Steaming 1.8 20VT?

[STROBE]

I've got a 2004 1.8 20VT FR (from new) with 32,000 miles on the clock.

Last Thursday evening I parked after a short 10 min journey, only to see steam wafting through the beams of my headlights before I shut off. Rather concerned I jumped out and looked at the front and under the bonnet - but it was just the occasional wisp and I was unable to figure out where it was coming from.

Today after a 40 min drive I parked up and saw the steam again. I observed it coming from the left hand grill and behind the left headlamp. It didn't do it continuously, but rather in distinct periods. Steam wafts out for a minute or so, steam stops for a minute or so. Steam wafts out, steam stops. Then it didn't seem to do it any more.

There's no evidence of loss of coolant anywhere in the engine bay (at least, anywhere visible from the top), especially around the radiator hoses on the left of the car (behind the left hand grill & headlamp!) where they go into the radiator. My coolant levels have always been on the low side (even if I top it up it seems to vent it off - but it's only needed topping up once in four years, outside of services) but is stable. The oil is good, the engine runs fine, the temperature gauge is stable and there's still plenty heat in the cabin.

My dad has a theory that with the very cold weather, the radiator/coolant valve isn't opening up much during driving, but then when I slow down and stop, the cooling is reduced, so the valve opens and dumps a load of hot water into the radiator which turns the moisture on the exterior of the radiator into steam.

Any ideas what it could be? Naturally it's better safe than sorry so I don't want to leave anything to chance. Thanks in advance for any help!


On a related note, after idling the car quite a bit today after seeing the steam waft out, I was surprised the radiator fan switched on after a few minutes of idling despite the air temperature being -1°C! Is this normal?

And on a possibly related note, both my dad and I were also wondering what it is that runs for a few minutes after switching the engine off - sounds like a pump of some kind with a bit of a gurgling noise.

 

[Nath.]

My 2005 petrol fr (17k miles) has the same issue with the coolant level, it likes to sit below the max level even if you top it up after a drive it will drop down to the same level but no lower

I don't know about your steam but maybe it's the condensation from the climate????

The cooling fan switching on after a few mins even in sub zero temps is normal

The noise after you have switched off the engine is the secondary water pump, this pumps the water round for a while to stop the heat welling up after you stop the engine.

 

[AndrewJB]

i wud imagine its just the heat coming off the engine meeting the rather cold air at the moment

 

[rdhma]

I had something similar on a 2004 petrol FR, occasional wisps of steam near the left headlamp, it did turn out to be a slight radiator leak.

 

[STROBE]

Thanks for the replies guys.

My 2005 petrol fr (17k miles) has the same issue with the coolant level, it likes to sit below the max level even if you top it up after a drive it will drop down to the same level but no lower

The cooling fan switching on after a few mins even in sub zero temps is normal

The noise after you have switched off the engine is the secondary water pump, this pumps the water round for a while to stop the heat welling up after you stop the engine.

Cool, thanks for clarifying those.

I had something similar on a 2004 petrol FR, occasional wisps of steam near the left headlamp, it did turn out to be a slight radiator leak.

Hmm, that's not good news! Thanks for letting me know - I had a good look at the radiator today but can't see any evidence of a leak anywhere, especially around the top corner of the rad where the hot feed goes in. Was yours in the radiator itself, or from the various pipes and connectors?

Keeping the revs low and a bottle of ready-mixed coolant in the boot until I know for sure what's going on.