Breakdown - Rite of Passage?

[MAK]

Well had a great weekend, Saturday went to a small car show, won Best Import - my wife laughed (that's a good sign). Sunday went for my 1st gas fill-up, got crazy comments on the two tanks and of course what is it, then figured I drive my 26-mile bike route, didn't push it, still getting used to the car, but tons better now that the alignment is done & the clutch is adjusted, got about 17 mile when shifting from 2nd to 3rd looking out the rear view mirror - OMG looked like a destroyer laying a smoke screen, immediately pulled over and shut down.  Thought the car was on fire - crap it takes me a minute to get out and I'm going to burn to death.  Well, it wasn't on fire it was steam, car decided it didn't want the coolant and spit it all out. Opened the trunk/hood? and the coolant seemed to come from the swirl pot; engine didn't appear to have any water on it and valve cover was dry. but the bonnet was soaked. Since I don't know the car, during the entire drive I'm looking at the gauges all the time, and nothing seemed abnormal. Rather than risking huge damage there I sat, called the tow guys (I know them) Because of an accident on I-81 (Virginia, if you know this road, you know) it took them 2 hours to get to me. While waiting found peace and harmony with nature while I stared at my lovely Europa. We pushed the car onto the flat bed, and he strapped the wheels down. And off to the mechanic it goes, perhaps the car missed him?

so, am I now officially a Lotus Europa owner?

[Lumbes]

Your car looks excellent even when broken down on the side of the road! 
Hopefully your Europa isn't away for long.  Just might need coolant replaced and the system bled.

[BDA]

so, am I now officially a Lotus Europa owner?

 You've just gotten your first Lotus (de)merit badge!

My first guess would be that your thermostat is stuck or broken. It can happen to any car. I'd also check the water pump belt in the front of the engine. If the belt is in good shape, it's probably the thermostat. They are not difficult to change. When you fill it with new coolant, run the motor with the heater on. Add coolant as needed. When the radiator gets warm, open the petcock on the top of the radiator to let the air out. When there's a steady stream of water from the petcock, close it up. Check the coolant level again and top off if necessary.

If it's the water pump belt, it might be best to get a replacement from a Lotus parts place as there is no tensioning devise and different brands of the same size belt aren't always really the same size.

[MAK]

thanks, will pass this info off to my mechanic.  The water pump was replaced by the PO in 2023, with the original design (smart huh?) radiator replaced 1999 - thermostat replaced - who knows!  I was fully aware that buying a 50-year-old British car, Lotus to boot, was not without its issues. If $$$ was no object I'd just EVERYTHING replaced, but it is an issue, so I'll just look forward to the next breakdown.  I shuttle damaged and repaired car's part time, so I know the tow truck guys well, with the Lotus I think we'll become best buds.
"Face piles of trials with Smiles" Moody Blues - song In the Beginning

[EuropaTC]

Since I don't know the car, during the entire drive I'm looking at the gauges all the time, and nothing seemed abnormal.

One of the oddities about the TC engine is that the sender for the gauge is high up on the head and if the water level drops a bit then the sender isn't seeing water temperature, it's getting the air above and radiated heat from the aluminium head. So you carry on in blissful ignorance right up until the steam exits the vents.....  been there, etc.

But you did exactly the right thing, stop and limit any damage to the head gasket, etc.  So what's next ?

Obviously the easy thing is to check the pump drive belt;  it's in an awful position to see and because there's no tensioning method it's very easy to forget about. We all do that at some point in our ownership until it dawns on us that yes, it can break just when we don't need it to. 

If that's ok, personally I'd just fill it up again, running the engine until the thermostat opens, you'll get a sudden temperature increase in the top hose, easy to spot with by holding it. If the top hose goes from lukewarm to hot and you confirm by the radiator in the front getting warm, you've ruled out the thermostat without any dismantling. Top up the level as needed, check the heater matrix is getting hot water through it and blowing warm (no air locks) and then I'd start looking for leaks.

The pump should be fine as you've been driving it but if the mechanical seal is leaking it usually comes out of the weep hole on the front cover. I'd be surprised if that's failed given the age of the pump and if it was going to fail from sticking due to lack of use, you'd have seen it before now.   Likewise the radiator should be fine as well, in fact my money would be on either a weeping hose joint or the coolant being low to start with ?

Brian

[4129R]

I fill coolant through the thermostat housing with the thermostat removed.

That way you know there are no air locks and the block and head are full.

I found filling through the remote header tank didn't work, and took ages. 

[MAK]

UNREAL - Mechanic called me today, car can be picked up.
Freeze (core) plug fell out, was filled with silicone, wasn't sure there was even a plug there. cleaned it out replaced the plug, said "the hole was a little weird, but the cap is in there nice and tight, I drove the car for about a half an hour and everything looked good". Asked what I owe him, his reply, does $50 sound ok?

I was ecstatic! said yeah. asked if I need a coolant flush, he laughed and said not anytime soon, and I thanked him and said I hope I didn't see him as a customer for at least a month.
He had a Porsche 911 up on the lift replacing a front suspension when I showed up,
drove home the 21 miles from the shop, now that I know the roads I pushed the car a little harder than before - it was great.

I'm so happy !!!!

[kapps]

Glad it was a simple fix and not a head gasket!

[BDA]

Freeze plug came out!!! That's really unusual! I'm glad it was that easy and your wrench sure seems to know what he's doing! It's good that he's handy, honest, and reasonably priced!

Now you can go out and enjoy your car again!

[cazman]

This just happened to a friend of mine's car also. I have not heard of this happening in the past 40 years and now two!

[EuropaTC]

Wow.  I've never heard of that happening before, congratulations on having a proper Lotus "feature".

That sounds like you've found a good guy there, very practical. I bet you've got him on speed dial now !