Hi all,

Any help appreciated

I have a 97 T-bar, and it started overheating recently.. checked the rad and was empty.. refilled it and it disappeared.. NO sign of leaks at all.. my mechanic did a pressure test on the rad and it was sound.. we filled it with water again and it disappeared again..

I know you are probably thinking head gasket straight away.. But I am hoping it is not..

The header tank/overflow tank is bubbling when hot.. so I read somewhere that this could be due to a bad rad cap. it said a bad rad cap can cause boiling and expansion of coolant/water

So I am going to replace this and hope for the best.. but if this doesn't work does anyone else have any ideas?? apart from it been the Head gasket?

The mechanic reckons the HG is prob leaking/cracked and the water/coolant is going out the exhaust..

PS. would I need an original rad cap.. or will one from the motor store do?

Any white smoke out the exhaust? I take the pressure test you talk about wasn't a leakdown test?

Welcome along!

You might want to check your oil filler cap for white stuff in it. Let us know.
If there is, I'd say its definitely your head gasket.

If you don't see steam or a puddle under car after idling it for some time, the only thing I can think of it gets into the combustion chambers..., so again head gasket... Sorry I know you don't want to hear that

Doesn't your 2 smokes more than usual?

Hi, welcome along.

Check the oil level, that it has not increased. Coolant pump leaking is another possibility. The hose pipe from hell is another candidate, located under the exhaust manifold right against the engine block. The pipes running from the from the front of the car to the back of the car are also prone to cracking. When you fill up the coolant , make sure you bleed the valve in the frunk.

Best of luck keep us posted.

Welcome to MR2.ie

I had a similar problem a few years ago and it turned out to be a leaking oring on a water distribution block near the coolant filler neck on the back of the engine.

Are you finding any coolant on the ground where you park?

Fill up the system, start the engine - wait for it to heat up to normal operating temp - this should open the thermostat and then look for any signs of steam or any hissing noise.

Hope you get to the bottom of it!

You could check through the BGB also for any ideas: mr2.ie/mr2/bgb/mk2/

no white smoke thankfully, no it wasn't a leak down test, I actually asked my mechanic about doing one but he was not familiar with one.. the pressure test he did was on the Rad. and that was fine. think he said he tested it to 1.5 bars

Juliuswws wrote:
Welcome along!

You might want to check your oil filler cap for white stuff in it. Let us know.
If there is, I'd say its definitely your head gasket.

If you don't see steam or a puddle under car after idling it for some time, the only thing I can think of it gets into the combustion chambers..., so again head gasket... Sorry I know you don't want to hear that

Doesn't your 2 smokes more than usual?

I didn't notice any white stuff on oil Cap, but wasn't looking for it either.. but will check it this evening.. no puddle under car either.. ya point toward HG but hope your not right

Crmr2 wrote:
Hi, welcome along.

Check the oil level, that it has not increased. Coolant pump leaking is another possibility. The hose pipe from hell is another candidate, located under the exhaust manifold right against the engine block. The pipes running from the from the front of the car to the back of the car are also prone to cracking. When you fill up the coolant , make sure you bleed the valve in the frunk.

Best of luck keep us posted.



Nice one bud, Ill check that aswell..

Quandry wrote:
Welcome to MR2.ie

I had a similar problem a few years ago and it turned out to be a leaking oring on a water distribution block near the coolant filler neck on the back of the engine.

Are you finding any coolant on the ground where you park?

Fill up the system, start the engine - wait for it to heat up to normal operating temp - this should open the thermostat and then look for any signs of steam or any hissing noise.

Hope you get to the bottom of it!

You could check through the BGB also for any ideas: mr2.ie/mr2/bgb/mk2/

See thats the only thing.. there is not sign of any leaking.. cheers I will have a look thru that link too

Thanks for all the help guys.. I will keep ye updated..

Hey guys,

just a quick update.. it has been a strange one.. I got the car back from the mechanic who said after he did the pressure test on the Rad, he started it up again the next day and left it running until it started to overheat again, it didn't, then he brought it for a good spin, and still didn't overheat.. so he said I should take it and see what happens.. well Iv been driving it now for the last week or so and its been sound! hasn't overheated at all..

I dont no a much about mechanics (apart from the basics) but maybe there was an air-lock somewhere in the coolant system, and would the pressure test of cleared this maybe??havn't a clue really, but nothing else was done to the car apart from that..

but long story short.. Its goin well now.. and I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Thanks again for all the feedback