Forum:
I purchased a sportrak 1996 p reg for £900 which I thought was cheap, too cheap! Full service history from a car auction.
On the way home, it was smokey, white smoke and lack of power in lower gears. Checked water and oil, was fine.
Next day, started her up, no smoke on idle, white smoke when acelerated , I drove for 20 miles and started cutting out at junctions, temp gauge was on cold, no heat through main heater only heat through window, the fuel injector i.e efi was stone cold and engine was barely warm.
Has anybody any idea what could be wrong? Any suggestions would be really appreciated.
H2O
Sounds like water is getting into the cylinders and coming out in the exhaust as white smoke/water vapour. Problem is either a leaking head gasket or cracked cylinder head. If its a cracked cylinder head a new replacement will cost more than the car is worth. If engine lacks power and exhausts white smoke then there is the possiblity of a hole in a piston. A cylinder pressure test would confirm a leak. A cheap diagnosis but not too acurate is to remove the spark plugs and check if any are burned white indicating water contamination - but could also indicate a very weak fuel mixture.
No heat in the system could be either an air blockage in the system, a blocked radiator, jammed closed thermostat, broken water pump or lack of coolant. Check if the bottom of the radiator is very hot after travelling a few miles.
BE CAREFUL when undoing the hot radiator cap and check if there are air bubbles or signs of oil in the coolant whilst engine is hot and running. -- place a cloth over the cap and unscrew slowly !!!
No heat from the heater .... has the heater matrix been disconnected? Two brass pipes should be visibly seen passing through the baulkhead where they then supply the heater matrix....inside the engine compartment, bottom left side, behind the engine.
Oops, they saw you coming, I'm afraid !
I guess the seller removed the thermostat to stop the radiator pressurising as it gets hot. This stops the water being forced into the oil system via the leaky head gasket, but doesn't do much for exhaust fumes getting into the rad (remove the header tank top and see if you can smell exhaust fumes in there). Even after a long run without a thermostat in this weather, the water will only be lukewarm ..... barely enough to feel through the heater.