My car hates me

Cuchulain · 23 Mar 2010 at 14:46

I went out to a job last night and was stuck behind a tractor for a few miles, the driver in the Merc. behind me was also trying that thing they did on Top Gear where they try and drive as close to the car in front as humanly possible.

Finally picked a spot to overtake, dropped down to 3rd and planted my foot into the carpet and *BANG* wtf? Look in the rear view mirror and I can't see the tractor or the Merc. due to the huge clouds of white smoke engulfing them.

First though was "****, head gaskets gone", so I pull over, (exceptionally embarrased) and pop the hood, no sign of any water in the oil but the car is still smoking from the exhaust, decide to try and creep back home, car seems to be driving fine apart from it sounding like I've spent a few hundred pounds on some kind of race exhaust.

Popped it down to an exhaust centre at lunchtime and got them to take a look, turns out I'd somehow blown a big hole in the backbox, at least 6 inches long, 2 inches wide, £56 later I've a new box on it and all is well.

Still confused about the white smoke though, I had a head gasket go when I was driving an old Nissan in Canada and that never belched out half as much.

Only 6 more months until I can go buy a proper car ..

</....bro etc>

peterattheboro · 23 Mar 2010 at 14:49

£56 isn't too bad. Could have been a lot worse.

I broke my iPhone the other day and had to pay £90 for a new screen and fitting. Cars are more expensive.

Count yourself lucky

Cuchulain · 23 Mar 2010 at 14:50

peterattheboro said:
£56 isn't too bad. Could have been a lot worse.

I was surprised, worked out cheaper than getting one off the bay and doing it myself, nice chap also replaced all the dust caps I left sitting on an air compressor in some petrol station many miles away.

Participant · 23 Mar 2010 at 14:50

£56? What were you driving, an RC car?!

Cuchulain · 23 Mar 2010 at 14:53

Robbie G said:
£56? What were you driving, an RC car?!

Poxhall Vectra.

Biohazard · 23 Mar 2010 at 14:55

It will be the cheapest of crap backboxes thats why.

Was the old box exceptionally old or rusted?

matt_fsr · 23 Mar 2010 at 15:00

Bangernomics wins again!

Cuchulain · 23 Mar 2010 at 15:02

Biohazard said:
It will be the cheapest of crap backboxes thats why.

Was the old box exceptionally old or rusted?

I went for the GM part rather than the cheap £29 chinese equivalent.

The box wasn't rusted, just a big black hole in the top. Probably something to do with the exhaust packing that's been working it's way out over the last few months and a nice buildup of pressure.

paradigm · 23 Mar 2010 at 15:09

I'm confused as to how a hole in the backbox produced plumes of white smoke :confused:

Cuchulain · 23 Mar 2010 at 15:12

paradigm said:
I'm confused as to how a hole in the backbox produced plumes of white smoke

Me too, (that's why I mentioned it), the only far fetched scenario I can think of is that the silencer packing finally gave way, blocked the exhaust, once I planted my foot the buildup of pressure shot it out of the exhaust along with all the built up exhaust gases, apart from the excessive noise from the exhaust today, it didn't pump out any smoke on the way to the garage.