shouldnt have lent the kid the car

[DoggyDaddy]

01 Carrera 4 cab, lent it to my 18-yr old. wont make that mistake again. 1st 2 times went fine, but this time Car overheated, I asked him how long he drove it w/ meter in the RED zone. He says about 5 min. Then some steam came out the back, he pulled it over and turned off. So I'm wondering does this mean engine is shot and need's a rebuild. Im in St Louis area, does anyone know a good wrench?

[KTL]

Steam out the exhaust pipe is blown head gasket. Engine's not necessarily shot. But it can't be run any more in it's current condition.

[matty89]

Check ur prestone level u loose about 10 to 20% per year

Steam out the exhaust pipe is blown head gasket. Engine's not necessarily shot. But it can't be run any more in it's current condition.

[DoggyDaddy]

Kid didnt say steam out the exhaust, only that he saw it while driving last couple blocks. Couldve been out engine compart.

[zippy_gg]

Check all hoses first, and the coolant level.
Check spark plugs for oil and water mixture on their tips.
If head gasket(s) went bad you will need to check the heads for warping.

[DoggyDaddy]

Originally Posted by KTL

Steam out the exhaust pipe is blown head gasket. Engine's not necessarily shot. But it can't be run any more in it's current condition.

Weird thing is kid drive's the car to the driveway instaed of just pulling over and letting it cool. But next morning I was able to start it and drive it into garage. OK, just 25 feet, but didnt make any weird noises, drove right in.

[AlfonsoR]

From what you've stated, it doesn't sound like it was the kid's fault there was a mechanical issue. If it's a blown head gasket, for example, it was just a matter of time because it would indicate there was a deffect there. Would've happened to you eventually.

Just to give you an example, in BMW inline 6's that see high mileage 150-200k miles, it is common to see a blown head gasket. In this particular instance, it is caused by higher localized temperatures in cylinders 4 and 5, usually 5. Typically the blow out happens at the exhaust side of the #5 cylinder, the hottest part of the head. After so many miles and so many cycles, the temperature delta across the head is sufficient to eventually fail the gasket.

[Lapkritis]

Let me be the first to not say doom and gloom scenario here. The puff of steam out of the engine compartment is possibly the radiator cap relief. This would be the safety valve to prevent more expensive damage to the cooling system when the pressure is at the level the manufacturer of the car determines as maximum for components such as the radiator, coolant hoses, gaskets etc. It is quite possible you have a bad thermostat/clogged radiator or other component that simply cause the engine to heat the coolant which causes pressure to rise in the cooling system until the cap relief performed the duty of letting that pressure out. Consult a mechanic and have the cooling system trouble-shot. Car can be fixed and wasn't necessarily the fault of the kid. I'm sure this terrified him especially if he was being responsible in his operation. Even if the temp gauge is in the red you can't always safely pull to the side of the road if there isn't a shoulder... your relationship with your children is your own business but I would be more concerned about that than a car with problems.

[DoggyDaddy]

andrew, no worries im not going to be too hard on the kid, sure there was somehting already f'ed up with the car.

what i dont get is why did it start the next day and what does that mean? thanks 4 ur response.

[Lapkritis]

The pressure relief of the cap vent closes once pressure is relieved. You will certainly be low on coolant following a vent/boil. A simple venting does not always indicate severe mechanical failure. It could be a bad thermostat, blocked radiator or dead radiator fan. Trust-worthy mechanic can tell you. Look at many race series where cars vent steam when under caution flag; this does not indicate mechanical failure.

[porsche monkey]

It could very well be a simple failed waterpump. When they go bad they dump coolant onto the exhaust. Very common.

[Lapkritis]

So what was it?

-Andrew

[DoggyDaddy]

Originally Posted by Lapkritis

So what was it?

-Andrew

Im not sure yet - my guys gonna do leakdown tmw. Any idea seeing as I could start it next day?