S12 Technical question

[PazzaAE86]

Hey guys, thought id just run this by you before i pull anymore of the CA18ET apart... :)

The car seems to be leeking coolant, but its coming out of the exhaust (yes, at the back of the car!)... Initially i figured it to be the headgasket so i ordered a new one and got to work. I then remembered that i checked the oil filler cap for white residue (tell tale sign of headgasket faliure, right?) and it was clean, free of any residue. Now im wondering if it is the headgasket or not? What do you guys think?

Thanks

Paz

[jibber]

if the head gasket had gone but not to an oil way then youd think it had gone to the combustion chamber, but if it had you would get preassurisation of the cooling system. how about a compresion test? or it could be corroded water ways, eaten away the ally, is it a water cooled turbo, is there someway a seal could have gone and is letting water past, i will admit to never hearing of this before!!!!!!!!!!!!

[barryjdart]

Hi Paz

re:- Jibber's question above about the turbo.

The Turbo on the CA18ET is WATER cooled. So this might be the problem.

Barry

[PazzaAE86]

Hmm.. Nice one guys...

Thinking about it, it makes sense. The car has a blowing manifold gasket, so if the head was leaking water into the manifold, surely it would find these gaps (leaks in the gasket) and the water would run down the side of the block and onto to the floor.. Floor is dry!

Im gonna go poke around the turbo area, and maybe put it back together so i can run the car, and try and find out where/why etc..

Cheers + anymore thoughts appreciated!

Paz

[Billy]

Could be the head gasket mate.
I've seen water pissing out of the tailpipe before now on several cars.
Could be a crack in the head too, but it's best not to think about that until you've ruled out the gasket...

[turbo pete]

Isn't there spome chemical you can get to test coolant to see if the head gasket has gone. It changes colour if exhaust gases are present in the coolant.

The turbo will have to come off for you to take the head off anyway. I would take the turbo off and get that checked first. If it is Ok then you know it will be the head and can continue stripping it off.

Cheers
Turbo pete

[PazzaAE86]

Right then.. Pretty certain its the Turbo and Manifold. The engine isnt missfiring at all, infact it seems to be running very well (Quiet, revs ok etc)... The Manifold has cracks in it (water bubles through) and it seems the water is being pumped into the Cooling part of the turbo and its just leaking into the manifold and into the rest of the exhuast system. Pretty certain of that now, im thinking i need a new manifold to start with. From there i think maybe a turbo, but these should cost much at all second hand...

Cheers guys

Paz