Smoke/stream coming form radiator?
11-19-2007, 04:38 PM
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Smoke/stream coming form radiator?
Hi,
My 89 951 RHD was sitting idle for a while because I moved jobs and I bought a scooter to avoid the traffic. Before that it was my daily driver. It was sitting for maybe 2 weeks so I went to move it the other day and it would try to start but not fire. I bought a new battery as it has been a while since the last once was replaced. That still didn't work so got a friend to jump start me and it started eventually and has done since, albeit it is very rough. I was driving it the other day on a short trip and noticed it is very clunky, takes ages to build up speed and nearly cuts out unless you are careful with the clutch, there is also a smell of fuel in the cabin and a strong smell outside the car when it's sitting idle. I put this down to the fact it has been sitting for a while and just needs to be driven for a bit to clean it out. I was on the way back from the supermarket stopped at the lights I noticed some white wispy smoke coming from under the hood. I got it home, popped the hood and the smoke/steam looks like it is coming from the radiator area. The radiator is only 7 months old and I've no coolant leaks that I know off. I can't see exactly where it is coming from but it is definitely in this area.
Any ideas? Am I being paranoid, it was raining earlier that day so perhaps water was dripping down onto the radiator but this has never happened before, and it rains nearly every other day here in Ireland.
It is due for a service but I'm leaning towards getting it picked up rather than driving it to the mechanic.
Roch
My 89 951 RHD was sitting idle for a while because I moved jobs and I bought a scooter to avoid the traffic. Before that it was my daily driver. It was sitting for maybe 2 weeks so I went to move it the other day and it would try to start but not fire. I bought a new battery as it has been a while since the last once was replaced. That still didn't work so got a friend to jump start me and it started eventually and has done since, albeit it is very rough. I was driving it the other day on a short trip and noticed it is very clunky, takes ages to build up speed and nearly cuts out unless you are careful with the clutch, there is also a smell of fuel in the cabin and a strong smell outside the car when it's sitting idle. I put this down to the fact it has been sitting for a while and just needs to be driven for a bit to clean it out. I was on the way back from the supermarket stopped at the lights I noticed some white wispy smoke coming from under the hood. I got it home, popped the hood and the smoke/steam looks like it is coming from the radiator area. The radiator is only 7 months old and I've no coolant leaks that I know off. I can't see exactly where it is coming from but it is definitely in this area.
Any ideas? Am I being paranoid, it was raining earlier that day so perhaps water was dripping down onto the radiator but this has never happened before, and it rains nearly every other day here in Ireland.
It is due for a service but I'm leaning towards getting it picked up rather than driving it to the mechanic.
Roch
Last edited by Roch; 11-19-2007 at 04:39 PM. Reason: Edit: Ignore the typo in the title, should read 'from' of course.
11-19-2007, 04:52 PM
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Burning Brakes
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I know the feeling, I have the same white smoke (spelled "steam") comming from my radiator. It is a new (less than a year old) griffin radiator and it has developed a leak up at the top left side. I guess I will be pulling it soon for service.
