Question please : Overheated engine and check engine light

[mLITZah]

Hi.

Quick question please. TIA.

Travelling north yesterday afternoon in my beloved VT the gauge on the heat started to go up. I stopped. The radiator was empty (I had topped it up on leaving). I filled the radiator and put some coolant in.

Continued on my trip north.

I got 70 kilometres up the road and it was overheating again. Same thing. Radiator empty. No leaks. And the "check engine" sign came on.

Now the car has been with mechanics for 2 days.

What is wrong with my beloved VT?

 

[accentstencil]

Have you asked the mechanic?

 

[markovr]

If theres no milky oil and engine runs fine (head gasket)or trans oil hasnt turned a milky pink and overfull (transmission oil cooler line broken inside radiator) ,its probably a cracked plastic tank in the radiator that empties itself when you are moving and the pressure builds up.

 

[VTS5]

Cracked Head / block or Cracked head gasket..

 

[sweefu]

Very common problem is a leak around the join where the end tank meets the radiator core. It will only leak once up to temp/under pressure, so if you turn the car off and try find a leak, you won't.

Look for steam or drops of water staining around the top radiator hose or generally around the end tank area, bet you it's leaking there.

 

[lout]

possibly small leak in heater core which then drains out aircon drain tube
heater tap and radiator should be visible leaks

 

[sweefu]

possibly small leak in heater core which then drains out aircon drain tube
heater tap and radiator should be visible leaks

You'd be surprised how common the leak I mentioned above is, not visible unless the car is up to temp and running, even then it can still be hard to spot.

 

[lout]

You'd be surprised how common the leak I mentioned above is, not visible unless the car is up to temp and running, even then it can still be hard to spot.

i completely agree, i have seen too many leaking radiator side tanks
but if op mechanic cant find leak and i would hope is using a pressure tester i was throwing out a possibility
usually you can see the trickle or the crusty remains

 

[sweefu]

i completely agree, i have seen too many leaking radiator side tanks
but if op mechanic cant find leak and i would hope is using a pressure tester i was throwing out a possibility
usually you can see the trickle or the crusty remains

Good point mate!