After three years... 216SLi - 25/2 - behaving itself

[vulgalour]

The ex-Chompy 216 auto may still reside with Krujoe, or at least what's left of it.  It may still be able to offer some pieces of use to you if he still has it.  It had been picked pretty clean when I visited but much of the mechanical stuff was still present.

[beko1987]

That's promising then! Good luck with a new stat and a good bleed-up. Reading vulgs thread about his it looks great fun* to bleed the cooling system

[Ghosty]

Hmmmmm.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

I did wonder, when you mentioned about the temp gauge in the red...

[bub2006]

I'd consider breadvans offer of a polite letter to the previous owner.

[Jim Bell]

Steel seal fucks thermostats.

[Jim Bell]

And heater matrixs.

[Ghosty]

We end today with a new thermostat fitted. Old Man gapped the plugs and cleaned the distrubutor while I was out.

Idling: temp is steady, and it seems to idle and distribute water a bit better than yesterday, but on idle it just blows out white smoke/steam of some sort, and it seems a bit hesitant after a rev. The fan isn't super hot, and lowers the idle. 

We're considering possible HGF, but we're not quite sure at the moment. We'd like to compression test it but we don't have the equipment.

A second opinion or maybe a spannering session would be appreciated - this is a learning curve for me and Old Man seems to be bordering on running out of ideas. 

NB: there's fuck all fuel in it. 

[dollywobbler]

Perhaps it just wants to give the BIGI a wash...

 

A coolant sniffer might be just the thing here.

[Ghosty]

Coolant sniffer? You've lost me.

[cort1977]

Sniffs the exhaust for signs of coolant indicating OMGHGF.

 

Clutching at straws here I would be tempted to take it out for a cheeky Italian tune up and re-assess after.  

[Ghosty]

I see - I've done that and I don't think (?) it smells of coolant. We might give it a run tomorrow. There seems to be a lot of water in the exhaust, and the bottom of the radiator is a bit wet.

[alcyonecorporation]

Fire the engine up and sniff the header tank as it runs. If it mafts of exhaust, the head gasket is probably gubbed. 

I take it no engine jizz/condensation is visible on the oil cap? 

[alcyonecorporation]

Also: Lose the P plates, people treat you as a second class citizen on the roads. 

[Ghosty]

Will check the header tank.

There's no mayonnaise to speak of.

[bub2006]

Condensation build up in the exhaust? I can pop over at some point if needs be.

[dollywobbler]

Condensation is likely for that first run. I'd get it out for a run around the block (at least). Hurry. Before it gets dark! 

[vulgalour]

oily film in the expansion tank is another item to look for.  Unfortunately my knowledge is limited to the K so I'm not sure on the particulars of the D when it comes to water getting where it shouldn't.  It does sound like you still have an air lock and poor water circulation, the heaters should be quite good.

 

If the temperature gauge is staying steady at idle then that's hopefully a good sign.  Look around the coolant system to see if there's any bleed screws, on the K there's one near the distributor which sometimes gets all the air out.  Also, make sure the heater is turned fully to hot when bleeding the system to make sure coolant is fully circulating.  Check the dipstick too, if there's beads of water in the oil on there you've got a problem, likewise if there's mayonnaise.

 

On the K, one way water gets into the exhaust is a failed exhaust inlet gasket which can look a lot like OMGHGF since it can let fluids mix that shouldn't.

 

You will get some condensation when starting the car after a long lay up, particularly at this time of year, so it could just be that.

[Ghosty]

Duly noted, and all things I'll be checking.

I'd like to run it but Old Man's gone into full can't-be-arsed mode for tonight, and the Bini would need moving which isn't the easiest with my mum's OCD. Tomorrow morning it is.

I'm aware of a bleed valve, it's on the tube from the block to the top of the radiator.

[alcyonecorporation]

Duly noted, and all things I'll be checking.

I'd like to run it but Old Man's gone into full can't-be-arsed mode for tonight, and the Bini would need moving which isn't the easiest with my mum's OCD. Tomorrow morning it is.

I'm aware of a bleed valve, it's on the tube from the block to the top of the radiator.

 

Would they allow a local 'shiter round? 

[captain_70s]

Run it around the block a few times until it's nice and hot to rid yourself of any potential condensation build up, keep an eye on the temp gauge and make sure it doesn't soar for the red.

 

HGF on the Doloshite manifested in bubbles in the header tank when idling and eventually HUGE plumes of white smoke from the exhaust.

[Ghosty]

Would they allow a local 'shiter round? 

 

Yes.

 

I've just been out to check over Vulg's tips and nothing seems untoward.

 

 

No mayo.

 

 

No water.

 

 

Bleed valve.

 

I'll run it tomorrow as it's getting pretty busy here with folks getting home from work, and all the local roads are either going to blocked up with traffic, or they're stupidly steep hills. We get a lot of people rat running too.

 

I might sand the paint off the raised bits of the valve cover and polish it later. 

