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[JayUK]

OK, so driving into work this morning, and I noticed a wisp of white smoke from the bonnet.

Not good thinks I, and open the bonnet. It's coming from the left side of the engine at the back.
Opened the oil cap, and there's a bit of goo in there  

Head Gasket I cry in despair.  
However a quick poke around the net - and here - provided some hope that it could be the oil cooler. Some say V6s don't blow head gaskets, others that it happens all the time.

Any advice / hope greatfully received!   :-/

2003 3.2 V6

[Craig_R]

It could be the HBV or a split pipe

hows your water level doing ?

Sniff your header tank to see if it smells of exhaust gases

And check your dip stick for cream on it if the dipstick is ok then i dont think its the head gasket they very rarely go on the V6 engines


The oil Cooler would not give white smoke you would find a brown Goo in the header tank

[Kevin Wood]

Does the car get a lot of short journeys?

If so, a little mayo under the filler cap is not unexpected.

Is there any sign of oil in the coolant? This is the main symptom of oil cooler failure.

As to the whisp of smoke, the oil cooler is enclosed in the water jacket so there are no external symptoms of failure. Could be the HBV as Craig says. The other thing to check is that you don't have an oil leak from the cam cover gaskets onto the exhaust. Check the plug wells for oil as well while you're at it.

In fact, cam cover gasket failure and mayonnaise in the oil could both be symptoms of a blocked breather so that's the first thing to check IMHO.


Kevin

[TheBoy]

OK, so driving into work this morning, and I noticed a wisp of white smoke from the bonnet.

Not good thinks I, and open the bonnet. It's coming from the left side of the engine at the back.
Opened the oil cap, and there's a bit of goo in there  

Head Gasket I cry in despair.  
However a quick poke around the net - and here - provided some hope that it could be the oil cooler. Some say V6s don't blow head gaskets, others that it happens all the time.

Any advice / hope greatfully received!   :-/

2003 3.2 V6

My initial reaction is coolant leak.

What is state of dipstick? State of coolant? Level of coolant?

[Marks DTM Calib]

......others that it happens all the time.

There the un-educated ones.....



Is the residue in the header tank a thick goo or just a small showing of oil on the urface of the coolant, if the latter then its nowt to worry about.

Most likely cause of the smoek/steam is a water leak (HBV) or cam cover gaskets......when head gaskets go they very rarely spray oil or water every where.....

[JayUK]

It is mainly getting short journeys at the moment, so that could explain the oil cap.

I'll take a dekko shortly at the rest, and check the coolant etc.

lil happier now

[JayUK]

OK being as mechanically minded as your average spaniel   - here goes...

The mayo is just on the cap, the dipstick is fine

However, the coolant level is pretty much empty
Not really checked this befiore, but there's nada in there at the moment.

I'm guessing I need the cooling system checked out ASAP! Find the leak etc

[TheBoy]

OK being as mechanically minded as your average spaniel   - here goes...

The mayo is just on the cap, the dipstick is fine

However, the coolant level is pretty much empty
Not really checked this befiore, but there's nada in there at the moment.

I'm guessing I need the cooling system checked out ASAP! Find the leak etc

Apart from being empty, any sign of a goo-ie sludge? If not, then simple coolant leak, HBV being likely culprit...

[JayUK]

No sludge - there was a small amount of silty deposit, but it wasn't sludgey at all.

HBV being...? See told you I was hopeless.

I've got someone to look at it early next week. Until then, I'll top the water up and probably use my g/fs car.  No danger in running it with the water topped up?  

Thanks for the help guys, a simple leak is better than what I feared!

[tunnie]

No sludge - there was a small amount of silty deposit, but it wasn't sludgey at all.

HBV being...? See told you I was hopeless.

I've got someone to look at it early next week. Until then, I'll top the water up and probably use my g/fs car.  No danger in running it with the water topped up?  

Thanks for the help guys, a simple leak is better than what I feared!

HBV is the Heater Bypass Valve, very common for these to go on the V6. Its a job your can do yourself, and is fairly cheap.

[JayUK]

Huzzah! I now know what it means. Thank you!

Mechanic I've been recommended is pretty good apparently - If I tried doing it myself I may well end up breaking something on the car. Or my fingers.

I just drive it, don't know how it works  

[Marks DTM Calib]

You will probably find that the leak is worst with the either the heater on or off (depends which bits  leaking)...so you can control the elak to an extent with the heater settings.


The HBV is a sub 1 hour job.....so make sure they dont over charge you.

And watch that coolant level closely....if the warning appears on the MID....top it up.

[TheBoy]

Huzzah! I now know what it means. Thank you!

Mechanic I've been recommended is pretty good apparently - If I tried doing it myself I may well end up breaking something on the car. Or my fingers.

I just drive it, don't know how it works  

Part is £25 from dealer, you can fix.  I would urge you not to use car, as chances are, it is spraying water all over DIS pack, and that is more expensive.

Remove scuttle, and check it is HBV leaking first....

[JayUK]

I didn't get a warning about coolant level on the display..

I'll just drive it back, topped up with heater / aircon and then leave it til next week

Thanks again all

[Marks DTM Calib]

.....its a 3.2....coil per plug....no DIS pack...

There should have been a low coolant warning!