Car overheating problems

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rubytox

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I've been having problems for a long time and R7k later, the car problem persists. Does anyone know if it is worth taking the car to AA or Dekra for inspection to determine the exact problem? It is quite expensive for a full inspection report but at this point I'm willing to pay because it seems most mechanics are in it for the money and fix things that don't need fixing.
 
The AA won't determine the cause of the overheating.

What car?
When does it overheat?
Does it lose water?
 
It's my daughter's Kia Picanto.

It's not leaking water or oil but I have to top up the water everyday.
When I start the car, there's thick white smoke coming from the exhaust.
The oil is a chocolate brown color. :confused:
The car had a major service 3 months ago.
The rawl bar was replaced 3 months ago.
The exhaust has been replaced and the catalytic converter was fixed 2 weeks ago as it was blocked, apparently.
Yesterday the engine started making a noise and overheated.
 
rubytox said:
It's my daughter's Kia Picanto.

It's not leaking water or oil but I have to top up the water everyday.
When I start the car, there's thick white smoke coming from the exhaust.
The oil is a chocolate brown color. :confused:
The car had a major service 3 months ago.
The rawl bar was replaced 3 months ago.
The exhaust has been replaced and the catalytic converter was fixed 2 weeks ago as it was blocked, apparently.
Yesterday the engine started making a noise and overheated.
Click to expand...

I would suspect head gasket blown.
If the engine made a noise and overheated, I would also say the head is now warped.
You're in for a costly repair I'm afraid :(
 
Sinbad said:
I would suspect head gasket blown.
If the engine made a noise and overheated, I would also say the head is now warped.
You're in for a costly repair I'm afraid :(
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Yep, the oil being milky in colour and not black or clear indicates the water is getting into the oil, most likely from a blown head gasket.
 
I think you need to find a new mechanic. This is a common problem and one easily diagnosed.
 
markface said:
I think you need to find a new mechanic. This is a common problem and one easily diagnosed.
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The mechanic who did the major service did not even notice the rust on the exhaust. :mad:
My worst fear was a blown head gasket. :(

Thanks, now to find a mechanic who won't rip us off again.
 
rubytox said:
The mechanic who did the major service did not even notice the rust on the exhaust. :mad:
My worst fear was a blown head gasket. :(

Thanks, now to find a mechanic who won't rip us off again.
Click to expand...
I feel your pain, you probably find they just let a lowly labourer do the service and didn't check anything afterwards.
After many years having really *** cars, I got a couple of really good backyard mechanics close to where I stay in Durbs. I've found the guys who were mechanics in the army back in the day are just amazing.
Unfortunately now having a new car it has to be serviced by the dealer, but it always helps to find a good backyard mechanic. Preferably by word of mouth referral.
 
rubytox said:
The mechanic who did the major service did not even notice the rust on the exhaust. :mad:
My worst fear was a blown head gasket. :(

Thanks, now to find a mechanic who won't rip us off again.
Click to expand...
Was it car "service" city?
 
Can't believe they did not diagnose this as a head gasket from the start. Did you ever have to top up the coolant level before and used water instead of antifreeze?
 
-Check Radiator
-Check Thermostat
-Check cooling system (air bubbles, cuts/holes in pipes)
-Check Water pump

Thats your basic checklist, but the head gasket is blown for sure.
 
rubytox said:
The mechanic who did the major service did not even notice the rust on the exhaust. :mad:
My worst fear was a blown head gasket. :(

Thanks, now to find a mechanic who won't rip us off again.
Click to expand...

I's surprised that this mechanic didn't pick up on the head gasket issue. Or maybe he did but had his own reasons for not telling you.
 
Rickster said:
That actually does happen, by fix did they just cut it off?
Click to expand...

According to the mechanic, the exhaust caused the blockage in the catalytic converter. The exhaust was in bad shape, so I was very surprised that the first mechanic did not notice this. Anyway, the guy at Powerflow said that he cleaned out the catalytic converter, also that it was cracked but they fixed it. The car ran like a dream after the exhaust and catalytic converter were fixed but it lasted only a week before the problem recurred.

I'm really p*ssed off because the original complaint was overheating and a sulfur smell in the car. I asked the mechanic to check everything thoroughly. I think that driving the car while the problem persisted, made it worse and is now going to cost a fortune to have it fixed.

About the antifreeze, it is possible that they put water in the wrong bottle at the garage. In fact, I suspected this about 2 weeks ago.
 
rubytox said:
According to the mechanic, the exhaust caused the blockage in the catalytic converter. The exhaust was in bad shape, so I was very surprised that the first mechanic did not notice this. Anyway, the guy at Powerflow said that he cleaned out the catalytic converter, also that it was cracked but they fixed it. The car ran like a dream after the exhaust and catalytic converter were fixed but it lasted only a week before the problem recurred.
Click to expand...

Just get it cut off, its the best thing you can do for a blocked cat.
 
The head gasket could have caused the cat problem. I'm pretty sure it wasn't designed to digest burnt anti freeze
 
Rickster said:
Just get it cut off, its the best thing you can do for a blocked cat.
Click to expand...

Can't always just "cut off" a cat, most newer cars will put the engine into a safe mode if this is done without putting in a sensor to fool the ECU that the cat is still there or to reprogram the ECU to work without it.
 
rubytox said:
When I start the car, there's thick white smoke coming from the exhaust.
The oil is a chocolate brown color. :confused:
Click to expand...

White smoke is probably burnt antifreeze.
Brown milky oil is coolant in the oil.

Somewhere you are leaking coolant, most likely the head area.

Wonder how much other damage it suffers from.
 
ponder said:
White smoke is probably burnt antifreeze.
Brown milky oil is coolant in the oil.

Somewhere you are leaking coolant, most likely the head area.

Wonder how much other damage it suffers from.
Click to expand...

The car is with the mechanic. We are waiting to hear about all the problems as the work progresses.
Head gasket blown and was sent to engineers - we still waiting in anticipation to know whether it is cracked, which will be a disaster.
Piston rings to be replaced.
Clutch kit needs to be replaced

Kia really is not a good buy. Spares are hard to come by and really expensive.
 
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