Heading off down south, got a little way down the road, bang from underneath and very quickly the temp needle was out of sight in an unpleasantly upwards direction.

Off with the engine pronto, up with the seat, and the radiator cap is missing (I had checked the water just before setting off, and I am sure the cap was back on properly - but then maybe not....).

Given an ignominious lift back to the garage, (not that I give Colin a lot of work, but he has printed my name above the passenger seat of his wrecker) and had to go south in a poxy astra (700 miles of the kids complaining that they didn't have enough room to sleep). So Colin has got a new pukka radiator cap, and the engine starts fine but of course there is now water being forced out of the expansion bottle. Will I get away with just a head, or is it likely that there is going to be more damage than that?

Tom, sunk in the deepest gloom.....

- (#7608) Tom, 7 Jan 04 18:08

Hi Tom.
If the rad cap was on properly, and I guess it is only natural for you to question yourself, but assuming it was, then it would require a heck of a lot of pressure to blow it off. If you suspect the head or gasket, get your pal to do a compression test on the engine. If that's ok then the likelihood is that the pressure may have popped a hose, or seal somewhere in the cooling system. It could also be that damage occurred when the radiator cap departed the filler neck, so check it and make sure the top is smooth and flat. then get your pal to pressure test the cooling system.
Regards dave Bright

- (#7608) dave Bright (Bournemouth), 8 Jan 04 03:07