Lionheart

Hi Guys,

i just turned my car over to my house (10 meters) and let it idle for 20min-30min while washing it.
Then it just smoked (steam!) out of the hood and i immediately shut down the engine, the temp gauge showed max and then i popped the hood.

As far as i see this: the line going out from the AST (still stock) went away


So my questions so far is:

What damage could be taken?
The car was only idleing from startup till then. Do i have to calculate new housings already?

Please tell me the worst case and what measures i need to take in order to diagnose them.

Thanks in advance


Leon

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Re-fill and burp the coolant system. Replace the hose, and replace that AST. AST's should be flat black in color - yours is green from being weakened by the hot coolant. You don't want that bursting either.

Your engine is not necessarily toast. Just start driving it again and if a housing warped or seal cooked you'll find out. The fact that there was no mechanical load (torque) on the engine block during this event works strongly in your favor.

Dave

cabaynes

iTrader: (4)

why why why why would you let it idle for 20-30 minutes just standing still?! And why would you do that while you washed it?? When you wash your car the paint and body should be nice and cool to the touch, I can't imagine that after 20 minutes of running that the front end of the car is very cool. But WHY let it idle for so long just sitting still?

bajaman

I second Dave's advice. And while overheating is NEVER a good thing, the engine IS a bit more tolerant of this than some think.

Good luck, let us know if all is well.

adam c

iTrader: (2)

I also question why you would let the car idle for so long ......... while you washed it???? From your description of the events, it appears that you are too stupid to own this car. Prove me wrong!!!

fdpocketrocket

If your car was in storage and you started it once a month or so, wouldn't you idle it for at least 15-20 minutes? Now, I check on it every 5-10 minutes, but still I don't sit by it the entire time. Also not while I'm washing the car, I like things to be nice and cool ...

IRPerformance

iTrader: (41)

A car should not overheat by idling. It should be able to idle all day without a problem. Weather or not you guys agree if it was wise to do so isn't the point. You have a problem somewhere in your coolant system. Either a sticking thermostat, problem with the fans or control system, etc. Replace the thermostat with a new MAZDA part. Change the coolant with a minimum of 60 percent distilled water and quality GREEN coolant. Replace the radiator and ast caps while you're at it. Get rid of that ast or get an aluminum one. Make sure there are no other leaks.

vrmmmpshhh

the power fc's idle learning process takes 30mins when done correctly so idling for that long should be easy. that AST is buggered though!!!

Lionheart

Hi Guys,

thanks for your advices so far. The fact is i was gonna drive it this year for the second time b/c i have not so much time i had it sitting over months (i only drove it once in January).
So while I take out the car after such a long time i would let it idle why not?
And normally I would like to drive the car hard so it would be better warmed up idleing or not?
Normally the car is washed after less than 10 minutes so the hood is still cool.
Then I would go and get the interiour cleaned a bit.

--> If the car is not sitting for months I take it out of the garage as everyone else and dont run over 2.000/2.500 RPM for some kilometers....

Fact is that I wanted to drive to an event around 120km away tomorrow and am thinking if I should drive or not. Problem as follows:

I already flushed the system 2x times while writing this, but now I found that some brown/red fluid comes up here:



Any recommendations on this thing? Something broken?

And yes I want to get rid of the AST but since I got no place where I could work on the car its a bit difficult for me right now.....

Gonna replace all the caps ASAP. Gonna order them next week.

And because of the GREEN coolant, what was the difference? I already knew to use the green one but forgot the link someone knows it?

@All

big thanks for the fast reactions

Ben

hanman

why do so many people feel the need to "punish" or demean someone here on this forum? "you are too stupid to own this car".
I think it's fine to voice an opinoin, like not letting the car idle for twenty minutes, or washing it while cool. But, why the invective and nastiness?

This is exactly why the third gen section of this forum is considered uppity and arrogant.

Lionheart

@Hanman: Nice comment Hanman!!!

@All
Do you know why there could be the red/brownish color?

Anyone?

First answer wins

Ben

Buckman66

Probably because that's the power steering pump reservoir and the fluid should be red????
Trick question ???

Bob ( UK )

bajaman

Yeah.....not sure why the cap is off the power steering reservoir....that will obviously let "reddish brown" fluid come out (and that one is WAY overfilled, BTW...)

sevensix

iTrader: (1)

strangest post of the year lol

XxMerlinxX

iTrader: (2)

Oh god, please tell me you didn't flush the power steering fluid with coolant.

CantGoStraight

This looks like a comment worth fielding.
One of the first things told to rotary owners.....don't crank the car up and shut it right off (too stupid to remember that one)
Two if your not going to drive it any where how would you go about this 20 min to wash the car isn't a long time and at idle hasn't been at operating temperature that long.
Third if it failed in the drive way it would have failed on the highway and my guess with much worse results as the steam wouldn't have been noticed right away and with air moving across it may have allowed far more coolant to leave the system than just sitting in the driveway. If you are so in tune with this car and worthy of owning it you would have picked up on these things instead of slamming this guy.

adam c

iTrader: (2)

I can see letting your car sit and idle to check it out and make sure everything is right after it has been sitting for a long time. That would include opening the hood!!!! Washing it while idling is just plain stupid. You won't see anything leaking because you have water everywhere. In addition, you will be getting water on engine and exhaust components that are very hot. Definitely not smart. Finally, why on earth would you want to get your hood hot while washing it???

