Hi, new member and need some advice please...

[Kev P]

Hi there, been reading the forum for a while this is my first post. Iv got an S3 (99 APY) Iv noticed theres been a lot of smoke coming from the exhaust the past couple of days so i checked the filler cap today and came across this yellowish stuff on it (iv put a pic up ...hope it works) iv searched the forum and looks like it could be the head gasket? any ideas? Cheers Kev

 

[KB]

what colour is the smoke buddy? mine pumps out a lot of white smoke in these cold days.

 

[higher1]

hi have you only been doing shorts trips a few miles - 10 miles? has the car got up to running temp 90 on temp gauge? and is it really smoke or steam / water vapour ? the temp has dropped over the last few days which will cause more steam/water vapour from the exhaust does the smoke hang around in the air or disperce quickly

my guess if your not lossing any water from your exspansion tank is its just a build up of sludge a good long run would clear this out

 

[Kev P]

Thanks for getting back so quick! Its like greyish/white sometimes quite a lot but it does go away quite quickly. I sometimes do some short journeys like to the shops and that but i do get it up to 90 when im going to work but then again my works only 4 miles away. there has been some coolant on the drive (u can see it easy cos of all the snow) but i wouldnt say a lot just a few drips and when i checked the expansion tank it doesnt seem to leaking loads.. i cant really take it for a drive just now cos of all the snow my streets over a foot just now and my car sits too low lol i'd be the snow plough.

 

[higher1]

hmmm any leak is not good so you need to find where the coolant is coming from. the sludge may be from your short journeys and not connected to your coolant on the driveway but you really need to find that leak asap

 

[Kev P]

Yeah i was thinking the same just cant really do anything with this weather i had the the thermostat housing changed in october cos it was constantly leaking and i was topping it up every couple of days so im gutted its leaking again thought that was sorted but you know how it is iv contacted my mate who's a mechanic so hopefully get it down to him very soon. here's a couple of pics of my drive and my street the snow is crazy here!


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[higher1]

Yeah i was thinking the same just cant really do anything with this weather i had the the thermostat housing changed in october cos it was constantly leaking and i was topping it up every couple of days so im gutted its leaking again thought that was sorted but you know how it is iv contacted my mate who's a mechanic so hopefully get it down to him very soon. here's a couple of pics of my drive and my street the snow is crazy here!


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yeah not much chance of getting out in that !! i dont have any snow here to far south. hope you get the leak fixed and its nothing major !

 

[Kev P]

i know its getting a bit annoying its been like this since saturday and its still snowing. Ill try and get on it asap and let you know how i get on! Thanks again mate!