Exhaust water

[Gallcobair]

I recently fitted a back box to a 1.4 citroen xsara estate 2001 model, the customer had complained that he has fitted 3 back boxs in a short space of time.
Within a week he had returned to me, the back box was leaking water at both the seam and the join to the middle box, there was an excessive amount coming out, when i took the exhaust off about FOUR LITRES OF WATER had come out of the box!
I checked the coolant level, it was fine and he says he never has had to top it up.
This seems very suspect to me, i just cant find the answer. I know the man does a few short journeys every week in the car but I never expected the problem to be this bad!
Anyone got any ideas for me?
HELP!!

 

[obi_waynne]

Does he do a lot of idling? This can put moisture in the exhaust as can short journeys. A small drain hole at the bottom might be the answer but this could cause noise if located in the wrong place.

I would have suspected a head gasket but as he doesn't need to top it up it can't be that.

Is he parking it in a pond overnight or near a drainpipe that is dripping into the end somehow?

 

[T9 man]

Well my first suggestion was going to be the head gasket as well, but I can't understand it if he does not appear to be losing any water :blink: I think that alone is very suspicious! I would suspect that something major has gone wrong with the engine, and as you were the last person to put something onto the car then he could be looking to put the fault down to you!
How is it that he can drive the car around and there be that much water in the exhaust system, surely the heat from the exhaust alone would evaporate most of the water away, or am I missing something here :blink:

If I were you I would offer to keep the car in overnight and run the car around and prove this no water loss theory!

 

[HDi fun]

If the gasket was leaking into the combustion chambers the water would be turned to steam and the uge majority would leave the car via the tail pipe. The coolant isn't going down anyway.

I have no idea about this to be honest. Is there an alterior motive? Is he looking to blame you for something else? Is he perhaps tinkering with the car?

I think that four litres of water would present substantial blocking of the exhaust and thus impede the performance.

 

[lutonmatt]

well might of seems 4 litres of water but if it could hold that much it would very under powered as it would be chocking its self

the water is there cos he only does short trips it kills the car
you will always get water out of the exhaust due to hot gasses going in and cooler ones coming out

if i was you i would get the car back for a few days and drive it hard will make it go better clean teh cat out and get most of the water out

if you dont tell him you wont warrenty the box due to his short trips

 

[Gallcobair]

Thank you very much, yes i do believe its the short journeys causing the problem.

I dont think he is tampering with it, he's not that kind of person and its more trouble for him than it is me.
I think your right lutonmatt, I cant keep a warrenty on the box if its neither my fault or the parts fault. You wouldn't give a drifter warrenty on tyres wud ya!?

Thanks very much again for all your replys, its always nice to get a second opinion.

 

[Ricardo]

Well when i drink too much water i pee a lot so im sure the car is drinking too much, so make it drink less! also poor lil thing let him pee before he reaches 4 L

 

[obi_waynne]

Also water in the exhaust is not the problem of the exhaust it is clearly an issue somewhere else.

Perhaps the local kids are filling it up as a prank to wind him up.

 

[monplankton]

I had a similar problem on my peugeot 307cc, excessive water. In the end I put it down to storing it in a damp garage and running it at idle for short periods of time but never clearling it fully by driving any distance. I was amased how much water collected. The cars now on the road and ran daily without a concern.

 

[Zwaf]

As said here, water in egsaust is vapourised. Your egsaust is cold, then you heat it just a bit with short journey and let it cool down - same principle as steam on windows but here water can not flow out. Cure is to heat egsaust properly and make some preassure by high revs at least once a week. That way your egsaust will not rust from inside and will take longer lifetime. As everything else with cars - it likes to be driven properly...

 

[jim55]

I had same trouble with an astra i had it in main dealer to put it right.They failed i did long journeys the problem was still there it cost me lots and no solution.get rid save your self from all the expense and the so called experts!

 

[Zwaf]

Well jim55, I'm not an expert. What I have written is based on experience. My buddy bought an Polo same week as another budy had bought egsact the same Polo. Both cars brand new.
First mate got no mercy for the car and the another one was overly sensitive about using gas pedal.
In 5 year time the merciless driver got still the first egsaust while mercifull one chanfed the rear "box" (do not know egsact word - silencer maybe?) twice! And he always got water out of egsaust while sharp driver never noticed water in there own egsaust.
That made me thinkin how driving style can influence such a thing.