[TexasPete]

So Good Men, and Women of the web..
What will I potentially be looking for?

Brokedown Yesterday,
Cooling warning came on,
I was 5 kms from home, in a snowstorm here in Germany,
so like a fool, I thought I'd make it..
1 km later beep beep beep, went the warning systems and She died..
Clouds of steam from the bonnet,
Cooling system was drained, I had a bottle of water so poured it it and it just hit the floor.

Got a tow home,
Going to assess the damage now,
Freezing conditions recently here,
I'm hoping it's just a cracked pipe or something,
But,
Please,
What am I potentially looking at if, as, She has overheated and died because of no cooling..

Many thanks in advance.
Pete.

 

[Or_GazM]

Year/model/engine type?

 

[Prophet]

Did you keep an eye on the engine temperature during all this?

 

[TexasPete]

Year/model/engine type?

Danke Dir Gazza,

It seems my message didn't send to you from my mobile..

So


2.4 D 5 cylinder
1996
T4 Caravelle. 70C..

I've just this minute located 'one' leaky/split pipe.
I just came in for a bowl to catch fluids upon removal.
But.
Same question.
What else coulda gone **** up during an overheat breakdown. ?

Much obliged.

 

[TexasPete]

Did you keep an eye on the engine temperature during all this?

Hi Prophet,
Thanks for joining in..
Appreciated.

Temperature gauge was on minimum, it normally sits halfway,,
so, not reading I guess.

But,
She must have got hot hot hot before dying,
Water light came on maybe 3kms,
The warning beeps then came,
i tried to get to a layby but failed,
500mtrs after beeps started it died.
Blizzardy conditions, I didn't see any steam in that,
My bad,
I shoulda pulled in earlier with the warning, wasn't safe..
Damn...
Bad choice ..

I noticed a couple other cars overtaking on a 'non-overtake' stretch,
This is Germany, they don't do that..

Looked in my rear, thick black exhaust smoke,
that's why they shot past, overtook.
Germans also don't sit behind an old smoky van.

So,
I've found the coolant culprit,
split pipe, the small one from metal rad pipe to water pump
12? cms long, looks like a reducer pipe, large aperture one end, small the other..
located under the starter motor area.

So,
I managed to turn the crank wheel, no locking up there,
turns ok.

So, I tried to turn her over, nothing, nothing from the starter..

Now I'm stuck..

 

[Paramedic]

This doesn't sound good does it?

I'd definitely suspect head gasket if you've properly cooked it. The non-crank could be a duff starter and a coincidence - it definitely 100% hasn't seized?

Whats the oil level like?

 

[TexasPete]

This doesn't sound good does it?

I'd definitely suspect head gasket if you've properly cooked it. The non-crank could be a duff starter and a coincidence - it definitely 100% hasn't seized?

Whats the oil level like?

I can turn the crank no problem,

Starter motor coincidence?
I dunno, She started ok when I took off on this poisoned journey.
why would it not even try now?
The hose break was close to the starter..
Would a spraying of hot coolant kill the starter motor?

Thanks for your input Paramedic,
Appreciated...

 

[Paramedic]

Would a spraying of hot coolant kill the starter motor?

Its not impossible - have you tried giving the starter a firm tap with a hammer and then trying? Sometimes they stick.

Hows your oil level?

Headgasket associated smoke is usually white, not black. Appreciate in the moment you don't really take in the exact shade of the smoke you see billowing out!

 

[TexasPete]

This doesn't sound good does it?

I'd definitely suspect head gasket if you've properly cooked it. The non-crank could be a duff starter and a coincidence - it definitely 100% hasn't seized?

Whats the oil level like?

Oil level is ok, Smells a bit.... A bit roasted..

 

[TexasPete]

Its not impossible - have you tried giving the starter a firm tap with a hammer and then trying? Sometimes they stick.

Hows your oil level?

Ok,
Novice question..
Wouldn't turning the crank be turning the belt to the starter motor?
Giving the starter a 'prod', a persuasion?

 

[TexasPete]

Its not impossible - have you tried giving the starter a firm tap with a hammer and then trying? Sometimes they stick.

Hows your oil level?

Headgasket associated smoke is usually white, not black. Appreciate in the moment you don't really take in the exact shade of the smoke you see billowing out!

Ha!
Definately not white smoke,
Black as soot.
As seen through the headlights of cars behind me rapidly overtaking.

 

[Paramedic]

Ok,
Novice question..
Wouldn't turning the crank be turning the belt to the starter motor?
Giving the starter a 'prod', a persuasion?

There is no belt and the solenoid that engages the gear is what sometimes sticks.

 

[TexasPete]

There is no belt and the solenoid that engages the gear is what sometimes sticks.

Thanks,
As I said, novice question,
I'm not with the van to inspect, I was guessing.
But,
10pm here in Germany,
Full snowstorm blizzard,
Just getting my boots back on and going out with a suitable hammer..
Can it take a whack?
or a tap?
Rubber hammer I presume?

 

[Paramedic]

a good tap or three, but you're not trying to break it if that makes sense

 

[TexasPete]

a good tap or three, but you're not trying to break it if that makes sense

Yes,
Perfect sense..
A nice little wallop..
Ok..
Fingers n toes crossed.

 

[TexasPete]

a good tap or three, but you're not trying to break it if that makes sense

She at least tried, responded, after a thwack,
only once though.
I got 11.5 on the battery so it's not that..
Oh boy..
What a game.

 

[Paramedic]

Id say 11.5 is a bit low.......

If the starter is stuck it will still drain the battery as I found when mine did it and I ended up having to jump it!

You will need a new starter, but this could be the least of your problems. If you can get it to crank properly we can then start to diagnose further.

 

[64 SPLIT]

11.5 on the battery? Sounds like the battery is low! The cold weather won't help the battery either.

 

[TexasPete]

Id say 11.5 is a bit low.......

If the starter is stuck it will still drain the battery as I found when mine did it and I ended up having to jump it!

You will need a new starter, but this could be the least of your problems. If you can get it to crank properly we can then start to diagnose further.

Thank You.

 

[TexasPete]

11.5 on the battery? Sounds like the battery is low! The cold weather won't help the battery either.

Thanks Mr 64,
In from work, bit o fodder and back to it.