Hey guys,
Yesterday my cars radiator decided to take a dump on me.
I have used the original radiator for 10 years now. Not bad right?

Anyways yesterday on my way to church my car suddenly died on the highway.
I was not driving fast. Was on freeway driving around 100km/h.
Before the car died on its own i could hear something like lifter noise..
When i opened the bonnet i saw smoke coming out from the Timing belt top cover.
It was some smoke not a whole lot to make me choke.
My guage never went beyong half.
I checked for water.
There was water in the water reservoir but non in the radiator.

So my brother towed me to my shop and i pulled out a new radiator and fit it in.
Then we tried to take the air out of the system by idling engine and pouring water in.
We noticed the water would just spew out and the top hose was getting hot and the bottom just remained cool.
So then we changed the thermostat which lasted me 10 years as well.

Im guessing the thermostat malfunctioning led to too much pressure build up in the radiator...
Damn thermostat... Cant tell when its going.
Anyways my car seems fine so im happy.


THE QUESTION
What burned for the smoke to come?
Was it my tappet cover?
What else can burn?
I also replaced the tappet cover...
It was cracked and a very slight burn...
Do you think my engine might be effected? I dont feel anything different except that when we finished everything i had some water come out the exhaust
and then it was gone.

Some pics of tappet cover that was replace.
It was done by me with no sweat.
Im feeling confident i can work more on the car now.
Thanks to searching on RD!!!

 

Doesn't look burned to me, and cracks can happen easily enough during routine installation & removal. Smoke might have been steam.

 

Hey Stocker.
The crack was not there.
It only happened after the car overheated.
I couldve just left the rocker cover but i had in stock so i just replaced it and didnt want it to leak later
The smoke had a smell like it was oil...
Maybe leaked out of the rocker cover onto the hot block creating smoke.
Thats all i can think of....
My car was a pint low on oil.


I checked oil/water mixture in the oil cap, dip stick and radiator reservoir.
There is no signs of that so i think my Original metal gasket held up.

 

You can't check if water has gotten in your oil by checking those. The oil cap shows you nothing, it's on the top of the engine, oil is stored at the bottom. The dipstick method is not reliable. And you're looking for water in the oil, not vice versa (it's unlikely oil would get into the water since it is thicker and won't penetrate small gaps as easily). The best way to check it is to do an oil change. If you overheated the engine then it's probably a good idea to change it anyway.

 

^^^ Frozen,
The oil Cap and dipstick would show water marks when the car is cold and you check.
I have always used this method.
I know its not as effective as replacing the oil.

About changing the oil..
It looks new as i only got the car a few weeks ago.
It still the original transparent color.
Im just gonna drive it for around 2000km more and then change it to fully synthetic Castrol.


B.T.W
I know the water pump was changed recently.
Does slight overheating damage the water pump?

 

"probably not" is the best answer you're likely to get to the water pump question. Keep an eye on your oil consumption, that may have been where it went. Also, regular oil is very cheap compared to an engine; if nothing else it might lend peace of mind to do an oil change.

 

^^^
Thanks stocker.
Im gonna do some work during this week.
I got a ported intake manifold so im planning to swap that in.
Ill probably do a tune up service (Plugs, Wires, oil, filters again.)
Lucky i own a spare shop..
This would have cost me at least $300....
Radiator with rocker cover...