white/greyish gunk in water res!?

[stylocc]

i currently own a uk2000 it drives perfect apart from!!

the water keeps drinking like no tomorrow and the engine over heats and cuts out i look into the water res and theres no water but loads of gunk, i let it cool down fill back up with water and its ok after that untill the water gets drank again, there are no leaks as far as i can see so what could be the problem? any help will be appreciated

[Greenmamba]

Sounds like head gasket to me. Have you just bought the car or has this recently started? How's the oil?

[Scoobyghost]

Agree with that, sounds like head gasket. Can you get a picture of the gunk? Is it a white/yellowish gunk like marshmellow fluff.

Sounds like oil mixing with water. Does the overflow/expansion tank bubble when the engines running? Have you noticed the oil lever drop at all?

[Rik]

Stylocc,

 

Here's my version of War and Peace!! :D

 

From what you've written it points to head gasket failure.

When engine is cold remove the rad cap and run your finger just inside the filler area, if you have a geasy residue then do the same test on the header tank.

Examine the overflow rubber tube that runs into the header tank and if any of these have an oily / greasy residue internally you're on track to assume the HG has failed but there's more things to test before you can prove that.

If there's a small expansion tank close to the turbo that has a rad cap then do the same check.

 

If all three show oil in the coolant then do a sizzle test.

 

A sizzle test is simple to do, but will give you a positive result in proving that there's coolant in the sump.

Get a piece of silver foil, or cut the top off an alloy coke type can and get ready to heat the foil, or can top.

 

Remove the oil check dipstick and drizzle the oil onto the silver foil, or, onto the alloy can top.

Using a cigarette lighter, or match, heat the foil from underneath and the oil will smoke and stink, if that's all it does, there's no coolant in the sump, but if there's any trace of any coolant the foil will sizzle, like frying bacon in a pan.

If it sizzles you have coolant contaminating the oil.

Obviously this DOESN'T prove the HG is blown but it's a good pointer and then you need to do a sniff test to prove there's combustion gasses in the coolant. A sniff tester will give you more proof of contaminant.

 

Another test is to run the engine up from cold with the rad cap removed and watch the coolant when the stat starts to open.

If you see a STEADY stream of bubbles moving across the coolant you have a compression loss somewhere and air /combustion gasses are being drawn in to the system. When the engine reaches full temperature if the coolant starts to stream out of the header tank overflow, that's also a pointer to a failed HG,or HG's

Again this is NOT proof the HG has failed but it's just another indicator.

 

Before going to a specialist for compression tests; then if possible, remove all the spark plugs to see what condition they're in.

Rust deposits on the tips and end of the thread prove coolant contamination, plugs smeared in black burnt oil point to oil ring failure, or any piston ring failure. Could also be valve seating failure but that would NOT normally account for coolant losses in the way you've mentioned.

There can be a dozen other reasons for coolant losses but most times is HG's that seem to fail.

Also, check the stat is opening at correct temperature and double check every fluid carrying hose.

I hope that's not the case that the HG has failed..

 

Regards,

Rik.