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

We end today with a new thermostat fitted. Old Man gapped the plugs and cleaned the distrubutor while I was out.

Idling: temp is steady, and it seems to idle and distribute water a bit better than yesterday, but on idle it just blows out white smoke/steam of some sort, and it seems a bit hesitant after a rev. The fan isn't super hot, and lowers the idle. 

We're considering possible HGF, but we're not quite sure at the moment. We'd like to compression test it but we don't have the equipment.

A second opinion or maybe a spannering session would be appreciated - this is a learning curve for me and Old Man seems to be bordering on running out of ideas. 

NB: there's fuck all fuel in it. 

 

 

I think it is a little too early to worry about a failed head gasket. The steam out of the exhaust doesn't look excessive to me, given the time of year and that the car has been parked up for a long time.

 

Petrol produces a lot of water when it combusts - it can leave a lot of water in an exhaust, particularly if the previous owner let it idle on the drive without moving occasionally, or if  the car has been used for short runs. Ten miles is nothing like long enough to clear it out. My Jag was off the road for a couple of years having the bodywork sorted. On the first drive (to the MOT station) it produced such a vapour trail the damn thing was like the red arrows! Much more than your car looks to be doing.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Run it around the block a few times until it's nice and hot to rid yourself of any potential condensation build up, keep an eye on the temp gauge and make sure it doesn't soar for the red.

 

HGF on the Doloshite manifested in bubbles in the header tank when idling and eventually HUGE plumes of white smoke from the exhaust.

 

 

I have driven a car with HGF - the plume was remarkably huge!

[trigger]

Just give it a good run around the block shag and stop panicking!

[Dave_Q]

Most petrol cars chuck out steam on idle on a cold day.

 

No amount of idling in the garage will get the exhaust warm enough for it to stop.

 

You really need to take it for a drive to get properly hot and see if the coolant is actually disappearing.

[Ghosty]

All very good points folks, I'm starting to feel a lot more confident it just needs a run. It'll have to be tomorrow because reasons, I'll get on with cleaning it up though.

Let's have a full write up, anyway, now I've had some dinner and I'm off my feet at last.

 

We start on Friday night, I've got back from my job training and completed the online stuff, all that's left is to sort out account details and collect a bag, jacket etc. 

 

I get the go-ahead to call the seller, and arrange to view on Sunday.

I bounce off the walls all of Saturday while helping a mate do some odd jobs on his bike.

Sunday comes, up early, 9:30 I phone the seller, all's well so we set off (all 3 of us!). The trip down is uneventful - the A4 is a little cramped as it doesn't comfortably seat anyone 'cause it's German more than two adults. Either the person in the rear can't move at all (and can't be taller than about 5'9"), or the person in the front has their knees in the glovebox. No compromise.

 

After a good two and a half hours we get to the seller's house. I've only dealt with a woman on the phone but it seems to be the husband selling the car.

It all seems okay - there's a bleb of rust on one rear arch, but that was to be expected, and the car needs a good wash etc but that's fair enough. The car was taken off the steep driveway with no dropped kerb) and looked around - we were surprised to find no smell of smoke, and a generally pretty tidy car that started right away, and after a short test run showed nothing untoward.

Something seemed a bit off with the seller though, he was one of those that seem to think the Honda engine Rovers don't actually need maintenance of any sort, and also the only history of any sort he had was the last two MOT certificates and the service book - stamped up to 50,000 miles/2008. Everything seems fine though, so while we're a little sceptical, we let it slide.

We agree that the car is good enough - seems to run alright, no major issues, everything works, radio has its code, and so on. The car was on Gumtree for £250, and C&C for £300, but it turns out they wouldn't take less than £300. The Gumtree ad had 'NO MORE STUPID OFFERS' at the bottom - turns out they'd been turning people away for offering £250, right up to the day before. We elected not to argue over £50, it being a cheap car.

 

Paperwork done, tax and insurance paid, we head off. All is fine until about a mile away where I stop at a T junction and a load of steam/white smoke appears from behind me. Pass through some roadworks, drive on a bit more, then notice that the 'CHECK ENGINE' light is on and the temp needle is in the red. Stop, talk to Old Man, and he thinks he knows what's going on. Hits what he thinks is the 'stat with a hammer but turns out to just be the cooling bleed valve. We let it cool down and set off.  CHECK ENGINE comes back on shortly after. Thankfully we got to a petrol station, and that's where we called the AA. Old Man wanted to remove the 'stat and just keep going, but it bordered on being too much of a PITA and we'd have needed some sort of gasket or sealant. I'm glad it was recovered. 

[3VOM]

I have a compression tester if you want to check that option.

[dollywobbler]

Again, that white steam after a mile could easily be condensation. Won't know really until further investigations are, er, investigated. Bad luck though. You must be quite frustrated!

[bramz7]

My BX is like a smoke machine when it's cold and it's just started, and it doesn't clear up until it's been driven a bit, so don't worry too much.

Actually reasonably jealous of the car. I've wanted an R8 for a while.