Problem is when I first started her up there was a thick white smoke comming from the tailpipe and alittle comming out of the engine bay, near the back left of the side mounted engine. Figured it might be from not being started up in awile, so gave it alittle bit and the smoke died down some. Shut her off and checked it out the next day to find the radiator overflow tank was almost complete empty, with only some clear liquid 1 inch tall at the bottom of it. I immediately thought it might be a a) head gasket blown b) crack somewhere in the radiator system c) maybe a cracked block. I figured I would do some tests to try and find out. I know a decent amount about car engines since I have had a pontiac in the past (lol). On this car however it seems the engine is mounted different then my old pontiac, and the radiator has two fans instead of one large one - I also cannot seem to find the radiators valve to empty it - anyone have any idea where that is on this car? Anyways. Back to my testing. I kept filling up the radiator with the car off trying to top it out, yet as much as I poured it would not top out. I checked the hoses on the radiator and they seemed fine. I then noticed a larrge river of radiator fluid flowing between my feet in front of the car. Seemed like a leak. I checked underneath and sure enough a perfect stream of whatever I poured into the radiator was flowing out of it. This *leak* was located between the two front wheels underneath near the LEFT wheel, and came out in a perfect stream, when the car is started (it starts up easy and runs smooth btw) the leak seems to only dribble out and not flow.
I tried getting under the car to see what was going on but I was unsuccesful at seeing it.
Some more general facts for this car are : The coils inside the radiator appear to be a rusty/browinsh color. Not sure if this is normal. Around the cap coils is a green gunk also. The oil cap after being unscrewed seems to contain a light brownish gunk around the place you screw it in and also inside. Maybe anti freeze/water in the oil?
I am looking for help with this car. I just got it and have not driven it far due to wanting to know what is causing the leak.
My questions are: Anyone have insight on this? What does this leak sound like? I am wanting to know if it sounds like a cracked block, blown headgasket, maybe just a cracked tube near the leak spot? (This appears also where the smoke comming the engine was comming from the 1st day) I really have no idea since this car is so different then my previous.
I appreciate any help.
-Dan
SPONSORED LINKS
Friday, December 29th, 2006 AT 6:37 PM
