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Re: Excessive (maybe) white vapour from old micra K11
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Graham J
Jan 30, 2017, 7:36:03 AM1/30/17
to
dave wrote:
> My ancient (but still useful) Micra K11 is blowing what seems
> excessive white smoke. Is worse in this cold weather and when engine
> is cold. It does seem a lot though. The amount does get much less
> when engine is warmed up to normal.
>
> Temp gauge indicates normal and engine starts and runs perfectly (60k
> miles even though is a very old car).
>
> The only thing I know to be broken is the coolant header tank has a
> huge hole in the top of it! There is still some coolant sitting in the
> bottom of that tank though. Could this be the reason for the white
> vapour? (Does that tank need to be pressurized?). I can get one on
> ebay if would fix the problem.
>
> Am on the point of scapping the car if this is head gasket etc - so
> much appreciate your expert advice on this
> many thx
>
If it is steam rather than white smoke this will be much more apparent
in cold dry weather, such as we had last week in the south-east of
England. Once warm - after at least a 10-mile drive - it should disappear
60k isn't any great mileage - 160k would not be unreasonable.
The cooling system should be pressurised - otherwise it will boil dry in
a few dozen miles. If this has actually happened then all bets are off
- could be warped cylinder head, gasket ...
Once you can pressurise the system you can find out whether the head
gasket is leaking - not sure how you would do so otherwise.
--
Graham J
> My ancient (but still useful) Micra K11 is blowing what seems
> excessive white smoke. Is worse in this cold weather and when engine
> is cold. It does seem a lot though. The amount does get much less
> when engine is warmed up to normal.
>
> Temp gauge indicates normal and engine starts and runs perfectly (60k
> miles even though is a very old car).
>
> The only thing I know to be broken is the coolant header tank has a
> huge hole in the top of it! There is still some coolant sitting in the
> bottom of that tank though. Could this be the reason for the white
> vapour? (Does that tank need to be pressurized?). I can get one on
> ebay if would fix the problem.
>
> Am on the point of scapping the car if this is head gasket etc - so
> much appreciate your expert advice on this
> many thx
>
If it is steam rather than white smoke this will be much more apparent
in cold dry weather, such as we had last week in the south-east of
England. Once warm - after at least a 10-mile drive - it should disappear
60k isn't any great mileage - 160k would not be unreasonable.
The cooling system should be pressurised - otherwise it will boil dry in
a few dozen miles. If this has actually happened then all bets are off
- could be warped cylinder head, gasket ...
Once you can pressurise the system you can find out whether the head
gasket is leaking - not sure how you would do so otherwise.
--
Graham J
MrCheerful
Jan 30, 2017, 7:41:10 AM1/30/17
to
UNPRESSURISED header tank and have a conventional (as in old style)
pressure cap on the radiator itself. The header tank just has a loose
fitting cap, often similar to a washer bottle cap. The lack of a cap is
not a problem. There should be coolant in the header tank, about half
full to allow for overflow to be stored, which gets sucked back in to
the rad. when it cools. Due to evaporation the level in the header tank
will reduce over time and should be checked on a regular basis.
Dave Plowman (News)
Jan 30, 2017, 8:23:50 AM1/30/17
to
In article <r06u8cd3h34q986fs...@4ax.com>,
function of that model - made worse by the aftermarket stainless steel
exhaust. other owners with the same combination have remarked on it too.
> Temp gauge indicates normal and engine starts and runs perfectly (60k
> miles even though is a very old car).
> The only thing I know to be broken is the coolant header tank has a
> huge hole in the top of it! There is still some coolant sitting in the
> bottom of that tank though. Could this be the reason for the white
> vapour? (Does that tank need to be pressurized?). I can get one on
> ebay if would fix the problem.
The system is pressurised to raise the boiling point of the coolant.
Although the dash gauge may show below 100C, local areas within the engine
- like round the cylinder head - might well be a great deal hotter.
I've never known any car with a pressurised system which could be used
safely unpressurised.
> Am on the point of scapping the car if this is head gasket etc - so
> much appreciate your expert advice on this
> many thx
First replace the header tank.
--
*Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt.
Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
dave <da...@127.0.0.1> wrote:
> My ancient (but still useful) Micra K11 is blowing what seems
> excessive white smoke. Is worse in this cold weather and when engine
> is cold. It does seem a lot though. The amount does get much less
> when engine is warmed up to normal.
One of my cars produces an embarrassing amount of steam. It seems to be a
> My ancient (but still useful) Micra K11 is blowing what seems
> excessive white smoke. Is worse in this cold weather and when engine
> is cold. It does seem a lot though. The amount does get much less
> when engine is warmed up to normal.
function of that model - made worse by the aftermarket stainless steel
exhaust. other owners with the same combination have remarked on it too.
> Temp gauge indicates normal and engine starts and runs perfectly (60k
> miles even though is a very old car).
> The only thing I know to be broken is the coolant header tank has a
> huge hole in the top of it! There is still some coolant sitting in the
> bottom of that tank though. Could this be the reason for the white
> vapour? (Does that tank need to be pressurized?). I can get one on
> ebay if would fix the problem.
Although the dash gauge may show below 100C, local areas within the engine
- like round the cylinder head - might well be a great deal hotter.
I've never known any car with a pressurised system which could be used
safely unpressurised.
> Am on the point of scapping the car if this is head gasket etc - so
> much appreciate your expert advice on this
> many thx
--
*Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt.
Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
Dave Plowman (News)
Jan 30, 2017, 8:23:51 AM1/30/17
to
In article <FvGjA.155697$w62.1...@fx32.am4>,
--
*You sound reasonable......time to up my medication
MrCheerful <g.odon...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> It sounds as though the car is fine, many Japanese cars use an
> UNPRESSURISED header tank and have a conventional (as in old style)
> pressure cap on the radiator itself. The header tank just has a loose
> fitting cap, often similar to a washer bottle cap. The lack of a cap is
> not a problem. There should be coolant in the header tank, about half
> full to allow for overflow to be stored, which gets sucked back in to
> the rad. when it cools. Due to evaporation the level in the header tank
> will reduce over time and should be checked on a regular basis.
Ah - that explains why it hasn't blown up. ;-)
> It sounds as though the car is fine, many Japanese cars use an
> UNPRESSURISED header tank and have a conventional (as in old style)
> pressure cap on the radiator itself. The header tank just has a loose
> fitting cap, often similar to a washer bottle cap. The lack of a cap is
> not a problem. There should be coolant in the header tank, about half
> full to allow for overflow to be stored, which gets sucked back in to
> the rad. when it cools. Due to evaporation the level in the header tank
> will reduce over time and should be checked on a regular basis.
--
*You sound reasonable......time to up my medication
Peter Hill
Jan 30, 2017, 2:03:11 PM1/30/17
to
On 30-Jan-17 2:09 PM, dave wrote:
> sits just below half way when engine up to temp.- as it always has. It
> has never gone above that even with this shot header tank.
>
> good to have it explained why what I thought was a pressurised system
> hasn't blown up - and why there is still some coolant in the
> open-to-atmospeher header.
>
So long as the crack/hole isn't down the the "MAX" mark, Gaffer tape
will do.
> On Mon, 30 Jan 2017 13:22:31 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
> <da...@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> In article <r06u8cd3h34q986fs...@4ax.com>,
>> dave <da...@127.0.0.1> wrote:
>>> The only thing I know to be broken is the coolant header tank has a
>>> huge hole in the top of it! There is still some coolant sitting in the
>>> bottom of that tank though. Could this be the reason for the white
>>> vapour? (Does that tank need to be pressurized?). I can get one on
>>> ebay if would fix the problem.
>>
> <da...@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> In article <r06u8cd3h34q986fs...@4ax.com>,
>> dave <da...@127.0.0.1> wrote:
>>> The only thing I know to be broken is the coolant header tank has a
>>> huge hole in the top of it! There is still some coolant sitting in the
>>> bottom of that tank though. Could this be the reason for the white
>>> vapour? (Does that tank need to be pressurized?). I can get one on
>>> ebay if would fix the problem.
>>
>> First replace the header tank.
> Mant thanks all. I'll replace that header tank. The temp gauge always
> sits just below half way when engine up to temp.- as it always has. It
> has never gone above that even with this shot header tank.
>
> good to have it explained why what I thought was a pressurised system
> hasn't blown up - and why there is still some coolant in the
> open-to-atmospeher header.
>
So long as the crack/hole isn't down the the "MAX" mark, Gaffer tape
will do.
Peter Hill
Jan 30, 2017, 2:21:32 PM1/30/17
to
On 30-Jan-17 12:41 PM, MrCheerful wrote:
> It sounds as though the car is fine, many Japanese cars use an
> UNPRESSURISED header tank and have a conventional (as in old style)
> pressure cap on the radiator itself. The header tank just has a loose
> fitting cap, often similar to a washer bottle cap. The lack of a cap is
> not a problem. There should be coolant in the header tank, about half
> full to allow for overflow to be stored, which gets sucked back in to
> the rad. when it cools. Due to evaporation the level in the header tank
> will reduce over time and should be checked on a regular basis.
The rad should be brim full.
> It sounds as though the car is fine, many Japanese cars use an
> UNPRESSURISED header tank and have a conventional (as in old style)
> pressure cap on the radiator itself. The header tank just has a loose
> fitting cap, often similar to a washer bottle cap. The lack of a cap is
> not a problem. There should be coolant in the header tank, about half
> full to allow for overflow to be stored, which gets sucked back in to
> the rad. when it cools. Due to evaporation the level in the header tank
> will reduce over time and should be checked on a regular basis.
For external non pressurised header tanks Nissan use a 2 way pressure
cap on the radiator. There is an inner suction valve with very light
spring. This allows the engine to suck coolant back from the expansion tank.
Proof that the system is working is when the level in expansion tank
rises about 1cm when warm and drops back when cold.
If there is air in the rad header then it air locks and stops working so
you can have a dry rad with full expansion tank. This has lead to the
demise of many Nissan's. The expansion tank is a liar, always check the
rad is full.
In 2003 I bought a 1989 200SX for £150. Had "rattly cams" and a "full"
expansion tank. Took 2L of coolant to bring the level of brown mud in
the engine up to the rad filler neck, didn't stop the big end knocking
from a spun shell. It's called "donor".
MrCheerful
Jan 30, 2017, 2:30:04 PM1/30/17
to
Peter Hill
Jan 30, 2017, 3:38:53 PM1/30/17
to
coolant change, was it done by someone that understood the filling
procedure?
Many Nissan engines don't have air bleed points on coolant system for
filling. You fill the system, run it until warm, when the stat opens the
air collects in the rad, let it cool and then top up the rad.
Scott M
Jan 31, 2017, 2:33:15 PM1/31/17
to
dave wrote:
> The only thing I know to be broken is the coolant header tank has a
> huge hole in the top of it! There is still some coolant sitting in the
> bottom of that tank though.
"They all do that, sir."
> The only thing I know to be broken is the coolant header tank has a
> huge hole in the top of it! There is still some coolant sitting in the
> bottom of that tank though.
Very regular problem on that Micra - but not the cause of your promble.
--
Scott
Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?
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