Gushing Water on Startup

[plasma99]

I experience a gushing water sound everytime I start my 2007 2.2 D4D Avensis.  It appears to be coming from the heater area behind the dash.  It's been going on for a long time but I ignored it for months because I thought I was trading in the car.  Now I have decided to keep the car, I would like to get it sorted.

If you stop the car anytime (hot or cold) and start again, you hear the gushing water for about 10 seconds.  I'm not aware it uses any coolant.  The level always remains just below the LOW mark.  If I top up to HIGH, the level settles back to just below LOW after a few journeys and stays there.  I tried several top ups thinking the previously added coolant may have found its way into the system somehow.  However, the situation has not improved.

I wondered if the water pump may be on the wane or there is a leak in the system somewhere.  Don't know if anyone else has experienced this.  Car very good apart from this.

[yossarian247]

I've experienced this in diesel cars in the past and unfortunately it usually means the head gasket is slightly leaking combustion gases into the coolant. Its the gasses getting trapped in the heater matrix that causes the water gushing noise inside the car. That fits with the level dropping below the Low mark too.

[plasma99]

Yossarian247,

Thanks for the reply.  I am getting mentally prepared for this outcome.

Would it be the combustion gasses collecting at the top of the system (heater matrix) after engine shutdown and being forced out on startup?  It's strange that it only happens on startup, not when the engine is up and running.  The only exception to this was when I carried out a three-point turn on a steep slope.  I cannot remember the exact orientation of the car at the time but I did hear it during that turn.  That's when I thought I might be low on coolant and the filler tank not reporting this correctly somehow.

[Duggerz]

Hi Plasma,

If there is a head gasket problem you'll see coolant in the oil as either a grey blancmange, or the cooling system will be pressurised when completely cold. The alternative is that you filling up the header tank wasn't enough to fill an airlock that was in the heater circuit and it simply needs more adding. Ian

[Peter Wilks]

The water pumps are also a common issue on this model, get the car to temperature and run the heater at full heat and power for a few mins and it should purge the system and stop the gurgling but will be good to get the pump checked out, a sign is white marks under the engine cover above the aux belt oh the lh side of the engine.

[plasma99]

Duggerz, 

Thanks for the reply.  Will check later.

 

[plasma99]

Got some pictures.  Appears to be white marks under engine cover on lh side.  Oil looks OK.  Tried running heater for 10 mins on full but the rushing water still happening on startup.  

[Duggerz]

Looks like it may indeed be a water pump issue. If you shine a flashlight on the pump can you see any evidence? You should be able to see damp in the belt because that white will be due to coolant bring flung upwards by it. Ian

[m456an]

Another thing maybe that can help is change the radiator cap and too much oil in engine can cause problems, it seems a little over the max? 

[peter.ling24@gmail.com]

Hello Peter.

I had the exactly the same issues you have. I too feared the worst.

Some one on the forum suggestion I turn up the heater temperature to full and run the engine. I did this on a journey. I didn't realise it went up so high? 30+

The noise disappeared and the water level stabilised. I think it was an air lock in the system.

Try this please. I do hope it helps. Let me know if it does. 

Regards 

Peter.

 

[plasma99]

Hi Peter,

I will try the heater trick again on a longer journey.  What was the mlileage on yours when this happened?  Are you sure yours was sorted permanently by doing this.  I cannot help but think there must have been a reason for the original fault.

I have tried to take a closer look at the water pump with a torch but cannot really see anything.  I'll look for wetness on the aux belt when next hot.

I undid the header tank cap when stone cold and there was only a small ssshhhh which I think (hope) is a good sign.

I watched a youtube video of someone changing the water pump on this engine and it doesn't look as big a job as I had imagined.  Be interested to know if any DIY'er has done it successfully. 

 

[peter.ling24@gmail.com]

Hello Peter.

My car is a 2005. Getting on a bit! It has done about 72,000 miles when I heard the rushing noise of circulating water behind the facia.

The car has done another couple of thousand miles since it was remedied.

I keep a close eye on the water level and staining on the engine cover. But whatever the cause, it seems to be ok at the moment.

Regards

Peter

 

[plasma99]

Just an update in case anyone is following this.  I tried the 'heater full on' trick for a 30 mile journey but it made no difference.  Still rushing water noise on startup.  I am going to clean the coolant from the underside of the engine cover above the aux belt and see if it reappears.  Might indicate a water pump leak.

My internet searching has found this problem described on many makes/models but there appears no firm solution except for 'burping' of the coolant system.  I don't fancy running the engine with the coolant cap off for any sort of time.

 

 

[m456an]

I would not worry about the coolant cap off, it did boil on mine when I changed the coolant, I just waited a week for the air to be slowly released. The vvti seems to run at a lower temperature, but....