Hi, hope someone can help put some light on what happened...

Going home for work yesterday, after about 15 minutes of cruising at what my speedo says it's 80-90 Kmh (meaning it's probably 90-100), I smelt something burning, I checked the water temp and saw it quite a bit higher than the usual (it normally sits just above the C, especially in cool days), so I eased it off a bit and kept an eye on it.
The smell kept going, the temp gauge was slowly rising and I noticed a decrease in power, so at the first opportunity I pulled off. As soon as I pressed the clutch pedal, the engine died. The temp gauge never reached the H, by the way.
I saw a puff of vapour coming out of the bonnet , so I turned everything off (the radio was still playing and the blinker was on) and went to have a look under the bonnet, knowing already that somehow my radiator would have been empty.
I got a rug, opened slowly the radiator cap, and sure there was a lot of vapour but no water in there, even though I checked it no more than a week ago.
I was getting ready to take a walk to the nearest servo (about 1 Km, luckily) when a car pulled over and a guy came to my rescue. "I owned three minis, I know how it is" he said . I thanked my guardian angel (again) and off we went to the servo. Got some water ($3.40 for 2 litres! ) and headed back to the car to fill it in. The guy told me "It's better if you turn the engine on and we pour the water in slowly, to avoid the risk of breaking something with cold water in an overheated engine", so I went to turn the car on, and bloody hell nothing was working! Everything was dead in the water, like if the battery was disconnected.
So off I went to the boot, lifted the battery cover and I found what I expected: the battery kill switch somehow came undone and the passthrough fuse was blown.
Fixed the switch, the engine started, put the water in (about 3 litres all up) and everything was fine, I got home with no further drama.

Now, please tell me if I am right in my analysis:
- during the cruise the kill switch came undone, but the engine kept running because of the alternator and the radio to work because of the passthrough fuse;
- because the battery was disconnected, the water pump stopped working and the water slowly evaporated;
- when I tried to turn it on after getting the water, the fuse blew (as expected).

What is strange to me, is how all the water managed to evaporate in such a short time, unless there is something else going on. I kept an eye on the driveway this morning. and it was absolutely dry, so I assume there's no leaking anywhere. Any ideas??

Also, should I keep an eye on something in particular after this, even though today I got to work as usual, driving at my normal cruising speed?

Thank you for any input.

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A computer allows you to make mistakes faster than anything else...
with the possible exception of a gun or a bottle of tequila.

The water wouldn't be able to evaporate that quickly without you knowing , more likely to be a leak somewhere , either outside or inside into the motor through a gasket (but not normally that much water ....) . The guage wasn't reading too hot as there was no water on the temp sender to transfer the heat . I'd be getting someone to do a pressure test on the cooling system (most mechanics have the little gadget to do it) and also look for obvious leaks . Any sign of water in the oil or under the oil cap ? By the way , does your mini have an electric water pump ? Normally it's driven by the fan belt off the cranckshaft pulley , if the fanbelt broke you'd lose the electrical charge as well as cooling but your charge light should come on . Check the fan belt anyway in case it broke and the fuse on the battery then blew because it was drawing solely on the batery instead of the alternator .

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A closer inspection is needed to get to theh bottom of all that but a few observations...

"Going home for work yesterday, after about 15 minutes of cruising at what my speedo says it's 80-90 Kmh (meaning it's probably 90-100), I smelt something burning, I checked the water temp and saw it quite a bit higher than the usual"

Without water the gauge won't read properly. I once drove my VW Rabbit home from work with the gauge reading "a bit high" only to find that the bottom rad hose had fallen off. I think the prevailing 6 inches of snow saved it but It gave me great respect for alloy veedub engines (just BTW)

" As soon as I pressed the clutch pedal, the engine died."

VERY hot engine = partial seizure = quite normal.

"..............
I got a rug, opened slowly the radiator cap, and sure there was a lot of vapour but no water in there, even though I checked it no more than a week ago. "

A week is long enough for all the water to dosapear if the rad cap is defective - just a theory...

I was getting ready to take a walk to the nearest servo .........off we went to the servo. Got some water ($3.40 for 2 litres! )

EVERY servo has a waste bin where people throw their old coke bottles ect ...and free water at from a tap somewhere....

"...... The guy told me "It's better if you turn the engine on and we pour the water in slowly, to avoid the risk of breaking something with cold water in an overheated engine",

Good advice

"....... and bloody hell nothing was working! Everything was dead in the water, like if the battery was disconnected. ......: the battery kill switch somehow came undone and the passthrough fuse was blown.
Fixed the switch, the engine started, put the water in (about 3 litres all up) and everything was fine, I got home with no further drama."

"Now, please tell me if I am right in my analysis:
- during the cruise the kill switch came undone, but the engine kept running because of the alternator and the radio to work because of the passthrough fuse;"

Why have a kill switch if it doesn't kill the engine?? Pass through fuses are exactly that - enough power will flow for the radio (generally to keep the clock going) but anything more should blow the fuse. Probably find its jusy a battery isolation switch - and Minis will run with theh battery disconnected - but in some cases this can kill the alternator...

" because the battery was disconnected, the water pump stopped working"

unless you have something pretty special, the water pump is not electric powered...

