exhaust steam

jamescarruthers · Post by **jamescarruthers** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 11:02 pm

i was just wondering if anyone could tell me if what i am experiencing is "the norm"?

now the weather is hella cold i have noticed that my exhaust is very "steamy". That never worried me because i figured it was ust cos my 480 was old technology (12 yrs old) but today my kind passenger informed me it could be a sign of a going head gasket. thing is, the oil cap and water car have no deposits on them; and i drive her like a baby most of the time.

am i just worring over nothing here or is my 480 got winter flu?

strangegame · Post by **strangegame** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 11:16 pm

if the smoke (steam ) is white then water is getting in YES maybe head gasket . though remember the engine is 12 yrs old if it still driver ok RELAX must be winter flu hope

MOTO IF IT AINT BROKEN DONT FIX IT

Glival · Post by **Glival** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 11:17 pm

I've got the same; my cooling water also disappears slowly, is this the case with your 480 too?

Ben Harris · Post by **Ben Harris** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 12:17 am

I've noticed both my 1.7ES and 2.0ES both have quite a lot of steam/smoke from the exhaust when it's cold outside, even once the engine's warmed up. I've just assumed it to be normal, as I can't imagine they'd both have a blown head gasket! I haven't got the cooling water dissapearing thing though...

Ben.

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 12:36 am

"laat je niet gek maken"
"now don't get made grazy.... a smal little cloud is ok, specially on a cold engine in the "choke" mode. the water still in the exhaust everytime due to the combustion proces you will see as a cloud, the engine sucks up a lot of water through the inlet on misty wheather.

I had once a blown engine head gasket. the cloud was as big as a car.... now thats a blown gasket.

now, don't panic, but keep a weekly eye on the coolant level. and thats even not a guarantee, lots of 480's leak coolant a bit (mostly the aux pump)

luck
JPF

MatBat · Post by **MatBat** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 12:40 am

speaking of the aux pump. My 480 pumps water around for about 5mins after I switch the engine off. Is this to stop hot spots? Also is it standard?

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 12:44 am

yep, thats what this is for, to prevent spots occur where the coolant boils, evaporates and disapears in places, making engine parts crack of heat in an extreme case, a.k.a. hotspots.

Luck
JPF

MatBat · Post by **MatBat** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 12:46 am

Wow, these guys think of everything! It is probably a bit overkill though

You don't often hear hotspots happening to normal cars and cracking heads

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 1:16 am

yep, overkill, to prevent kill. this is a kind of translation of "deutsche gruendichkeit"
in other words leave no option open if the almost impossible happens

wish they worked this thought out better in some other parts of the car, like water tighness, and stuff.

luck
JPF

levensnevel · Post by **levensnevel** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 4:08 am

Overkill ?

No, just one of the features to ensure the durabillity of the engine

jamescarruthers · Post by **jamescarruthers** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 2:21 pm

i think my collant level is ok too (just replaced it a few months ago ready for winter). i'll keep an eye. thanks for your insight.

NickyNackyNoo · Post by **NickyNackyNoo** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:09 am

Hi, hope I'm not intruding.

RE: Head Gasket
As Volvofox says, if you've got a blown head gasket you'll definitely know it. It'll run like shit and start misfiring. Also one way to check for this at an early stage, remove the oil filler cap. If it's covered in custard (yellow goo) then you've got a problem.

RE: Steam from exhaust
Yes, mine does this now that the weather has started getting colder (89 ES). Usually lasts for about the first 10-15 minutes of running. Brand new cars straight out of the showroom also do it. Makes me feel less paranoid certainly.

Glival · Post by **Glival** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:21 am

NickyNackyNoo wrote: RE: Head Gasket
As Volvofox says, if you've got a blown head gasket you'll definitely know it. It'll run like shit and start misfiring. Also one way to check for this at an early stage, remove the oil filler cap. If it's covered in custard (yellow goo) then you've got a problem.

