Hi Trowa and welcome to the forum,
Without sounding like a school master, could you write a little clearer and also not use text abbreviation? By the way, forum members are asked not to use 'Txt Speak' as we have a few foreign members who find 'Txt Speak' difficult to understand. There are a lot of people on here who would be happy to help, but if they can't understand you then they won't be able to
As for your problem, my first thought was that either you've cracked the radiator or blown the headgasket. But I think you said that the oil and water levels were fine? In that case, it becomes a little more difficult to diagnose.
The fact that you said there was a lot of white smoke coming out of the exhaust and that the temperature gauge kept rising pretty much points to a cooling system problem. Lots of white smoke coming from the exhaust suggests that coolant is getting in to the combustion chambers of the engine.
If the coolant level is allowed to drop, then the pressurising system of the cooling system goes up the creek. Water/ coolant under pressure has a higher boiling point than water at room pressure, therefore if the level drops (meaning air is getting into the system) it will boil at a much lower temperature. This is why the classic symptom of coolant loss/ headgasket failure is a temperature gauge that keeps on rising.
But, if you are SURE that the oil is not contaminated with water and vice versa, then it becomes a bit of a mystery.
My first suggestion would be to check the oil level. If it has gone creamy with murky white goo in it, plus you might also find the level has risen, then the headgasket has gone and coolant is getting into the engine.
If that is ok, check the radiator level. If that is correct and there is no sign of oil contamination (look for discolouration - bit hard if the coolant hasn't been changed for a few years and has gone murky!) then that should be ok.
Next thing would be to check all the hoses in the cooling system. Are there any blue/ green limescale looking deposits anywhere? If there are trails of this then you could have a leak, which would cause the drop in pressure and the overheating.
Check also the radiator cap. Any signs of leaking from here?
If this all comes up ok, then check to make sure the electric cooling fan is coming on. Most Unos have the fan coming on at the mid point on the temperature gauge. It should cut in around 90 degrees, then shut off after a minute or so when the temperature has come down.
If the fan is NOT coming on, then what might be happening is that the car is overheating as a result. This will cause the radiator cap to release the extra pressure, and the white steam coming out of the back might actually be coolant vapour travelling underneath the car and out the back. That way the driver might think it is coming out of the exhaust, though it also normally comes out of the edge of the bonnet too and makes a mess of the engine bay. As your Uno has the 'FIRE' engine, it also has an alloy head. These are particlularly sensitive to overheating and can warp, hence causing the gasket to fail.
The 'click' noise that was heard with the battery appearing to have no power is the sound of the starter solenoid working. This is a little switch that feeds power to the starter motor directly from the battery. The starter motor needs LOTS of battery power, therefore if the battery is flat the solenoid will work but the starter motor will not have enough power from the battery to turn.
A bump start can often get the engine running, and driving it for a bit will allow the alternator to charge the battery up sufficiently so that it hold charge when you start it again.
Perhaps you need to get your girlfriends mum to clarify a bit more about what happend before the problem arose. Was the car difficult to start before this happend hence the battery being drained? A failed headgasket can make starting the car more difficult. Is she sure it was white 'steam' that came out of the exhaust? Did any of the other gauges behave strangely, or was it just the temperature gauge?
My check list would be as follows:
Check oil level, and also check that no coolant has got into it.
Check the radiator level, and check to see no oil has got into it.
Check for signs of coolant leakage on the radiator hoses/ cap.
Check that all cooling system clamps/ jubilee clips are tightened.
Check to see that the radiator fan is coming on when it should.
If all this is fine, then maybe nothing is wrong with your Uno! However, as this problem has reared it's head I would keep a very careful eye on the oil and coolant levels to make sure they really are ok. It might have been a one off, though once a headgasket failure / cooling system leak starts then it normally gets worse.
Good luck with your Uno, and let the forum know how you get on.
Chas
Trowa20uk said:
hi guys i got me a little uno and thought me sign up 2 this forum since the only best one around. i got a White 1.0 I.e Fire mambo wiv colour coded bumpers but front bumper broken down bottom left hand corner just wanna replace it wiv a standard bumper and get fog lights fitted. next is a 3" uni exhaust which i will get the local garage 2 fit as well as 4 13" mk II turbo abirth alloys wiv spacers. now here the bad bit latley car has been used as a learner car
and not gettin used as much as it should now other day my girlfriends mum was drivin the car when white smoke started comin out exhaust lots then stoped after 5-10 mins she went 2 friends house and when she finshed talkin and stuff she got back in car when she tryed 2 turn it ova nothin was there like a flat battery when it goes click. So she bumped it down a hill and went 1st time when she was gettin home the temp gage just kept rising in RED
she managed 2 get home in time. nxt day checked under hood everything looked fine now cracked raidtor, oil fine ,water etc. Now finally its bak in me hands bout time
all the things she told me hasent happend 2 me yet im gonna run it in 4 a M.O.T any info is to y white smoke and temo gage goin up and click sound much appricated. Will post some pics up of alloys and car ASAP
regards Trowa
