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if the radiator is getting hot enough, yes the white steam is most definitly from the antifreeze. anti freeze gives off a slightly sweet smelling white smoke when burned. You will find the same or similar smoke from your tail pipe if you have a bad headgasket. bad head gaskets can allow coolant into the firing chamber and end up in your exaust.
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What can cause white smoke coming out of vents?
That is probably antifreeze steam. Your heater core is a small radiator used to heat your car. The engine heats the antifreeze and circulates it through the heater core. Your blower blows heat through the core (radiator) into the car, and warms you. If the core gets a small leak, it will put out steam.
What could cause steam in your bonnet?
Cooling system leak or engine overheating and steam escaping from the radiator cap.Cooling system leak or engine overheating and steam escaping from the radiator cap.
Steam coming from around my radiator in a Nissan largo?
you have a leak in a hose or your radiator itself. Look for antifreeze dripping from under car while engine is running and hot enough for the fan to kick on.
Why does a car radiator produce steam when broken down in the summer?
There are plenty of ways a car can break down without the radiator being a part of the cause. As for the reason you'd see steam from a radiator, it would escape if there was a leak in the radiator or the hoses, or if the cap was opened. The contents in a radiator are very hot - hot enough to produce steam.
What would cause smoke from the side of the radiator?
It is very doubtful that it is smoke. It is most likely steam. Either there is a pinhole leak in the radiator allowing hot coolant to escape that then vaporizes into steam when it hits the atmosphere... or there is something spilled on the radiator that steams when the radiator gets hot. Have the radiator pressure tested for leaks.
Why was truck leaking antifreeze yesterday but not today?
if you added coolant recently you may have overfilled it and it leaked through the radiator cap and it may cause white steam to bubble off nothing to worry to much about OR you may not have run it enough to pressurize the system enough to show a leak
What could cause smoke coming from the Radiator Fan?
If the smoke is coming from the electric fan itself, then it needs replacing. It could be the smoke is steam that the fan is drawing from the radiator, and you have a coolant leak at the radiator.
What happens when you put water in your radiator and it freezes?
When the water in the radiator freezes, it expands. This expansion can cause many different types of problem from exerting too great an amount of force on items that are thin or delicate like the radiator. It can crack or split it. That is why we use AntiFreeze. Not sure what % of alcohol would work but Antifreeze is cheaper anyway. Can also pop out a freeze plug which are pressed into the sides or ends of the engine where the water jacket is and cause a slight leak at first which you won't notice until it is blowing steam out of the grill. Same thing for anyplace there is water without antifreeze.
What are some of the problem that causes a 97 cadillac to over heat and leak steam and loses antifreeze?
could be a few things, my first guess would be thermostat, second would be cooling fans on radiator and last could be a plugged radiator or collapsed hose
Should steam radiator valves always be open?
Steam radiator valves should always be fully open, or fully closed. Steam enters the radiator from the boiler, and fills the radiator. The air vent shuts, having sensed moisture inside the radiator. The steam then cools, condenses to water, and drains from the radiator. If you leave a valve partially open, then the steam enters easily, because of the pressure. But, the water has a difficult time draining, so the radiator can collect it, and steals it from the furnace, which needs it for resupply.
Why would steam be coming out from the radiator cap?
Radiator caps are pressure relief valves. They are rated at "pounds per square inch" and are designed to release some pressure from the radiator if it gets too high. If an engine overheats it can boil the coolant and this will cause the radiator cap to let out steam. Radiator caps DO lose their ability to regulate pressure and can release too soon. If the engine has not overheated, have the radiator cap tested and replaced as necessary.
What can cause white smoke from radiator?
Steam? Leak? overheating due to low coolant? Back pressure due to a bad thermostat? Defective radiator cap? have system pressure tested to determine location of leak