I'm sorry, washing your car while it is running make no sense at all!!!!

crcleofdst

Lionheart: you have a fair amount of reading to do in the FAQ section. If I were you, I would read before I did anything else to the car. One thing I can tell you for sure: Just about everyone gets frustrated with a situation like this because the information needed to fix/avoid it is readily available on this site.



Good luck with the car. Hopefully you didn't do any permanent damage!

CantGoStraight

My point in this post was missed by you Adam.....there was no need to call the guy stupid for anything he posted. I'm guessing here but it sounded like he was going to take it out for a drive, pulled it out of the garage after sitting for a period of time decided to clean it up, and instead of pulling it out and shutting it off to wash it he left it running and was going to give it a quick was then go out for a ride, looks like a hose or something failed before he finished cleaning it (which isn't really that hot after running no longer than it did) so he shut it off opened the hood and found the steam. Now I'll have to guess your car has an aftemarket hood because when I wash my car with a stock hood very little water gets in my engine bay and touch's nothing hot that would mask a coolant system issue. He was much better off finding it where he did when he did.Give me a break......much better to do it then than after the ride when it's most deffinately hot. The only way to do it perfectly would be to roll (push) the car out of the garage wash it of course it has to be out of the sun (right), then crank it up and take it for a ride, that way no flooding, car is cold (perfect for washing) would have found coolant system issue (granted it would have happened away from the house) and perhaps higher degree of damage but at least he would have washed the car cold and not been called stupid. Your point was dulley noted Adam

Lionheart

That is because i was gonna check all fluid levels of the car!
And of course i added no coolant there.

But just reading this thread gives me the chips.....

I was just asking for any possible harm the car could have because of the described event and most guys here get off-topic, do you now understand why i asked?
I could also ask for the weather in Florida or somewhere else, all I get a response was very unproductive except:

- dgeesaman/Dave
- bajaman
- fdpocketrocket (I can wash it in less than 10minutes so its still cool concerning the hood temp)
- Rotary Experiment Seven (AST gonna get rid of it ASAP, new caps already ordered, checked the old ones)
- hanman (I agree completely to your first comment, but I got told once that ppl from germany are not liked over there maybe this is the proof?)
- Buckman66 (totally neutral comment, nice one!)
- CantGoStraight (thats my line, after letting it sit so long.... I never flooded the car, the pre-owner did several times...)
- crcleofdst (I did read the FAQ, but I never had a prob with my AST - so instead of ordering the Aluminium-AST from the US I will get rid of the AST ASAP)
- CantGoStraight (last comment: yes i already finished the washing and cleaning inside after around 15 minutes, the hood was already unlocked so not fully closed --> I dont get any water from washing inside my engine bay but can react fast if something seems odd to me)

So the car is well up, nothing damaged, no odd sounds.
I did flush the system 3 times with pure water, everytime let it warm up a bit (NOT HOT!) and drain it. 4th filling with a 30/70 ratio of coolant/water.
And before someone hits me in the face :
After the 3rd flush it was clean not after the first or second!
And I measured the coolant mixture exactly....

So thanks to all guys who gave me positive/constructive answers and comments to this post.
--> Concerning the FAQ I know that I have to do some more concerning the Reliability Mods Section, but I am still in search of a bigger garage where I have room for some tools and the car. Currently I can only let it sit in a rly small garage where is only enough room to drive in, get out of the car and walk outside.

So the car is healthy and thats all what counts, not the comments not the flames.
See ya

Ben

CantGoStraight

Ben,
Sorry to get off topic. Most everyone else gave you good information to follow. You've flushed the system and are reasonably sure no major damage was done. Thing is why did the hose come off the AST and how long had it been off ? By itself the car won't over heat with that hose off, it will take a couple cycles of the coolant system (hot to cold) where youloose coolant and it doesn't get drawn back, you then get air in the system and this allows for localized boiling in the engine pushing more coolant out. I hope you burped the system well and put a clamp on the hose. You need to do what was said and get a metal AST (removal was mentioned by you) I'm glad you found it in the driveway and not on the road.

adam c

iTrader: (2)

Perhaps I was harsh. Or perhaps it was just plain stupid, and I felt like pointing it out ............. And I don't have an aftermarket hood. I don't know if the stock hood leaks water on hot engine or exhaust parts because I have never washed my car with a hot engine

rfreeman27

iTrader: (5)

Ever driven in a hard rain?

adam c

iTrader: (2)

Nope. I don't drive it when the roads are wet.

scotty305

iTrader: (2)

I agree; that hose is the relief hose, it is used to vent excess coolant (or air) if the system pressure exceeds the pressure rating of the cap. I doubt it caused the car to overheat.

I recommend using a coolant pressure tester to see if the system holds pressure, or if there are leaks elsewhere.

-s-