Board Logo

Overheated
bnicho - November 25th, 2011 at 08:39 AM

Driving to work this morning everything seemed fine with the world. Olive, my 74 Superbug ws running fine.

As I was idling in traffic on the freeway offramp I noticed quite a lot of smelly smoke around the front of my car. As my engine and most of the electrics are in the back, I assumed the E240 Merc in front of must have been a Diesel and was smoking a bit.

I went a bit further and the Mercedes changed lanes, but the smoke didn't. Then I looked in the rear view mirrors and realised smoke pouring out from under the back of my Beetle. Crap!

I pulled out of the traffic as quickly as I could. By the time I pulled over and buttoned off the oil light was flickering. Double crap!

I opened the engine lid and let the smoke dissapate. It seemed to be coming from every surface on the case. I assumed I had a massive oil leak somewhere, but I could not pinpoint anything other than the small leaks at a pushrod tube, the dizzy seal and alt stand it has always had. The motor was very hot, I could barely touch anything on it without risk of burning myself.

I allowed the engine to cool down for 15mins and checked the oil. It just on the minimum mark on the stick. :(

I topped up the oil until it was on maximum and started the engine. The oil light went out within a few seconds, there was no clanks or bangs and it idled okay. I disconnected each plug lead in turn and the engine revs dropped off, so all pots were still firing. There was no new oil drips either.

I drove the final 500m or so to work and it seemed to run fine. No flickering oil light, seemed to be no loss of power and there was no smoke to speak of.

I admit I had not checked the oil for a few weeks, as I honestly planned an oil change next weekend. :no:

Surely it would not overheat just from being on minimum? This is it's first run of more than 10km or over 80kph in the last few months. It's only 15 degrees C this morning so not a hot day.

The engine is a bone stock 1600 twin poirt with an SVDA and electronic ignition. All tinware and hoses are in place.

Have I got away without killing my engine? Any basic checks (besides oil level) before I drive it home this afternoon?

Cheers,

matberry - November 25th, 2011 at 08:50 AM

Sounds like all is good, you reacted quick enough so as to not cause any damage. Oil on min won't cook your engine. My guess is the fan has an obstruction. Is the firewall insulation still in place with plenty of clearance to the fan intake? Is the fan making any unusual sounds, just a leaf in the fan and it's output is reduced and it becomes very noisey.

bnicho - November 25th, 2011 at 09:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by matberry
Sounds like all is good, you reacted quick enough so as to not cause any damage. Oil on min won't cook your engine. My guess is the fan has an obstruction. Is the firewall insulation still in place with plenty of clearance to the fan intake? Is the fan making any unusual sounds, just a leaf in the fan and it's output is reduced and it becomes very noisey.


That suggestion does makes sense. I didn't notice any unusual noises. However I replaced the clutch in July and cleaned up the engine bay while the engine was out. In the process I removed the firewall insulation and got rid of all the "foam of death" in the rear pillars and engine bay corners. Then I replaced the insulation. Perhaps I didn't secure it properly and it is blocking the fan. I will check before driving home.

I hope that is all it is. :)

ian.mezz - November 25th, 2011 at 11:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bnicho
Quote:
Originally posted by matberry
Sounds like all is good, you reacted quick enough so as to not cause any damage. Oil on min won't cook your engine. My guess is the fan has an obstruction. Is the firewall insulation still in place with plenty of clearance to the fan intake? Is the fan making any unusual sounds, just a leaf in the fan and it's output is reduced and it becomes very noisey.


That suggestion does makes sense. I didn't notice any unusual noises. However I replaced the clutch in July and cleaned up the engine bay while the engine was out. In the process I removed the firewall insulation and got rid of all the "foam of death" in the rear pillars and engine bay corners. Then I replaced the insulation. Perhaps I didn't secure it properly and it is blocking the fan. I will check before driving home.

I hope that is all it is. :)
yeah i seen that before ok at idle , but once you rev motor stuff gets suck in enough to stop air flow.

bnicho - November 25th, 2011 at 06:37 PM

You were dead right, the insulation was blocking the fan intake. Rather than rip it out in the carpark I crushed a couple of coke cans and wedged them tightly between the insulation and the fan shroud. I drove the 35km home without an issue and Olive is apparently non the worse for it. I've been very fortunate. :fakesniff:

pod - November 25th, 2011 at 06:46 PM

how good is this forum :tu: great to see all is well with Olive :)

donn - November 25th, 2011 at 06:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pod
how good is this forum :tu: great to see all is well with Olive :)


we all know its realy bloody great! :tu:

bnicho - November 25th, 2011 at 07:52 PM

Agreed, the advice and help around here is awesome.:cool:

68AutoBug - November 25th, 2011 at 10:10 PM

Great to see Olive is alive to see another day...

I check My fan all the time when I have My engine lid open at the top for summer...

I once found a long rag I had been using in the fan....

so, I check it every day in summer...

Maybe that's why so many people don't have any insulation in their engine bays??

cheers

LEE

bnicho - November 28th, 2011 at 01:01 PM

I like the idea of the insulation, cuts the noise down. So I'll be trying to secure it properly next weekend, and give her an oil change at the same time. But If can't secure it properly, out it will come. For this week I am using the MR2 as my daily.

Sorry to hear you were not so fortunate Lee. :(