Head Gasket?

[RedWagon]

Well the other night I went out for a cruise and not even getting on it just driving 60mph on the highway and I glance down and notice that Im overheating and bad. So just like any other car Ive owned that did this I turned on the heater to get the fans to try to cool off the radiator and I was also like 6 miles from home. Well the heat went from hot to real cool inside the car and I started to notice white smoke. I had just recently installed a new bullseye power vtrim turbo which is only oil cooled. I drive slow home trying not to overheat the car anymore than possible to prevent a cracked head. So I get home and pop the hood open and the overflow tank has most of my coolant inside and its boiling. I take a couple rags and pop off the radiator cap and there is no coolant in the lines. I also check shaft play in the turbo to see if thats what was the problem but all was fine there. what could this be? Im guessing head gasket but the oil doesnt seem changed like a milky substance. I waited and added more coolant the next day and it still smokes a white cloud

 

[illeffekt vr-4]

Most likely the head gasket is shot. Do a compression and leak down test and go from there.
The heater trick works but only for a very short distance, maybe just enough for you to find a place to pull over safely and turn it off. The heater trick will not work if you have to drive the car for 6 miles. You might of warped the head/block besides blowing the head gasket.

 

[toontowntalon91]

Sound's like it just overheated. The white smoke the next day could have just been spilled coolent.

 

[dSmgs-T]

sounds like a HG to me also. best thing to do for a definate answer is leakdown and compression test, goodluck!

 

[snox135]

The heater trick can work for a long time. It all depends on why your car is overheating. But your temp gauge should not drop quickly. If it does you just lost your coolant and you need to stop now.

 

[absolute_DSM]

Once you noticed it overheating, you should have pulled over. But enough of that.

My vote is on a water pump. If you turn on the heater when its over heating and notice it starts to blow cold after a minute or 2, thats a definate water pump/loss of coolant flow issue.

But since you didnt pull over, I bet you blew the headgasket/warped the head now.

 

[RedWagon]

well I did pull over for a short while when I first noticed until the car cooled off.Also I had plenty of red lights to stop at on my way home and the temp gauge would slowly creep back down to mid way like normal until I would continue to drive again then it would rise. I did notice my waterpump had a minor leak when I installed my turbo but thought nothing other that just the rubber o-ring was aged and cracked. Well if its the case of the head warping I have a 6bolt lined up for $200 and an extra bare ported head for another $200 so I think its time to swap and build it for more power.

 

[TalonTSIawd1991]

The best thing to do would have been to pull over and let the engine cool down and then finish driving home. This happened to me and it was the head gasket. Remember, if you are blowing white smoke that means that you are burning some kind of coolant/water.

 

[kiwidog]

I agree with absolute on the water pump being shot. The same thing happened to me when my water pump went out, when I turned the heater on after noticing the temp rising it went cold after awhile just like yours. Check that out and if that's not it then it's probably the head gasket.

 

[absolute_DSM]

I agree with absolute on the water pump being shot. The same thing happened to me when my water pump went out, when I turned the heater on after noticing the temp rising it went cold after awhile just like yours. Check that out and if that's not it then it's probably the head gasket.

Forgot to mention the reason Im sure its the water pump/coolant flow issue is because it happened to my DD 98 GS. 13 degrees outside in 3 hours waiting for a ride in Iowa. FUN.

 

[gfrnk69]

It's your gasket for sure. This just happen to me also, when there is no coolant/water in your lines its because your engine is burning it.

Check your spark plugs to see if they're wet.

-Frank

 

[lgoss5127]

sounds like the head gasket is done. i would go with a cometic head gasket. it has 3 layers and it really prevents a lot of blown head gaskets