Auditors

[Danny_met 0]

I need some help,

I have a 1999 ford focus 1.8. It is a lovely little car and never really had any issues... until now

I had not checked the antifreeze levels for a while and the engine started to steam under the bonnet when idling and the temp gauge shot up. I stopped and checked and filled the anti freeze again.

But now, with full tank of anti freeze after about 10 minutes the radiator starts to smoke / steam again.

the engine temp display reads normal but there is a fair amount of steam?

I have used RADWELD to seal any little leaks but this has not helped.

Appreciate your help

Danny

[hoggle 0]

Its supposed to be a 50/50 mixture on the antifreeze incase you've put all anti freeze in. Have you topped up with oil at all recently? or washed the car? Sounds to me like you have an oil leak possibly and its leaked/leaking on to your rad? As your cars getting warmer its burnin the oil off thats leaked on the radiator, this creats a huge amount of smoke. So check your oil, power steering level, brake fluid.

I reckon the likelyhood is, your radiators corroded over time and its cracked and leaking and burning off the water as steam as the radiators warming up? I would say this is mre likely and you need a new radiator. Whats it smell/ look like the smoke? any patche underneath the car where its been parked?

[medic1 0]

take the oil cap off the engine and look at the cap if there is a milky white substance then the head gasket has probably gone.

[oddbod 393]

Is it steam, burning oil or exhaust fumes.

Are they coming out of anywhere in particular?

Can you see fluid dripping out of/off of anything.

Did you bleed the air out of the cooling system?

Edited September 27, 2012 by oddbod