wtf????? i got a problem.

so i was cleaning out my car, and it was just idling, and i look up and see some white smoke coming from the engine, so i pop the hood, and it is coming from around my battery, mostly something under it. so i shut the car off, and go check, it is still coming out. now that the engine is off, it sounds like something is boiling, like a bubbling noise. i thought it might be some water or snow falling on something hot, so i took some snow and threw it where the smoke was coming from. the noise stopped and the smoke cleared. so i pulled my car out of the garage and into the driveway, and i notice there is a bunch of anti freeze on the ground. it could have been there before, but i doubt it. anyone know if the smoke and anti freeze are connected? what is the problem? thanx.

congrats you just overheated your car and whats under the battery???????Its your overflow tank. Whats the bubbing noise????? Thats boiling coolant in the overflow tank. Check to make sure your cooling fans are working and that your thermostats opening like it should

it could be that, or you have a small pin hole size hole in the pipe somewhere, and when it is under pressure, it starts spraying all over.
check the pipes.

ahhhh hell, trouble!!!!!!!!

Do you have enough anti freeze in the radiator. If not it can freeze and once the thermostat opens it blows out the radiator cap safety and into the overflow container. I speak from experience on this one but on a different car. The flow from the engine is disrupted so it goes where it can.

or you warped your head, and the pressure is pumping the coolant into the overflow. it wont have been the first time someone has done that..

well i checked the thermostat, and it is fine, ive heard it could be the water pump, but i also heard it couldnt be the water pump. so.... what else could it be?

See if you have a white residue anywhere on the hose or radiator, this is an indicator of the minerals boiling out of the water, the whites smoke is steam if it evaporates/disipates immediately after releasing into the air.
Hope this helps, LOL
Phil :cheers:

...If your coolant is boiling/bubbling and overflowing in the overflow tank, it may be that your head gasket has failed..(cylinder pressure escaping through a failed seal in the head gasket, pressurizing the cooling system past the recommended pressure of the system, thus causing the radiator cap to remain open to let the gas continually escape)....once the coolant is heated to the point of boiling, it will not boil in the overflow, there is no heat source in the overflow to keep the coolant boiling,(such as removing a pot of boiling water off the stove, as soon as it's off the burner, it quits boiling).

IMHO, it's a failed head gasket at least, hopefully the head or block isnt cracked.

Can you start it? If you get lots of white smoke out the exhaust you've blown the head gasket for sure.