Coolant splashes in the engine bay

[Tommy53]

What causes this? I'm suffering coolant loss issues at the minute aswel and its definitely coming out the exhaust in some way. Only just noticed this coolant in the engine bay though. Could these be linked?


i have already wrote a post like this but I'm yet to get my egr cooler and head tested. After seeing what seems like boiling coolant it has made me think of weather it can be anything else?


thanks all

 

[s3reptdi]

If you've got boiling coolant it wont be long before the head gasket goes if you leave it

 

[Tommy53]

what do i need to change or check here though?

 

[MrLapou]

Take car to a garage so they and pressurise the water system using a hand pump. This will show up any leaks.
Where exactly are the signs of coolant loss?

 

[Tommy53]

i have noticed small amounts of coolant splashes around the engine bay, but never seem to see any on the floor after my car has been parked up.
When i start the car it struggles to start and it stinks of coolant with white smoke comes out. After driving it last night my coolant felt really hot and im unsure if this is normal.
My last set of coolin fans failed i think as i never saw them coming on and i had two fault codes for them. I have just replaced them but havent had time to drive the car much since.

Would it be a temperature sensor problem?

 

[Chillout]

i have noticed small amounts of coolant splashes around the engine bay, but never seem to see any on the floor after my car has been parked up.
When i start the car it struggles to start and it stinks of coolant with white smoke comes out. After driving it last night my coolant felt really hot and im unsure if this is normal.
My last set of coolin fans failed i think as i never saw them coming on and i had two fault codes for them. I have just replaced them but havent had time to drive the car much since.

Would it be a temperature sensor problem?

Have you got pictures of the splash marks

 

[TDI140]

Coolant tank over filled ? Or coolant hose split ?
i might get a mate of mine to develop coolant hoses for the pd140 as forge are taking the Peeeee

 

[Tommy53]

Coolant is not overfilled but feels really hot. Haven't had time to check for hose leaks as of yet (only discovered it last night). I will put pictures up of the splashes later when I get home mate am I looking at two different problems here? I don't see how a coolant leak can cause it to blow out the exhaust!

 

[Johnny Bravo]

The coolant may get into exhaust via the EGR cooler.
It may also enter the cylinders due to worn head gasket or even cracked head but in this case it comes out on the exhaust as vapors, not liquid.

The splashed coolant in the engine bay may be due to overheat. The coolant boils and is spilled out trough the overfill hole. It may boil because the thermostat is broken or the fans do not come on.

 

[Tommy53]

How easy is it to take off the egr cooler? i may do it and get a garage to test this.

With the car struggling to start, wouldnt this lead more towards a cracked head.. almost as if the coolants in the cylinders? or has it got to pass through the cylinders anyway if its in the exhaust?

 

[Tommy53]

Take car to a garage so they and pressurise the water system using a hand pump. This will show up any leaks.
Where exactly are the signs of coolant loss?

Would this test show a leak in the head gask or cylinder head too? how long would this take also

 

[MrLapou]

Yes. Depends if the leak is internal or external. But will show if there is pressure loss..i.e. a leak.
Job no more than 30mins.

 

[sliced]

how can you tell if the coolant is over filled? cant seem to see any min max

 

[Chillout]

Max on a cold engine is just below the seam on the expansion tank

 

[Tommy53]

Might have to book my car in to get this done then, if the results come back as no leak.. What should i be looking at?

Also just so i dont get ripped off. How much does a garage charge for this pressure test on average

 

[Chillout]

Might have to book my car in to get this done then, if the results come back as no leak.. What should i be looking at?

Also just so i dont get ripped off. How much does a garage charge for this pressure test on average

Not sure how much they would charge but if you are loosing coolant that quick I think most people would make a conclusion within an hour but it sort of sounds to me that it boiling due to no circulation/blockage and blowing the relief in the expansion tank lid and spraying but that doesn't explain your coolant in exhaust that's like egr cooler or head gasket/head is your oil like mayo

 

[Tommy53]

right i see, i shall take it to a garage and get that looked at. My oil is not like mayo, the only thing i have seen is that every now and then (not all the time) when i check my oil cap there is a very small amount of white stuff. Seen much worse before on other cars.

Im hoping for a blockage and the egr cooler :l think positive haha

 

[Johnny Bravo]

How easy is it to take off the egr cooler? i may do it and get a garage to test this.

Not very difficult if you have the proper tools.
You have to remove the air intake pipes to have clear access to it than you have to remove two big coolant hoses and two smaller one, a vacuum hose coming from the solenoid valve the metal pipe that goes to the EGR and another one below, coming from the turbo.
After that is just a few screws. Nothing scary. Really!

With the car struggling to start, wouldnt this lead more towards a cracked head.. almost as if the coolants in the cylinders? or has it got to pass through the cylinders anyway if its in the exhaust?

It may be so. Though, given the fact that a new head is very expensive, you should check everything else before deciding to replace it.
Check the entire cooling circuit, check/change the gasket.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

right i see, i shall take it to a garage and get that looked at. My oil is not like mayo, the only thing i have seen is that every now and then (not all the time) when i check my oil cap there is a very small amount of white stuff. Seen much worse before on other cars.

Im hoping for a blockage and the egr cooler :l think positive haha

Check the gasket first.

 

[Tommy53]

I have had that test where he put some sort of blue liquid in a tube above my coolant expansion tank. He said this sometimes tells us if the head gasket is going/gone?

 

[Chillout]

I have had that test where he put some sort of blue liquid in a tube above my coolant expansion tank. He said this sometimes tells us if the head gasket is going/gone?

That test checks for combustion gases in the coolant at the expansion tank as air/gas will go to the highest point you really need to ensure your entire cooling system is perfect even if it is the worst case your head is gone it would be pointless to replace costly parts and find that the cooling issue that caused the failure still exists putting you back to square 1 .

 

[Tommy53]

Yeah i agree there, i need to get it to the garage then. What should i ask them to check so i can get things clear?

 

[Chillout]

Yeah i agree there, i need to get it to the garage then. What should i ask them to check so i can get things clear?

i would ask for a standing pressure test for a few hours maybe even overnight and to check water pump,radiator,egr cooler and oil cooler does your header tank bubble up when running as that can be a sure sign of combustion gas also do you have a good heat output in the car at low rpm and a good return to the top of the tank also that is free from air rules out the pump.

 

[Tommy53]

Header tank doesn't bubble and I've had the gasses check on the overfill tank mate. Cheers for all the help ill get to a garage soon