remove your water pump and inspect that it is all intact. Usually when they go, your cambelt will snap or fall off as the water pump will sieze, the mechanism of the water pump is very simple, just a few rotating pieces.

If the water pump appears to be okay, I suggest refitting it, filling with water, turn engine over by hand a few times to be safe that your pump does in fact operate (could snap your belt if you use the engine to do this).

If it's not the water pump, I'm not sure, these car's can run properly without a working thermostat but if it was at tickover, it could of overheated if the fan didn't work. Try testing it does work.

i hope it that then its an easy and cheap fix

yeah pos thermostat or the water pump but iam not sure runs off the timing belt

hi all got a bit of a prob last week i was running me motor at tickover and all of a sudden BANG a big cloud of white smoke engine was still running terned it off rad water every where from the res bubbleing to im guessing air block. there was no water left after that so took the lid off toped it to the line....fan never kicked in nor did the water feed threw. any ideas would the thermostat of gone down on me. (oh btw head gasket is fine :) ) and its on a 1.2 8v any help will be great thanks jack