I took the FD to a local rotary shop to have the oil changed and coolant flushed. After taking the car home I found the Add Coolant light came on for a few minutes, then shut off. Figure there was a air bubble or two when they filled it up, so it just needs a bit more. I tried to drive it as little as possible, then found the coolant light would come on while driving (instead of the first 5 minutes after turning car on) go away, then come back. I see the temp needle bounce between normal (middle) and high(noooooo!). Power FC reads water temps between 113c (driving) and 123c (engine shut off). As soon as I shut off the car I get white smoke coming from around the Ypipe (on the intake manafold side), then a few minutes later another plume of smoke will roll out.

I know at this point you say, ADD COOLANT IDIOT!! Of coarse that's what I'm going to do. My question(s) is a) any ideas as to what's smoking? b) possible long term damage? c) drive back to shop as it is, so they see what they've done - or add coolant and drive back?

I also noticed the larger hose (going to radiator) from the coolant filler neck (AST eliminated) may have been kinked between the huge coolant hose on the bottom and the M2 IC. Might that cause the above problem? The coolant was flushed yesterday afternoon, then drove it to a nearby friends house and left it. It sat all day today, then I drove it back to my house. So it hasn't been driven but 50 miles tops under these conditions. Just so you don't think I've been driving weeks with a coolant light on! Any ideas would be great at this point!

 

Any time your coolant is low and your temps are up, there is a real possibility of long term damage. But then again, sometimes not. I overheated my old engine in my Turbo II once pretty badly, but it still went another 50K miles before blowing an apex seal.

Add coolant, purge all air, monitor for coolant loss or white smoke from the tailpipe that is abnormal for your car....

As for the smoke in the Y pipe area, is it being caused like by coolant dripping onto hot parts? Perhaps they pressurized the system and split open a hose or something and it's leaking now? If coolant is pooling under the intake manifold it could start a fire I think. Check on that ASAP.

Brian

 

If you see white smoke coming out of the Y pipe area and it smells kind of sweet, your coolant line to the turbo or out of the turbo might be popped off. There are no other coolant lines around there. Which shop did you go to anyways? You should call them up and express what you are experiencing right now.

The small coolant hose on the radiator cap runs to the coolant reservoir. If it's kinked, that will build up pressure in your cooling system and something might be pop off because of that.

Chuck Huang

 

anytime you do a coolant flush you should fill the car up with distilled water at least 3 times, meaning 1 stretch of drivin, COOL the car down PROPERLY add coolant. There is usually a bit of air left in the system. If your temp sensor gets surrounded by air you are going to read higer temps than the actual coolant temp, however that doesnt mean that you didnt overheated.
And seriously DUH!!!! low coolant light comes on YOU SHOULD ADD COOLANT

 

did you check the MAP sensor...he he he

 

hahaha actually my new crusade is the vacuum hose job

 

I appreciate the advice, I'm sure this little excursion didn't help my 65k original engine...bahh...that's three strikes against this shop now.

 

A good, reliable shop will tell you this when you call - "Don't drive it. We'll be right out to look it over." If they dont, you don't want them working on your 7.

 

Looks like I'll pick up a trailer and drive this sucker down to Rick's Rotary for a complete check. Make it a weekend trip..