat. I'll leave that till last as that's a mission!
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