"and the water slowly evaporated;"

Unlikely - how would water evaporate from an ostensibly sealed system?? More likely the water disappeared slowly during the previous week through a defective rad cap - or a dead head gasket but lets be more optinimistic - doesn't seem to show other gasket symptoms...

" ................the water managed to evaporate in such a short time, unless there is something else going on. I kept an eye on the driveway this morning. and it was absolutely dry, so I assume there's no leaking anywhere. Any ideas??"

Each time you leave for a trip, check the water. I expect you will see a small (or maybe not so small) drop in water level each time. Do you use antifreeze? Normally the escaping fluid will leave a white stain if you do.

"Also, should I keep an eye on something in particular after this, even though today I got to work as usual, driving at my normal cruising speed?"

Just keep checking the water level. Talk to me about a cheap (free) overflow recovery tank system if you want.

Good luck, Ian

Thank you for any input.

What he said...and ...not telling you how to suck eggs...but you have a car you are not familiar with so you need to check things on a more regular basis until you get the confidence that it is indeed reliable.

from Port Stephens....

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"Show me the Mini!"

OK, granted that I have to keep a close eye on it, but I find suspicious that the whole overheating stuff happened when the battery switch came undone.
Just a coincidence?

_________________
A computer allows you to make mistakes faster than anything else...
with the possible exception of a gun or a bottle of tequila.

Mate as they said unless you have a electric water pump (which i doubt ) mini's are fitted with a mechanical water pump driven by the fan belt, so start with what you can see and check your water level every couple of days, if it keeps going down mare than about 15mm from the top of the header tank look for a leak, first check you have the right radiator cap, right pressure and length, check your hoses are intact and that the clips are tight, ask if anyone from the ACT mini car club is close by and can give you a hand
Jon

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Roundies and Clubbies(except vans) are both ugly that is why I have Midas and a van
1293 Mini Midas Bronze,1275 Clubman van

A quick update if anyone is interested: two days after the radiator problem, I realised the heater suddenly started to work... maybe that's where all the missing water went?
Still keeping an eye on it before every trip, and no problems at all

_________________
A computer allows you to make mistakes faster than anything else...
with the possible exception of a gun or a bottle of tequila.

Luca...the heater probably started working because there is finally enough water in the system for it to work....if you get my drift.

Have you checked the condition of all your hoses If they look like they have been there for a few years...then replace them in the interests of getting the car reliable.

The other thing to check is that awful tap arrangement under your dash if you have one...they corrode or become stuck.

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"Show me the Mini!"

The Mini went to Melba motors on Saturday for a proper diagnosis, and here's how it really went:
- water pump started leaking BADLY
- engine overheated
- BHG and (maybe) rings are GONE
My next step are:
- find a new daily driver (urgent!)
- change rego to concessional
- fix the water pump (and while i'm at it, maybe the heater as well...)
- fix head gasket
What about the rings? I know this is an engine-out job, but is there a test to see if the rings are gone BEFORE I fix the head gasket?
I also started asking around for a new engine... just in case...

I feel like crying

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A computer allows you to make mistakes faster than anything else...
with the possible exception of a gun or a bottle of tequila.

Yes there is !!!!

You need a compression gauge firstly. Then take out the spark plugs. Check your tappet clearances to make the valves are properly closing. Somehow wedge the throttle fully open.

Disconnect the positive wire to the coil so no spark is produced. Put the compression guage into the first plug hole holding it in place and get somone to hit the starter. The motor will spin and let it have five or six revolutions and then check the reading on the guage. It should be above 120 on the guage. Repeat for each cylinder.

Then put several squirts of oil down the plug holes of each cylinder - give it a minute or two to settle and give the motor a quick spin to put the oil in the right place in each cylinder. Redo the compression test and see if the compression results are markedly different (higher)

If you have shot and broken rings - I would expect the initial readings to be in the order of 50 psi on the guage. Adding oil should have filled the ring spaces and brought the readings up to maybe 100 psi.

If the rings are good (okay) then the readings should be 120 psi and the oil should have made very little difference - perhaps readings 10 psi up on the initial.

If there is no improvement with the oil then it usually means a BHG or a burnt valve. You may already have a BHG but it wont be on every cylinder and the ring damage will be !!!

Good luck

im going to remember that trick, smarty pants

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http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=44717

Is no good Luca but, no crying allowed here ....it ain't the end of the world.

Get someone to fit a new Head Gasket and Water Pump first up.

With the head off....some other things like worn rings may become apparent

Once you do these initial repairs, you can then assess the condition of the engine in slow time. Good Luck...come around and visit if you want to sometime for more detailed dee-scussions

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"Show me the Mini!"

Thank you for the kind words and above all Mike for the compression testing trick, I think I will try that before I start getting bits off...
By the way, Mick, do you know anyone I can borrow a compression gauge from?

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A computer allows you to make mistakes faster than anything else...
with the possible exception of a gun or a bottle of tequila.

120psi is a bit low?? Mine gets ~120 on all 4 and the rings are shot (not broken though), I'd be wanting more like 170. But it all depends on the individual engine and the compression tester.

Luca, you can get compression testers from Super Cheap for about $30, just get a proper screw in one, not the push-in type. I'd definitely be pulling the head off first and thoroughly checking everything and go from there. (After the compression test that is )

Yep...Dennis has one and Ian and Ray and....ummmm, ask Dennis first

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"Show me the Mini!"