26 replies to this topic

[Gazman]

Gave my Mini a good run yesterday and wasa impressed with it.....that was until it started making a weird noise. Like a rattle, thought it might be the exhaust or something as had been over a few speed bumps and it occasionally catches. I was nearly home so carried on driving with the intention to have a look at home.

Then sitting at the lights it just died.....managed to bump it up the kerb out of the way and then noticed a big patch of oil and then on closer inspection the even bigger one under the front left of the engine...kind of under water pump etc. Popped the bonnet and there was splatters of oil and the oil cap had steam (if oil steams?) coming from it....Opened it up and let it cool. The engine paint was bubbling the engine was so hot!

So basically what is wrong with it? Is the water not cooling the engine?

I managed to get the car home and stuck it in the garage last night. It's probably just about cooled down now!

[Ethel]

Gave my Mini a good run yesterday and wasa impressed with it.....that was until it started making a weird noise. Like a rattle, thought it might be the exhaust or something as had been over a few speed bumps and it occasionally catches. I was nearly home so carried on driving with the intention to have a look at home.

Then sitting at the lights it just died.....managed to bump it up the kerb out of the way and then noticed a big patch of oil and then on closer inspection the even bigger one under the front left of the engine...kind of under water pump etc. Popped the bonnet and there was splatters of oil and the oil cap had steam (if oil steams?) coming from it....Opened it up and let it cool. The engine paint was bubbling the engine was so hot!

So basically what is wrong with it? Is the water not cooling the engine?

I managed to get the car home and stuck it in the garage last night. It's probably just about cooled down now!

If it really was steam 'n not smoke (I think you could probably smell the difference) I'd say your head gasket has gone. Has the water level dropped - assuming you didn't take the rad cap off hot 'n it didn't boil over by itself.

[Gazman]

It wasn't steam but oil smoke then I guess......the rad cap was warm but I didn't take it off and def wasn't boiling. Could it be a blockage in the cooling that would cause this?

[Ethel]

If the water level was low you may not notice it getting too hot as the temp sender would be above the water in your head.

I'd check the water level and look for 'mayo' in the rocker cover.

To get that hot without very obvious mechanical failure it'd have to be a lack of cooling

[nev_payne]

If the engine got that hot you wudda noticed it running considerably louder than normal...but yes I'd say thats standard head gasket failure...get that head/block skimmed! Oh yeah and good luck with the ensuing water/oil mess (man I hated my old car for that)

Edited by nev_payne, 16 September 2007 - 11:23 AM.

[Ethel]

Don't think skimming is on the cards yet - blow a few more gaskets before you go down that route.

It could be summet like a hole in the radiator instead or as well.

I'd change the oil though.

[Gazman]

I did look in the rocker and no mayo.......haven't had a chance to check the water level yet.

It's still leaking oil but I haven't had a chance to see where from yet. I'll hopefully look later.........

It was running considerably louder than normal but I had just moved the choke cable and I thought I might have connected it too tight....perhaps not!!

I think I'll have a look to see if I can see where it 'gave' and where the leak is and then probably take it to a garage to sort that and a few other bits....

[Jammy]

If your losing a lot of oil then it could have been that the oil level was low. As for the rattle, it could just be a rattle, or something seriously wrong with the engine, couldn't say without more information about where it was coming from, etc. Try and get a compression test, or even better, a leak down test done.

[Sprocket]

If paint is bubbling on the block, the problem is with the cooling system. If you havent checked the coolan level, then i suggest you do, you may be surprised to find the level is low. Then you have to find out why.

The oil will over heat at the same time as the main gallery is just below the coolant jacket, thus cooling the oil. Oil temp is usualy a few degrees above coolant temp, so if the coolant over heats, so does the oil

Edited by Mini Sprocket, 17 September 2007 - 11:11 AM.

[Gazman]

This is good news!!

So as long as I can sort whatever problem I have with the cooling and whatever has now given way and let the oil escape I should be back on course??

[alexcrosse]

id do a full change of oil and water. Check ur plugs to see if its running lean. Then see how it goes when u no all the levels are fine. Remember if you drain and fill it you will have to top it up AGAIN after the engine has run for a couple of minutes. Mine did this as a 1275... was lean and horrible. So i changed the engine When i had the other one out it was the head gasket. Worth changing anyway, and i suspect itll be your problem. Not a big job, just need a torque wrench, haynes manual (for stud order, remember to do this backwards when taking off too, just as important, and tighteneing again when warm) new gasket. Sorted. If the old one is fine dont put it back on anyway!!!

[Gazman]

I don't have a torque wrench....however I do have a spare head gasket!! I need a few jobs done by a garage anyway so will prob get them to do all at the same time!

Cheers for all your help! You've put my mind at rest slightly.

[Gazman]

OK

Had a look at the radiator and NO water......looked a bit further and the bottom hose has come loose and is not attached! Hence lack of water, therefore lack of cooling completely and therefore why so hot etc etc.

The oil has all gone now and seems to have come from the left front drive shaft gaitor which seems loose. Is this likely to be the only problem. I don't want to sort the radiator and then fill the engine with oil only for it to leak onto the garage floor again....

Thoughts?

[jplonie]

OK

Had a look at the radiator and NO water......looked a bit further and the bottom hose has come loose and is not attached! Hence lack of water, therefore lack of cooling completely and therefore why so hot etc etc.

The oil has all gone now and seems to have come from the left front drive shaft gaitor which seems loose. Is this likely to be the only problem. I don't want to sort the radiator and then fill the engine with oil only for it to leak onto the garage floor again....

Thoughts?

Just a thought....
Did the oil all go with or without the engine running?
I had a huge oil puddle front left from the oil pressure guage pipe which had split, when I was turning the engine over it was spirtin out of there in masses!
J

[Gazman]

Well, as it died it lost some then the rest as it was cooling.....I then managed to start it and drive it to get it home and it was laeking oil all the way. The rest came out in my garage after it was turned off....