HELP!!!!!!

20th May 2011, 18:56

Hi guys my car has a problem that I am hoping someone else may have had and can help me with.
It has started to overheat right to the max and is pushing the water out through the water bottle attached to the radiator. Now the odd part is that the car only over heats when crawling along hardly reving as soon as you put your foot down the car stays cool. At first we thought head gasket but the oil is lovely and clean no gunk and the water doesnt small like exhaust fuems and again is lovely and clean. We notice the fans wernt working so got them working and took it for a test drive and it seemed to be fixed for awhile but then it overheated again so we went back to the drawing board

.

We have now decide that it must be either a blocked Radiator or a knackered water pump not pushing the water through the engine correctly. The cambelt was done just before I bought it but the water pump definatly looks old.

Just to be on the safe side I tested the headgasket using the blue dye test where you out funnel in the top of the water tank once the engine is wam fill it with bue dye and let the bubbles come up into the tube with the dye in. If the dye changes yellow or green from the blue it means combustion gasses are getting into the water generally meaning the head gasket hs gone. Luckily and much to my relief it stayed blue meaning I could definatly eliminate the head gasket. Meaning im almost certain it must be the water pump or radiator or maybe the thermostat but generaly if the thermostat is messed up the car will over heat the faster you go not the slower you go like mine is so dont think its that.

Anyway thats the problem and thats my conclusion on the situation but I was hoping you guys may have some idea or know what it could be. Im just worried I may replace the parts I stated and it be something else or at worst it somehow end up being the hedgasket which I really hope its not as is costly. Like I say tho I did the Dye test a agrage would normally do and it seemed fine stayed very dark blue.

All replys really welcome.

Thanks all
Dan

20th May 2011, 19:12

Right, it will stay cool when you drive faster as the rad is being air cooled by the cold air rushing into the front of the car. When crawling, will get hot due to lack of air hitting it.

Sounds like you've got an airlock, simple thing really. Rebleed the system using the 3 bleed points (There is a guide on here, have a search) and get rid of the air in the system.

If this doesn't solve it, it might be the thermostat not opening properly. Are your heaters blowing hot air when they are turned onto the hot setting?

20th May 2011, 19:14

Found it for you:

Clicky click

I don't use a header tank, and its fine

20th May 2011, 19:18

Hi mate thanks for the reply I realise that the faster you go the more it will cool the rad but the difference between going fast and crawling heat wise is massive thats all I found odd.
The car blows out hot air when selected yes.
We did try bleeding the system but thought there was only 2 points so let the air out of those untill it sounded like no more was coming out but it didnt solve the problem. However like I say we only open 2 point didnt realise there were 3 I will have to try that and see.

20th May 2011, 19:18

ahhh brilliant thanks for finding it for me appricate it I will have a look and do that and see what happens.

20th May 2011, 19:23

You were leaving the engine running?

Really does sound like an airblock, just keep bleeding untill you get a nice steady stream.

Thermostat should be fine if its blowing hot air, but its worth a change if this doesn't fix it.

In reply to the cool air while driving difference, yeah - its massive. When mine did this it was half temp while driving, and full as soon as I stopped in traffic. Rebleed it a few weeks ago got rid of a massive airlock and now sits at less than a quarter regardless

20th May 2011, 19:29

Yeh man, sounds like an air lock, simple to fix using my Method isn't it Mr MunkyBoy

20th May 2011, 19:37

Yea we had the engine running but probably by the sounds of it didnt bleed enough out to be honest. Thanks very much for this mate may save me an awful lot of time and money. I have bought a new Rad and water pump now anyway so will bleed the whole system to put them on the car, it needs a water pump anyway looking at the old one so dont mind changing these parts and by the sounds of it by bleeding the system fully while doing this anyway it should hpefully solve the problem

Again thanks very much

22nd May 2011, 19:49

woooop all fixed guys

worked on her today from 11-6 and she is now running sweet as a nut. Changed the water pump (which took ages to get off the car as it was stuck on there and woulnt budge) then out the new rad on and it needed a new thermostat as for some reason the old one had been removed so it didnt have one at all. But like I say it now is all working great and driving as it should and not over heating. The old water pump was definatly knaacered by the way. So all in all a good day which only cost me £70 in parts to fix and I am soooo pleased it wasnt the head gasket

22nd May 2011, 19:54

Niiiicceee oonneee mate, glad it's fixed!!

23rd May 2011, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bikekid450

Niiiicceee oonneee mate, glad it's fixed!!

Me to mate im just pleased its running agaim

it has started to struggle a little on start up until it is nice and warm but im not sure if that is just because of the cams? It may have been re-maped to run using higher octaine fuel than normal unleaded aswell which may be the reason as i put in standard unleaded. Or it may just need some new spark plugs to be honest. Its not that bad tho and like I say is sweet as a nut once warmed up

23rd May 2011, 16:36

Just to clarify the reason I ask about the cams causing the lumpy start up is as the car hasrace cams and a race ecu and has been re-maped

23rd May 2011, 17:09

Slow start up isn't a bad thing, especially with high lift cams

23rd May 2011, 21:32

Thats what I thought mate