I have a 3.2 litre diesel Nissan caravan van year 2000. After a 5 hour drive, Going down a hill today the van lost power, Blew a puff of black smoke and then when it was pulled over it wouldn't start. Had it towed home, and an hour later we started it and it started. we added water to radiator as there was no water in it and left it to run for 20 minutes. Temp gauge was broken in it already :-/
How do we find out whether it has a cracked head! Or! what else could be wrong with it! and how can i tell whats wrong with it without it costinga fortune. I have another identical van rough body but good engine etc that i could have swapped over - Just trying to work out if the van is poked or not.
Hope this makes sense ( i am being told what to write and have no idea about cars - its a mans world!)
Thanks for any advice
mrfxit,
Nov 26, 6:57am
Any of or combinations could be .
Oil in the radiator Bubbles/frothing in the radiator (water must be over the top to check/ over full) Radiator constantly over flowing Water or brown froth in the oil Water (far more then just condensation) constantly dripping out of the exhaust (with engine running) Engine running rough or rougher then normal
catmann11,
Nov 26, 6:59am
How much will it cost to find out whats wrong with it do you think!
supernova2,
Nov 26, 7:09am
Competent garage should be able to tell you in less than an hour so at a guess $100 or so.
mrfxit,
Nov 26, 7:12am
Note the variables of what it could be, before you get a garage to look at it. Sign NOTHING to get repairs done until you DO understand the cost & how long that repair will probably extend the engines life span
splinter67,
Nov 26, 7:37pm
By the sounds of it the prognosis is not good change the engine with your other one and get the temp gauge fixed or put an after market one on it
kazbanz,
Nov 26, 7:52pm
OP my advice is to follow the water. Sounds a bit strange I guess but wherever the water had headed off to is the CAUSE of your problem. Doya have a sump full of water! is there a hole in a heater hose! Is the radiator full of holes!. Im sorry to say it mon butfrom your descriptionyou seized the engine due to lack of water. Once the engine cooled down thge beastie unseized. You MIGHT be lucky and fix the cause and all is good but you would need to be really lucky. To be honest I'd use this motor as the sacrificial lamb to find where /what the leak is then once you have it sorted then fit the other engine Definitely as splinter said get the temp gauge fixed
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