Forum:
Hello guys, im new on here. Ive researched alittle on the site about the problems i am facing with my 1992 Daihatsu Sportrak 1.6 petrol. Ive bought this car a few weeks ago, its passed an MOT last week, needed some welding in the back pan.
Anyway here's to the problems i hope some kind fellow will be able to help me with.
The first time i drove this car the temp gauge rocketed up, so after allowing her to cool i look in the radiator= No water/coolant.
I proceeded to fill the radiator with water to the top. Drove the car again on the farm, using maninly 1st+ 2nd gear, looks like this has solved it. Checked water and its gone down alittle but not much and has now turned a brown colour. Just am worried as is this normal?
Second problem is that ive found that on the oil filler cap its white with gunge, now i know that this could be the head gasket, but is there any other way to tell? The oil on the dipstick is clear and oil colour.
Third minor problem is that whilst ticking over, sometimes whilst watching the exhaust it almost "Coughs" then carries on being normal?
Not sure whether any of this links in with anything? Apart from that the engine drives well, brakes work, etc etc.
If not ill just have to get abit of money together and take it to the mechanics.
Many thanks
Farmerphile
Another Newbie with problems- Sportrak
Right then where to start
1
No water, well I guess you better get the cooling system pressure checked; this will show any external leaks etc.
2
Brown coloured water? I would guess that there is no anti-freeze in the vch, now these have a cast block in think, so there is your answer its rust or silt build up from years of misuse , back flush the system including the heater matrix and refill using anti-freeze mixture
3
Grunge! This is what we call mayonnaise a mixture of oil and water, normally a sigh of a duff head gasket, but a simple compression test will sort this out. It could be just don’t to condensation under the cap, another way to have this checked is by doing a sniff test that is testing the fumes in the water overflow bottle for carbon monoxide
4
Exhaust cough, could be due to a failing head gasket, or failing or sticky valve. If the head tests above all come back negative I would try some cat-a-clean or other upper head lubricant
One last comment change the timing belt
Cheers
Thanks for the information, as one can see im alittle clueless when it comes to cars, being only 19 and all havent had much experience with things mechanically.
My mechanic said to just take it in for him to have a look at it.
Many thanks
Farmerphile
A True Country Gent-Suffolk
Another Newbie with problems- Sportrak
Hi
It sounds to me that this particular Sporty has been poorly maintained and allowed probably not serviced for some time. The brown sustance is rust from the cast iron water jacket and is a sign that no antifreeze has been used to prevent corrosion. It is quite common in poorly maintained cars.
Because you got it through the MOT a week ago it would appear that your emmissions are fine.
I would suggest draining the Radiator and then flushing through the entire system with a hose in the raditor top and the top hose removed once this is running clear.
If, as I suspoect the Car has been stood about and neglected the sludge on the filler cap could well be condensation where the temp inside the top cover and the outside causes water to form within which then mixes with the oild and collects on the cap.If the head gasket has gone you should find water contamination in the sump oil and white steam coming from the exhaust once the car is at normal operating temp, not when you start up as this is normal.
Although the cylinder head gaskets are prone to fail i would service the car completely and use some Redex Injector cleaner and take it for a good run. This should clear out any carbon deposits and should stop the coughing. It will also circulate the antifreeze mix. As a precaution take some water with you.
If you are satified that the water is being retained in the system then, when cold, drain off and refill with an Anti-Freeze Mix which will protect against corrosion and freezing. If on the other hand the water level is very low then you have a leak. Don't forget to top the header tank up to the MAX level.
If you have lost water then check the oil. The water will tend to settle at the top overnight and salad cram will appear again both on the filler cap and inside the cam cover. At that stage I would suspect a head gasket although I would have expected that to have upset the emmisions test on the MOT.
As a matter of interest if either of my sporties are left ticking over they ocaissionally cough intermittently and neither have head gasket problems. The 1991 i have had since 1994 and it has always "coughed" on tick over and I have done 100,000 miles on it..
I would support 100% the changing of the Cam belt and the other belts for the Alternator and the power steering unless you have documentary evidence that they have been done in the last 60K miles or 6 years, which i doubt.
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young
Update
Another update for everyone, firstly the car has been stood a fair few months, and has only done 700 miles since the last service, it has brand new belts, air filter etc.
So i decided i would clean and flush the reserve tank, and the radiator, got alot of sludge out of the reserve tank and alittle out of the radiator. Filled it all up again and so far it hasnt even dropped a cm after a good hammering on the A14 to work and back it has held up well and no signs of overheating, it sits in the middle mark.
It hasnt coughed in 2-3 days either, so whether it just takes a little time to warm itself up im not sure, no signs of mayo on the oil filler cap, or on the dipstick- think it may of just have been condensation.
I believe the problem with the leaking of radiator fluid was because the reserve tank was way past the full mark of water + full of an inch thick of sludge, thus meaning as the radiator coolant heated up or something it pushed the water into the reserve tank and then out of the overflow pipe thus emptying the water.
Anyway ill keep an eye on it over the next few days and keep you posted, as before it was drinking coolant very quickly, needing topping up very often, now i havent had to do it in 2 days.
Farmerphile
A True Country Gent-Suffolk