Coolant all over the car engine bay.

[Packer]

I drove my FIL's 15 year old car this morning and heard a buzzing or whirring sound from the engine, I though it might be the fan or similar. I got to his place and opened the hood and saw this.

 

Coolant was all over the engine bay.

 

Inside the white plastic reserve there was some water at the bottom of it. 

 

I waited an hour to open the cap. 

 

 

[Packer]

Opened the cap after it cooled and say what appeared to be water inside.

 

It looks like it has come out of both the radiator cap, which doesn't look OEM, but also from the cap of the plastic reserve thank. 🤪

 

 

[Packer]

I suspect it's just a misfitting cap that doesn't, or didn't fully seal.

 

But would that explain it coming up out of the reserve tank too?

 

 

The first task it to clean it up, top it up with coolant, put the top back on as best I can, then drive and observe for fresh stains in the engine bay. 

 

I'll also order a new radiator cap. 

 

1. Does a faulty cap also explain it coming out of the reserve tank due to pressure loss or whatever? If indeed it did.

 

2. What other possibilities are there? 

[Jeff the Chef]

Any stuff that looks like oil or mayonnaise in either radiator or plastic tank?

[Packer]

Just now, Jeff the Chef said:

Any stuff that looks like oil or mayonnaise in either radiator or plastic tank?

 

No, I don't believe so. 

[Kinnock]

The most common cause of coolant leaks is a burst hose or hole in the radiator .... I guess there's no signs of this?

 

If it's coming from the cap, then maybe it's a safety pressure relief in the cap?  This would be caused by excess pressure from over heating?

 

Thermostat stuck closed or fan not working?

[johng]

Did you drive up a mountain ?

 

perhaps the oveflow/expansion bottle was filled up to the brim to start with  so as the coolant got hot it overflowed ?

 

[Jeff the Chef]

Can you see a fan belt?

 

https://cdn-cbfkp.nitrocdn.com/YcabVeAPlDNFCnbppGBwuEGAbrEezPNs/assets/images/optimized/rev-d0937b8/vatire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Serpentine-Belt-Diagram-01.png

[impulse]

Take it down to the local grease monkey and have them pressure test the system.  Shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred baht.

 

It's tough to tell from the photos, especially with everything dry.  A pressure test will tell you for sure.

 

[tweedledee2]

That's not fresh coolant. Those are the stains of evaporated coolant, which are probably months, if not years, old. Apparently, you have never seen an engine bay after a hose ruptures or the engine overheats and boils the coolant out. The underhood will be wet for weeks if the coolant is not diluted and washed off.

[Jeff the Chef]

If the belt is still there look for the water pump and grab hold of the bit where the belt is and give it a wiggle if it feels loose you have a knackered water pump, will need replacing.

 

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWDkPi7RD0wtcttAS3aBR_7yoq7fbl9JiY5F_gzjrDP_3X2zL0ehUCs9w&s

[Jeff the Chef]

Any news @Packer

[Packer]

It looks like the coolant system is okay. That somebody didn't put the cap on correctly, spewed coolant all over the place, then topped it up with water.  I bought a 4L bottle and the main system only took a tiny bit, I think filled up the reserve with around one liter, cleaned up the cap and engine bay, ran the engine and told the old man along with his nieces and nephews to keep an eye on it. 

[Packer]

The problem however seems to be a very noisy whirring and high pieces squealing from the fan belt area. It increases with throttle usage.

 

Is it possible to post videos on here directly from our phone? 

[Packer]

Oil and all other fluids checked and are okay.

 

He said it started getting extra noisy around one month ago

 

Not easy to tell if it is just the fanbelt, or something inside. 

 

A loud whirring sound, that seems to get higher in terms of volume and pitch when you step on the gas. 

 

[Kinnock]

5 minutes ago, Packer said:

The problem however seems to be a very noisy whirring and high pieces squealing from the fan belt area. It increases with throttle usage.

 

Is it possible to post videos on here directly from our phone? 

Sounds like the water pump may be the issue.  A worn bearing or broken impeller will make a noise.

 

[Packer]

1 hour ago, Jeff the Chef said:

If the belt is still there look for the water pump and grab hold of the bit where the belt is and give it a wiggle if it feels loose you have a knackered water pump, will need replacing.

 

Thanks, all of the wheels along the fanbelt are completely tight. 

[Jeff the Chef]

Just now, Packer said:

 

Thanks, all of the wheels along the fanbelt are completely tight. 

 

So either take it to a mechanic to check it out, or let it develop until it happens again.

I suspect the Water Pump is on the way out.

[Dan O]

2 hours ago, Kinnock said:

The most common cause of coolant leaks is a burst hose or hole in the radiator .... I guess there's no signs of this?

 

If it's coming from the cap, then maybe it's a safety pressure relief in the cap?  This would be caused by excess pressure from over heating?

 

Thermostat stuck closed or fan not working?

It may be a leaking water pump as well. They have a weep hole that water will spray out of if the internal seal is defective. When that happens it sprays all over the engine like what you see here. Doubt its the cap thats defective. Easy enough to check, fill with water run the engine until it gets hot and watch for the spray from the water pump

[Packer]

The noise while revving. 

 

The deep engine sound is normal. The high drill sound that increases with revs is not.

 

 

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

10 minutes ago, Packer said:

drove my FIL's 15 year old car

 

The noise while revving. 

The deep engine sound is normal. The high drill sound that increases with revs is not.

 

 

How much petrol does she have? 

 

Time for an insurance job. 

Torch it 

 

[Moonlover]

52 minutes ago, Packer said:

The problem however seems to be a very noisy whirring and high pieces squealing from the fan belt area. It increases with throttle usage.

 

Is it possible to post videos on here directly from our phone? 

So possibly the (fan?) belt needs adjusting or replacing. That drives the water pump, so overheating is probably the problem.

[Packer]

2 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

How much petrol does she have? 

 

3 bars.

 

2 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Time for an insurance job. 

 

I haven't checked, I doubt he even has insurance 555

[Packer]

1 minute ago, Moonlover said:

So possibly the (fan?) belt needs adjusting or replacing. That drives the water pump, so overheating is probably the problem.

 

Spray cleaned the fan belt, everything's tight, no change in the extra whirring drill sound. 

[BigBilly]

4 hours ago, Jeff the Chef said:

I suspect the Water Pump is on the way out.

My guess too.  Probably the water pump dying causing the noise and overheating and resulting in coolant overflowing.  Take it to a competent mechanic.  I doubt you can fix it yourself unless you can change a water pump.

[Jeff the Chef]

4 hours ago, Packer said:

 

Spray cleaned the fan belt, everything's tight, no change in the extra whirring drill sound. 

 

Any half decent mechanic will have a stethoscope, I'd put money on it being the water pump.

 

[Sierra Tango]

Hard to establish the coolant residue issue without replacing the radiator cap first. The reservoir cap may also be dodgy given the age of the vehicle so try a new one of those as well.

 

Could be an alternator, water pump or power steering pump problem making the noise.

Process of elimination for tracking it down. If you can get hold of a mechanics stethascope you could listen to the water pump, alternator and PS pump while the engine is running to help pin point where the noise is coming from. It could also be the drive / fan belts. Throw a bit of water on them while the engine is running and if the noise stops that could indicate that they are worn and need replacing. 

[ExpatOilWorker]

Did a coolant vent screw bresk off?