Today I was driving my Maxima beater and all of the sudden it dies and smoke starts coming out of the engine bay.

I open up the hood and there is antifreeze everywhere, I look at my radiator and there is a big hole in it on top. I called up my mechanic and he said to just let it sit there for 15 mins and then try to start it up again.

I waited for 15 mins and started it up, everything was normal. The car ran fine...... I start heading home. Near my house the ****in thing dies again but has enough energy to keep rolling right up to my drive way.

Again I see anti freeze everywhere and smoke from the engine bay. I let the thing cool down for like 20 mins and then try to start it up again. once again it starts up fine.....

Tommorow I'm heading to my mechanic and they're gonna change the radiator...... have you guys heard of anythign like this before and is this normal for the car to die and then start up again after it cools down?

 

could that big hole be where your radiator cap is supposed to be?

 

Or where one of the mounting brackets used to be?

 

Yea, one of the mounting brackets broke off.

I'm wondering if it was normal for the car to shut off after the coolant blew out of that hole?

Does anyone know?

 

It's not a bad thing, you don't wanna run it without coolant anyway.

 

How hot did it get, and how long did you run it at that temp? A few minutes of overheating can do some pretty bad things to heads and gaskets. Hopefully, your problem is not related to the overheating.

 

you shouldnt have drivin it after you found out there was a hole unless you kept water in it. if it was dieing on you you may have done some damage but only time will tell

 

That timey story was 30k miles - for my bluebird head gasket. Even driving with enough coolant will ruin the engine, just in time. = leaking with air bubbles, no pressure...

Time will surely Tell Wilhelm: never buy a leaking vehicle.