Help Needed People. Having a nighmare.

[Add7]

Hi Guys, decided to sell my A3 to relieve a few funds and since that its been playing up so bad i cant sell it yet.

-Booked it in for a service and MOT
-1 day before it was due to go in, the car overheated and the warning light came on. Ok, checked the pipe that returns to the radiator, not warm gotta be thermostat. Changed 1 and did the same, thought it was faulty, changed another and again done the same but didnt overheat as quickly still no return hot water to the radiator?

Got the car back from the MOT and it said the engine was smoking, never did this before?
Now it smokes (white) even when warm.
I thought it would also be water pump, but there is water going back to the header tank.

Hope someone can point me in the right direction

Thanks

Adam

 

[MingBluS3]

mines doing the same thing mate.

Read my post, Smoke after pulling away - does not smell of oil , it may be of use.

 

[Add7]

Cheers mate.

Does anyone think it may be head gasket?

i done a search on the net and thats what everyone is saying.

 

[madvw]

is the coolant level going down at all?

 

[Add7]

i havnt really driven it since it overheated as i can only get about 20 mins down the road

 

[madvw]

this sounds like a nightmare. Any way of testing to see if theres a blockage somewhere?

you could try flushing the radiator, and make sure thats not blocked. Similarly, you could try flushing the coolant channels in the head too...

A blockage could increase the pressure to the point where it may damage the headgasket, but i'd expect the pressure cap to give before that.

it could still easily be a faulty water pump though...

 

[ANDYTQ]

My pump impellor fell apart when pump was removed,broken plastic everywhere,i would try that especially if cambelt is due soon too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gifAndy

 

[BerkshireFlipper]

Don't want to worry you but mine is in at the moment - had white smoke, only a little bit to start with but the dealer was unable to diagnose a problem.

8 months later (i.e. now) my coolant consumption has suddenly rocketed.

Booked it in to be looked at and voila - cracked head, been burning coolant so no lubrication in cylinder 1 so now my piston rings are rogered and the cylinder is lipped. result - I need a new engine.

 

[MingBluS3]

holy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif. i hope this isnt whats wrong with mine....

 

[HTC]

I would usually say to check the oil cooler is okay, but if you have had overheating problems, and then white smoke, this would indeed indicate a head gasket/head problem.