HELP ME! Steaming bonet, Fluid pouring out!

[WanaGo]

Hey,

Just got back from dunedin, arrived up the driveway, steam was coming out of the bonet, and fluid starting pouring out from underneith! Turned the car off quick smart. Put car ignition on ON, it said AT Temp high.

WTF... why would the AT temp be high? I just drove back at normal speed, not speeding at all.

Where would the fluid be coming from??
Seems to be just pouring off the lowest part. Drive is on a slope though.

PLEASE HELP!

WanaGo

[WanaGo]

Just started it for a sec, made the biggest most horrible graunching squeeking noise, bloody loud. Turned it straight off. Picture of gearbox and at temp high on.

its $&#$%.

Just called the AA, they will be here in 30 mins.

$&#$%. what the hell has gone wrong!

[Leon]

You've got all sorts of interesting options, from something as basic as a burst hose or a weak radiator cap, all the way up to water pump dead, head gasket leaking, or even catastrophic engine breakage.

Sorry dude, but without a lot more information, all we can tell you is that the water has escaped.

[WanaGo]

Guy just came.
He had a look at the AT dip stick and said the Fluid is discoloured (ie burnt or something), and is very runny... looked ok to me though.

He thinks something has happened to the gearbox, but the strange thing is it was driving perfect all the way home. Only started making a horrible noise in the last 5 seconds of sitting in the driveway.

Not totally sure he knew what he was doing....

He is coming to get it monday morning.

Totally gutted.

WanaGo

[Lloyd]

Or that there is transmission fluid leaking from somewhere. Doesn't take much of it to make a lot of smoke it any is getting near the engine. And with less fluid in the transmission it would certainly get very very warm.

[WanaGo]

So the swarking horrible noise would be lack of fluid.... hopefully it hasnt ruined anything. only started making the noise at the very end of the run.

I was just driving down our street and noised a bit of smoke/steam near the bonet. I thought it was just the exhaust as the wind was quite strong from behind us. Got up the drive, and... oh dear.

Looks like I am going to be without a car for a while.

The AT oil Temp light, and the pic of the Gearbox (next to the AT light) must mean its a gearbox issue? Not other things you are mentioning?

If the ignition is on ON for say 10 seconds, then the lights that are left on means what is wrong etc? or is that not the case.

I got it from a car yard in May, so hopefully the minumum warranty it came with (MTA one) covers this. I think its is 5000km or 100 days.... I think.

Cheers
WanaGo

Thanks
WanaGo

[WanaGo]

Just turned key to ON again now, been sitting for a while, and the AT Temp light is still on.... Maybe that isnt a good indication something is wrong there.

Really need to start it to see the lights... is there an error code thing somewhere else?

Other thing is I looked in the radiator, and I cant see any water. The Water bottle is still full though. In my last cars, the water has been present at the top of the radiator still though.... Wondering if the flud that poured out was just radiator water, as the water pump $&#$% itself.

Engine temperature was still fine when I stopped, so maybe it only died at the last minute.

Will have to wait and see I suppose.

When fluid was pouring out under the car, I touched the ground where it was, and it was sort of oily, but really not.... and it wasnt clear - prob cos it could have been radiator water (with antifreeze etc).... would explain why the fluid was so hot when it came out....

Hmm..... maybe it is just the water pump.

Is the Caldain GT-T water pump known to fail? Anyone know?

I think I have successfully just talked myself into thinking its not something major major anymore..... lol

WanaGo

[RS13]

Anything can fail, at any time. Your description is still pretty vague, if you tell us the colour of the fluid, it could probably be narrowed down. If it is just water, or green fluid, its' coolant.. if its' thick, reddish and oily, its' probably trans fluid, although if it was trans fluid, and it had drained out.. the car wouldn't drive anywhere, if at all. Seeing as you say it was steam, not smoke, I'm leaning towards coolant, the squeaking may be something as simple as coolant on the drivebelts.

I dunno, see what the AA man says!

[WanaGo]

I think its coolant.

I think the sound is the water pump.
There doesnt appear to be any water left in the radiator.
Steam/thin white smoke (I think it was steam though), was coming from back left corner by the belts (ie by the water pump). I think the pump seized or something, pipe burst or water leaked from pump, onto exhaust or something. Wasnt a huge amount of 'steam' but was enough to notice while driving.

That is my """""'Expert"""""" prognosis.

AA guy was basically useless. Didnt know anything, so said he will get it on monday and take to a AT/trans place. I think it just needs to go to a mechanic or toyota now.

Better explanation, or still vague?

car done 94500ish km.

Cheers
WanaGo

[Chickenman]

Take it straight to the dealer before anyone else touches it.

If you got a warranty, use it.

[WanaGo]

yeah I just read the MTA warranty details.

Dealer is in Wellington - Im in Invercargill. Got it shipped down.
Will ring them tomorrow though.
Appears to be lots of MTA fixit people down here, so should be all good.

Ta

WanaGo

[jondee86]

If steaming hot fluid was "pouring out" you either lost a hose, or
the motor was boiling and it was being blown out the overflow.
Screeeeetching noise was most likely the water pump running dry.

Often the airflow thru the radiator at cruising speed is enough to keep
the water temp safe, even with a nuked pump. It's only when you pull
up at the lights that it gets the big boilup with clouds of steam.

Burst hose, or one popped off by the pressure, will give you a pretty
spectacular cloud of steam and dump most of the water on the deck.

But yeah, don't touch anything if you want to keep your warranty.

Cheers... jondee86

[WanaGo]

If steaming hot fluid was "pouring out" you either lost a hose, or
the motor was boiling and it was being blown out the overflow.
Screeeeetching noise was most likely the water pump running dry.

Temp guage was still in middle when I pulled up.
Only 2 min drive from 100km/h sign to my house.

Screach definitely only started 5 seconds before I stopped it.

Will put head under car tomorrow when its light, and see what I can see.
I wont touch though.
wonder if they will pay for a mobile mechanic! there is a MTA one here.

WanaGo

[Mr Revhead]

waterpump failure wont cause trans light to come on though

unless the trans overheated due to lack of coolant in the cooler. however id expect other issues with that.

my advice is to not touch it, untill an expert has seen it.

[WanaGo]

I think the lights were not correct - I think the lights only indicate a problem if they are still on when the car has started, not when the car is off and the ignition is in the ON position.

Anway - car is being towed/trucked to Toyota Monday morning.

I have rang them and left a message, cos they are closed today. Told them to expect a car on their doorstep first thing!

Getting a rental for my wife to get to work.

Mr Revhead - any idea roughtly what a water pump costs? Just so I know what I am up for.

Thanks
WanaGo

[Mr Revhead]

oh ok, i thought the lights came on when it was running.
when the key is on but the engine off they will all be on.

rrp on a water pump is $120 plus gst

[WanaGo]

oh ok.
Thanks.

Do you think MTA warranty will cover cost of that?

Thanks
WanaGo

[mikeygtt]

Sorry to here about the gtt james

MTA warrenty should cover it as i have used them in the past on various cars with no problems.

Positive side: it will be a better car when you get it back

[WanaGo]

Cheers MikeyGtt.

[WanaGo]

Car was just picked up, and put on the back of a flat deck truck.

Got the cheapest rental car we could find. $19 a day + 28c a km.

Its a piece of crap Mitsi, done 200ks, rattles, doesnt like to start and is generally longing to go to the big junkheap in the sky...

I want a GTT back!