White stainage around radiator cap?

[KillerHERTZ]

I have managed to clock up the best part of 500miles today with a trip Up't north to sell off my brothers Ex MOD LandRover Carawagon.

When I returned tonight to top up the oil, I noticed that around the Water/Radiator cap white stains have appeared?

The average outside temp was around 31 Degree's today and I was stuck for 1 hour in a tailback.

This isnt the dreaded Headgasket stainage? or does that only appear in the Oil filler cap? or is it simply a case of the water reaching boiling point?

The car did the 500miles no trouble at all (bar the Oil light coming on 20miles from home).

 

[grober]

Probably dried antifreeze due to a little overflow in hot conditions. Don't think its "head gasket staining" Just keep an eye on your fluid levels the next few days. If you need to top up use a 50/50 water antifreeze mix not just water.

 

[Dragon]

It shouldn't happened, time to get a new radiator cap.

 

[marcos]

As Grober said it sounds like a little dried antifreeze due to overflow. It has been very warm and sitting in traffic like that does the engine no favours.
Bear in mind that your rad is probably a little worn so wont be working quite as it should plus maybe old coolant and it's easily done.
Has the rad and coolant been changed at all. I know when I had my W202 it hit about 110k and temps started creeping up so I changed the radiator and it made a massive difference.
Just keep an eye on it but it's probably nothing to worry about.

 

[Spinal]

It's probably just a bit of overflow, but to be on the safe side...

KH: three things to check and one to keep an eye on...

Check your cap, make sure the seal is not worn (leaking) or the pressure release is jammed (as happened to me).

Thirdly, check the viscous fan (especially the coupling). W202s have had some issues with the viscous fan coupling. The old carrot trick, albeit messy, works well to see if the coupling is doing its job.

Finally, drive the car in slow moving traffic on a hot day. Keep a very close eye on your temperature gauge. If it starts creeping into the red, turn on your heating, try parking somewhere and let the engine cool down. If this does happen, recheck the viscous fan, check the water pump, and I would even drain the coolant from the system (checking if there are any excesses of rust/gunk that may clog up the radiator) - in such a scenario you may need to change the radiator (£60 from the dealer if I remember well, and about 30 minutes to fit it).

Whatever you do don't ignore it You may end up like me (and a few other W202 owners)... with dents on the INSIDE of the bonnet after the radiator exploded!

Michele

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Thanks guys!

The car is due a service, so I will get all of the above checked. The temp didnt get into the red but after the hour of stop/start traffic it was getting close.

 

[recycled]

do not worry about it. i get it too when i sit in traffic and its been going on for about 3years now and the car still works fine.
mostly happens when i fill past the radiator mark level point and it spills through the overflow pipe when hot.

 

[1998K]

Thirdly, check the viscous fan (especially the coupling). W202s have had some issues with the viscous fan coupling. The old carrot trick, albeit messy, works well to see if the coupling is doing its job.

Michele

Please could you expalin this carrot trick, ...if you want also in Italian (if I well remember you speak Italian )

thanks

Marco

 

[recycled]

stick a carrot in the fan when hot and it should slice through it. if the carrot stops it, then the fan is faulty.

 

[Spinal]

Please could you expalin this carrot trick, ...if you want also in Italian (if I well remember you speak Italian )

thanks

Marco

I speak Italian because I am half Italian... grammar is another thing

Prima di tutto devi scaldare il motore abbastanza da fa accendere il sistema di refrigerazione. Un trucco per farlo scaldare in fretta e di accendere l'aria condizionata. Quando il motore diventa abbastanza caldo che il ventilatore sul radiatore si accende, prendi una carota frescha ed infilala nel ventilatore.

Tieni forte!

Se la carota viene tagliata, spruzzando pezzetti di carota su tutto il motore, funziona. Ora devi pulire il motore senno puzzera.

Se il ventilatore si ferma, devi rimpiazzare il "viscous fan coupling" (l'attacco tra il ventilatore stesso ed il motore)


Michele

 

[Alps]

i had the same, the rubber seals on the caps perish after several years, I changed both radiator and oil cap, both under a tenner at the stealers if i remember

 

[Smiley]

The other possibility is that the rad has simply furred up a little (do you live in a hard water area - if so you could use distilled water only about £4 for 5 litres in Halfords) - need to check for cool spots across the rad when it is hot - this would cause the problems you have. The trouble with just leaving it is that the engine runs a bit too hot and that can cause other problems in the longer term - worth investigating.
ps I think a rad will be more than £60 my e class was about £400 all in.

 

[1998K]

I speak Italian because I am half Italian... grammar is another thing

Prima di tutto devi scaldare il motore abbastanza da fa accendere il sistema di refrigerazione. Un trucco per farlo scaldare in fretta e di accendere l'aria condizionata. Quando il motore diventa abbastanza caldo che il ventilatore sul radiatore si accende, prendi una carota frescha ed infilala nel ventilatore.

Tieni forte!

Se la carota viene tagliata, spruzzando pezzetti di carota su tutto il motore, funziona. Ora devi pulire il motore senno puzzera.

Se il ventilatore si ferma, devi rimpiazzare il "viscous fan coupling" (l'attacco tra il ventilatore stesso ed il motore)


Michele

Dear Michele,

thanks a lot, your Italian grammar is better than my English grammar, this for sure

Only a question: but is it dangerous to insert the carrot into the already running fan?exe

Ok it's requested quick reflexes

thansk/grazie

Marco

 

[Spinal]

Dear Michele,

thanks a lot, your Italian grammar is better than my English grammar, this for sure

Only a question: but is it dangerous to insert the carrot into the already running fan?exe

Ok it's requested quick reflexes

thansk/grazie

Marco

Dangerous? Definetly But after all - that's half the fun!

Hold the carrot firmly or it will slip and fly somewhere... Wear protection if you are worried of carrot-shrapnell Oh and you might also want to be careful not to stick your fingers into the fan... the finger test is very different from the carrot test...

One tests the fan unit... the other your loyalty to the yakuza

Michele

 

[1998K]

Dangerous? Definetly But after all - that's half the fun!

Hold the carrot firmly or it will slip and fly somewhere... Wear protection if you are worried of carrot-shrapnell Oh and you might also want to be careful not to stick your fingers into the fan... the finger test is very different from the carrot test...

One tests the fan unit... the other your loyalty to the yakuza

Michele

Fully agree!

thanks

 

[umedc]

stick a carrot in the fan when hot and it should slice through it. if the carrot stops it, then the fan is faulty.

carrot cake any one

 

[Smiley]

Only a question: but is it dangerous to insert the carrot into the already running fan?exe


It could be very dangerous for the carrot, or mr carrot.

 

[c240yaz]

The white staining can sometimes be aluminium corrosion sediment that has have accumulated and broken off due to higher than normal temp in the water galleries in the head, rad etc. then flows through the system until it reaches the cap.

 

[stevesey]

Only a question: but is it dangerous to insert the carrot into the already running fan?exe

Only if you use baby carrots.

 

[Dieselman]

Or frozen ones..