thermostat?

[crusher773]

So this morning it was pretty cold and I haven't drove the car in a few days. Let it warm up a little and took off. Noticed I wasn't getting any heat then noticed my temp was getting a little higher than usual but it wasn't getting too high. Was heading for town to go to work and up a couple hills it cut out on me. Then it really lost power so I pulled over and as soon as I got off the gas it died and started smoking. Popped the hood and there is water in the engine compartment and nothing in the radiator. So I sat there and let it cool off and limped it to the next exit and left it there. I thought maybe it was froze up and not circulating at first but now I kinda think maybe the thermostat has gone bad. What do you guys think I need to get it situated so I can get it home later.

[koRnhead]

Find the leak....that much water. I would look for a cut or blown radiator hose.

[Aaronbrook37]

Yep, start with the radiator and heater hoses as well as the cap and the drain on the radiator. Go through them one by one checking each hose as well as each clamp. I doubt it's the thermostat... you won't get any meaningful heat once the coolant starts leaking out. Loosing all of your coolant is not likely to be the thermostat itself, given it is sealed (hopefully) by steel/gasket/gasket maker nicely in the bay itself. What seems to be the origin of the leak? If it's all over the engine bay, that would suggest upper rad hose. To limp it home, take a few jugs/gallons of water (distilled if you can get it) and keep topping it off til you get her home for a closer look. That or call for a tow truck.

[Bathtub Tom]

You said it was pretty cold, below freezing? If so, how much anti-freeze did you have in it?

It sounds to me like your bottom hose froze, preventing coolant from circulating, causing it to overheat.

I check mine each year by syphoning a little into a pot and popping it in the freezer (-20c). If it stays liquid then I reckon it's good enough for UK winters.

[crusher773]

It should have been good it was about a 50/50 mix I didn't have any issues with it last year. Yes it was below freezing though. It just seemed weird that it heated up then dropped then over heated. I didn't have a lot of time to check for the origin of the leak or anything it was all on the right side. Distributor, battery and back to the fire wall were all wet on that side.

[koRnhead]

Upper rad hose blew.....would be my bet.

[Aaronbrook37]

Agreed. Either you lost a heater hose or the upper rad hose went.

[crusher773]

I'll have to check it after work.

[zoe60]

Maybe that little bypass hose?

[Bathtub Tom]

>> it heated up then dropped then over heated.

Classic frozen bottom hose. It heats up apparently normally as the coolant's got a path through the bypass.
The temperature appears to drop when it throws out sufficient coolant for the sender to be dry.
It gets so hot it starts to seize and burn off all that muck on the engine.

[crusher773]

I think Tom hit the nail on the head. Had one of the guys in the office run me down to it on lunch. I've got no blown hoses anywhere and i had just changed that bypass hose. So I thought let me give it a crank and see if anything blows out anywhere. It was running just fine when I parked it because I had let it cool off some and then took it slow to get it off the highway. Well it was blowing some water out right along the edge of the radiator so I think it was froze up. The big issue is I think she got a little too hot. I don't think it was reading right because it never showed it was getting that hot. She won't start though it appears its cooked. I won't have time to mess with it hope I can get a decent price out of it. It'd be a good car to do a B6 swap into.

[Bathtub Tom]

I'm just a pessimistic ole git.

Could you have diluted the anti-freeze when you changed the by-pass hose?

Could you have mis-fitted the by-pass hose, causing a leak?

I do hope you haven't 'cooked' the engine.

[crusher773]

Tom I think what likely happened is is I diluted it a little when I changed the bypass hose. I know I don't have a leak there but I bet I didn't get quite enough in it. Totally sucks I am pretty sure she is cooked otherwise it should start up after it cooled off. Waiting on the tow truck right now.