Well at first I didn't really notice anything except for the steam, but now the "run like shit"-part starts to sound familiar; when driving, it runs nice, but when idle it drops to 800rpm, then raises to 1500rpm and so on, or it just idles at 1500rpm. Sometimes 1100rpm.. there's really something weird going on.

NickyNackyNoo · Post by **NickyNackyNoo** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:32 am

Check the underside of your oil filler cap tomorrow, that'll be the surest sign of a head gasket failure.

Has it just recently started idling like this? Mine will idle a bit up and down at times, not really a problem unless it's sluggish and cuts out at traffic lights etc.. When you tap your foot on the pedal it should roar into action, they're quite responsive.

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:47 am

now wait a minute. if you people start reasoning the other way around on blow gaskets there are more symptoms.

a broken engine head gasket can have 4 consequences, and symptoms.

1 the gasket is broken between the coolant holes and the combustion chambre :White gray smoke. poor running.(much more water in the exhaust as normal)

2 The gasket is broken between an oil hole and the combustion chambre:
grey- blue smoke. bad running, bad smell of burned oil in the exhaust.

3 the gasket is broken between one combustionchambre and the outside
no real smoke, but running on "3 paws" poor running.

4 combinations of the above or all.

there is a difference, but mainly its on most modern petrol engine's the same cure: replacement of the eng. head gasket. sympton 2 can also be a broken valve stem seal.

the mayonaise on the inside of the oil filler cap can have an other cause: if the engine is some older, and the breather is clogged, you have the same trouble. (in this case the water comes from condens mist inside the engine due to temp changes as you drive short trips. )

like mayonaise the white gray gel like substance is a mixture of fine divided drops of water and oil. in this case the water comes from the combustion proces. and the increased heat differences in the engine (condens)

An expensive extra trouble can be, especially if you drive longer (the engine hotter) lwith broken eng. head seal is that the engine head, a fine machines part in 0,01 of mm, car pull bended because of the heat influeces. than the head has to go to a specialized grinding machine, which can make it absolutely plain again, nessesary for a good fit of the new gasket.

but no panic the post founder has no broken eng. gasket.

Luck
JPF

Glival · Post by **Glival** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:48 am

NickyNackyNoo wrote:Check the underside of your oil filler cap tomorrow, that'll be the surest sign of a head gasket failure.

Has it just recently started idling like this? Mine will idle a bit up and down at times, not really a problem unless it's sluggish and cuts out at traffic lights etc.. When you tap your foot on the pedal it should roar into action, they're quite responsive.

I'll check it tomorrow, thanks.
The idling problems started recently (yesterday actually), but otherwise there's nothing wrong, except when the engine is cold; acceleration is excellent with a warm engine, it's just acting really weird when idling (e.g. traffic light 1: constant 1100rpm; traffic light 2: drops to 800rpm, then suddenly raises to 1500rpm and so on; traffic light 3: constant 1600rpm). When the engine is cold (the first 3 minutes), it almost doesn't accelerate.

But I've already sold it; let's hope I'll make it to the dealer monday

Ben Harris · Post by **Ben Harris** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:54 am

I agree with Volvofox here. If you've got a damaged head gasket, you'll soon know about it. On Dad's old MGB Roadster the headgasket's blown several times (I think the head itself is probably damaged), and when it happens, the car becomes almost undriveable. It'll only run if you put the choke on full, and then that's only because the idle is raised to about 2500RPM! Every time you try and pull away it splutters and almost dies.

Just my two-pence worth!

Ben.

NickyNackyNoo · Post by **NickyNackyNoo** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 1:01 am

Wo, I'm entering into a minefield here. Volvofox is very knowledgable so I'd stick with his ideas.

If you're selling the car tomorrow then that's great. Dealers certainly aren't 480 enthusiasts (you hope) so won't be picking it to bits left right and centre.

Hope your gonna be buying another 480.

Glival · Post by **Glival** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 8:08 am

NickyNackyNoo wrote: Hope your gonna be buying another 480.

Sure, a beautiful '92 480S

MatBat · Post by **MatBat** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 12:42 pm

Why not ask nickynacknoo's reletives to help you sort your cars out?

Sorry mate.