Any ideas...

Level 3 User Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 66

Driving the ole car the other day (M reg Clio RSI) on the bypass giving it some beans, looked in the rear view and all i seen was smoke, so i pulled over, steam was billowing out the engine bay, cut the engine, got towed home.

anyway, i assumed it was the head gasket, but the oil level is the same, but all the water in the expansion tank was gone, car still starts first time, so I topped it up with some water and it hasnâ€™t leaked out, so Iâ€™m not really sure whatâ€™s wrong with the car for me to "try" and fix, any ideas anyone or should I just take it to the garage for an arse spanking??

Sorry if the above doesnâ€™t make sense, nursing a major hangover

cheers in advance

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Dec 2004 Posts: 395

Fill it back up with water, run it til it's hot, and see where the leak is.
Something has obviously burst or split somewhere, but it may take the system to build up enough pressure before it's noticeable.

Doubt very much it's the head gasket, more than likely just a hose.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

what states the cap in? if you take the cap off can you blow through it?

Level 3 User Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 66

Cheers mixpioneer, tried what you said, it is just a pipe thats burst, will all the pipes need replacing, seen as this one has gone?

Tried blowing through the cap with no joy, should i be able to, has this caused the increase in pressure hence splitting the pipe etc etc...

cheers for your replys guys.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

replacing all the pipes is expensive so I'd be happy with just sorting the burst one!

You shouldn't be able to blow through the cap, can you press the bit int he middle of it?

Thsi is the pressure release valve btw.

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Dec 2004 Posts: 395

Like chris said, just replace the split one as they can be quite expensive.

Might want to consider getting one from a breakers yard depending on which pipe it is. I know that Renault ask as much as Â£70 for some of the pipes on the clio 16v.

The cause will most probably be down to overheating. This has happened to me twice on my older renaults with no temperature gauge. So when replacing the pipe, as a matter of course you should replace the thermostat and make sure your radiator fan is working as it should.

Level 3 User Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 66

Cheers lads, took your advice, i then phoned in sick for work so i could do it myself, my local garage quoted me Â£75 labour charge if i got the part first, NO thankyou kind sir so i said.

Anyway after about 149 years of trying to move stuff out the way I got it out...

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/439/226jp.jpg
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5236/114yi.jpg

Any ideas how much that pipe will cost, from Renault? Do any ware else stock them?

Picture with pipe as it was >>

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/6948/551vc.jpg

Again, thanks again for the help.

One more thing, could anyone tell me where the drain plug is for the radiator, I was told it was on the back of the cylinder head? Not a clue where that is, possibly a pic swell, I ask a lot I know!! Going to flush the engine coolant while I am their.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

there is no drain plug just remove th ebottom rad hose.

gimme your cars code and I will find otu a price for the hose from renault.

the code will be on the oval plate, C57M is 16V but yours is RSi spo C something.

Level 3 User Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 66

Thanks mate!!

is this the plate you mean??

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/6892/qq0ge.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3369/qqq6iy.jpg

thanks again for doing this.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

77 00 825 132 PIPE WATER CL 20.74 ---3 x 1

bloody bargain! get the renault one, thats probably the cheapest ren hose about! lol

Level 3 User Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 66

Went straight down to renault, Â£33 inc VAT, so quite chuffed with that really.

Thanks for all your help Chris.

Site Subscriber Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 3547

wow top effort on recreation of chris h's pics lol, at the computer desk!