Vauxhall Zafira Comfort - 1999 - 2.2ltr - - Overheating - nathanjay

Hi all,

I hope you can help me, I will try to explain my problem clearly. My knowledge isn't very best with cars but I am now trying to learn how to sort problems on my own as I can't afford to keep taking my car to the mechanic for every little issue.

Anyway, on a long jounrey for about 2 hours over the weekend. My car started to overheating, it didn't get into the red but it was on its way to approaching that. I don't drive the car hard, my average speed is usually 65mph and take it up to 75 mph for overtaking.

So I pulled over and lifted the bonnet and checked under the car. I couldn't see any leaks or hear any problems whats so ever. The radiator was working fine with its fan still going to cool the car down. I opened the coolant water tank slowly and steam started coming from it. I opened the lid in the end I couldn't see any water at all until it started filling up again. The water was mirky (grey slightly blackish) and I could see inside the tank that there was some white con gilled white slug inside it.

What could be the problem?

Any help will be appreciated.

Edited by nathanjay on 13/05/2011 at 17:28

Vauxhall Zafira Comfort - 1999 - 2.2ltr - - Overheating - Peter D

"white con gilled white slug inside it." I do not know what you mean but you appear to be be describing a leaking head gasket which is pressuring and polluting your coolant. Pop it to a garage as they can use chemicals ot a gas analyser to detect and combustion gases in the header tank. Tell us more. How did you get home, did it do it again. How much water did it take to refill the header tank. Regards Peter

Vauxhall Zafira Comfort - 1999 - 2.2ltr - - Overheating - nathanjay

I apologise for the bad description, Typing tired isn't a good mixture. The best way to explain it was that its a white soggy stuff, sorry for the lack of description I don't know how to word it.

I got home by letting it cool and drove again because I was a minute away from home. When I had to refill the tank it took 2 litres to do it. It has started to do it again when I went to work, it seems to increase in temperature more when I am in gears 1-3. When I am driving at 40+ in gear 4 -5 it seems to reduce the temperature.

I have only recently moved to Southend-On-Sea, Essex. I'll do some searching for a trust worthy garage.

Thanks for your helping me out Peter.

Edited by nathanjay on 14/05/2011 at 21:04