4722 replies to this topic

[Nev]

Hmm. Just went back in the garage after 15 mins and it had cooled down a bit. I started it up and for the first 2 mins or so as it warmed up there was hardly any steam/condensation coming out of the exhaust pipe or the engine bay. Then, once the engine had warned up again the steam/condensation started appearing again (both from the exhuast and engine bay). I stripped back the heat wrapping off the vertical crank case breather pipe and this is not leaking. This once again leads me to HGF or possible new exhaust leakage - the former seems more likely, as the condensation only startes emiting once the engine is close to operating temps (when the coolant will be hot). Any ideas anyone?

Edited by Nev, 03 March 2013 - 12:02 PM.

[Boombang]

Sounds like you need to carry out a leak down test.

I'll say it again. Saves the guessing.

[jules_s]

Popped over earlier but I guess you were out in Nipper You sure that above isn't just a sh*t load of condensation?

[Nev]

Aww sh*t Jules, very sorry, I must have been in the garage itself as I didnt go out, did you knock on it? What time was it ?

Edited by Nev, 03 March 2013 - 06:53 PM.

[jules_s]

Ha ha, No worries, yeah we knocked on the garage door at about half two (I think)

[Nev]

Ha ha,

No worries, yeah we knocked on the garage door at about half two (I think)

How embarassing as I think I dozed off upstairs by then !! Muchos appologies, shame to have missed you

Edited by Nev, 03 March 2013 - 07:06 PM.

[Ormes]

Oh jeez, was hoping you'd established it was an easy fix with the sump... sorry to hear you've diagnosed potential HGF

[Nev]

Oh jeez, was hoping you'd established it was an easy fix with the sump... sorry to hear you've diagnosed potential HGF

The oil leak was easy to fix, however the steam/condensation issue might/noight not be my imagination. Anyway, I have the car booked in for a water pressure test on Friday. That should hopefully help give a bit of clarity to the situation. If it doesnt, then next test will be a leak down one if I can find someone local to do it.

[siztenboots]

if you have a spare cap you can epoxy in a schrader valve into it and pump it up and test for pressure with a car pump. It should hold 15psi.

[Zoobeef]

If you think its leaking water to the cylinder then gasses would get the other way on compression. Therefore pressurising your cooling system but you would also be able to get a sniff test done to detect exhaust gasses in the coolant system

[siztenboots]

what is your engine vacuum like on the intake manifold? if the head does have to come off, can you reuse your steveboyslim head studs?

[Arno]

Could there be other sources of water into the engine on the intake or exhaust? If water is getting into the engine in the intake or during combustion then I'd expect one or more 'steam cleaned' sparkplugs if you pull them. If all the sparkplugs look OK then it would seem the water/coolant is getting into the exhaust after the engine. Something like water cooling jacket on a turbo or watercooled wastegate cracked and leaking into the exhaust? Bye, Arno.

[siztenboots]

not sure if nev has a water cooled tial valve , not sure if his garrett chra is water cooled

[Nev]

Insightful points chaps, but I have thought about those already thanks. My Tial 44 is indeed water cooled. I might take the feed and return out and see if things improve, though I did inspect it closely whist the engine was running. I can't safely do the safe for the turbo though. The problem is access, I can hardly get an arm in anywhere, let alone actually look at things deep in the engine bay, particulariy around the turbo which is congested. As for the turbo letting water into the exhaust, almost impossible as the water way is isolated inside a separete part of the casting as I understand it. Still anything is possible, inclusing a leak(s) in my new exhaust pipe. I just rolled the thing out of the garage and gave it a wash and will take it for a tootle tonight. The air is much warmer here today, so it will be interesting to see if the moisture abates somewhat.

Edited by Nev, 04 March 2013 - 05:42 PM.

[cnrandall]

The waste gate won't be the issue, pretty sure the water jacket can't leak down the valve.

[Nev]

Well, some good news at last (well relatively good news).

I took the bulkead pannel out, switched the engine on to warm up and had a hand light to snoop around with. First I took a look at the wastegate and within 60 seconds saw a horrible scar/melt point on it. It appears to have melted where the plunger mates with the housing in a 45 degree arc (quite visible on the pic below). I will have to let it cool down and extract it and inspect it. Clearly though I will need a new one. The plunger may even have braized itself to the housing, which might explain why I had run away boost on a local dyno. Also, this melting may have affected the water ways inside it, leading to the excessive steam venting, I will be able to pressure test it once it is off the car.



Secondly, I got a better look at the exhaust downpipe with my light and can see a purple/black oil mist on it, which would explain the horrible smells and fumes rising from the engine bay. The oil is not escaping from the oil feed pipe to the turbo for sure, because I have run my fingers along it and it was bone dry. So the likely suspect is the bloody crank case breather pipe which I bodged by using silicone pipe sections. Hopefully I once the engine is cool again, I can get my hands to it, so I can detach it and inspect it. Ideally this needs to be a hard pipe all the way to the top cam cam cover, another job for my local friendly welder.

All in all, this is good news (relatively speaking), as neither is an "engine out job" and the parts wont come to more than £400. Hoorah.

Edited by Nev, 05 March 2013 - 06:11 PM.

[Nev]

Oh my, the plot thickens.... 1. Took the Tial wastegate off and discovered that the groove which I previous;y thought was a melt point was in fact the casting, as once it was off I could see 2 other identical grooves on the other sides. I tested the plunger in it and it was working fine, so bolted the thing back on. 2. Now I investigated the crank case breather. It is fine from what I could see with no oil on it or any staining on the outside or at it's base. This stumped me, so I though maybe there is an oil leak at the gasket of the upper sump. So... 3. Crawled under the car, but the sump gasket was dry and clean. 4. Whilst looking at the sump gasket, had a look at the turbo oil return pipe. It seemed a bit grimey and oily, so I tested to see if the jubilee clip on it's bottom end was tight. BINGO - completely lose, so I have tightened it up a good deal, sprayed the area with brake cleaner and let the car run idle for 15 mins (and noted that there seemed to be a bit less smoke coming up from the engine bay (though it will take ages for the whole lot to burn off)). I then re-inspected the jubilee clip area and though it's a little oily, I think that maybe residue from previously that has trickled down a bit. Now I have to wait for the turbo area to cool down again and I am going to check the top jubliee clip on the oil return pipe, this too might be lose. Whilst scurrying around under the car (after idling it), I saw coolant dripping from the water pump. This must be the source of my coolant loss! Not a nice job to fix, but a bit worrying as it is driven off the cam belt and if it's bearing fails, then the cam belt will go lose and it will be goodbye head. Having said that I can't hear any bearing noise, though it is hard to tell as the car is so bloody noisy. Surely these water pumps can cope with approx 7000 miles ? This little car is driving me bonkers ! One minute I feel elated, the next down in the dumps :/

Edited by Nev, 05 March 2013 - 07:54 PM.

[vocky]

if it is a pattern water pump then leaking after 7k is not a surprise, I would recommend you only use a genuine water pump

[TheHood]

I had an el-cheapo Eurocarparts VW copy pump leak on one of the trucks I work on after 15hrs running.

Jubilee clips can be shite Something like THESE are better if you can get them in the size you need.

[Nev]

Yep it's a pattern part. Maybe I will feel enthusiastic at the weekend and stip the bugger down. I need to first be sure it isn't a leak from elsewhere TBH, as I didn't particularily look hard to see exactly where it's coming from.