Car Overheating

[HelterSkelter]

My engine started knocking on Mo-Pac, kind of a rattle noise. When I stopped at a red light a lot of white steam was pouring out.

When I pulled over the steam smelled sweet, like anti-freeze.

The belts are ok and such.

I let it cool, added a little water, turned it on, it ran for about 10 minutes and then started overheating again.

Any idea what this is???

Again, the belts are fine, the fan behind the radiator seems fine, but not sure what it is.

Can I drive this on a freeway and be ok?

 

[idigTexas]

I am no expert, but I would guess either a leaky heater hose or a failing water pump. Can you identify where the steam is escaping? Are there any evident leaks when you move your car?

Oh, and driving a car that is overheating can cause serious damage. Drive it in short spurts to get it home, and avoid stressing the engine.

 

[hookedinzona]

No expert here, but I just had my truck start over heating and it was teh water pump. I would go and get it checked out asap.

 

[horn4life]

well coolant is escaping somewhere

You also might have an issue with your thermostat which is normally at the engine side opening of your upper radiator hose.

Check you hoses!!! You may ahve a hole in a hose, a loose clamp or other failure in your coolant system. I couold be a water pump but normally you don't have much steam but more leakage from a water pump.

i would bet you have a failure in one of your radiator hoses or as somebody else said a heater hose. Go drive around for about ten minuts them come back to the house pop the hood and see if you see any leakage anywhere while the car is RUNNING. then turn the car off if you are up to operating temp, any leakage should become more appatrante at this point.

Also check to see if the top radiator hose (return) feels firm after the car is at normal operating temp. If not your thermostat may not be opeing. It's a $10 part.

 

[Longhorn Al]

I would agree...hoses, thermostat or water pump. But I've also seen it be a bad radiator cap.

 

[accuratehorn]

This is a few days after the fact, but a word of advice.
When your motor is overheating, the cause is usually fairly inexpensive to repair. But the result of driving it may be very expensive. You are in danger of blowing your head gasket(s), warping your cylinders and collapsing your rings.
What starts as a radiator hose leaking, or cracked radiator, or water pump leak ends up as a ruined engine.
So I say to all you out there in HornFan land, park the car and call a wrecker, unless you are sure you have cooled the engine down sufficiently. A wrecker is normally $45 to tow to a shop in the city limits. It is just not worth it to risk ruining your engine over that amount of money. You can call a cab or a friend to take you home.