possible overheating??

1. ckings6056 L-plater Joined: Mar 2007 West Sussex Posts: 44 Ford Mondeo 1.8, Saxo VTR

   #1 29th March 2007, 00:48

   hey, i picked up my saxo VTS today its a 97 model.
   
   driving it home the temp gauge seemed to be reading high, just below the mark before the red.
   
   so i checked the water, enough in the rad, had checked the oil already but checked it again, under the cap, on the dipstick with engine at operating temp. nothing but clean oil. no crap in the radiator water tank.
   
   so have come to the conclution that it cant be headgasket, nor due to lack of water.
   
   was thinking it could be an airlock in the system but the temp gauge never goes up into the read even if left idleing it will just hit the mark right under the red square then then the fan kicks in and brings it down a bit and so on...
   
   is this normal??
2. Toad Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2007 Reading Posts: 8980 French tin can

   #2 29th March 2007, 07:59

   When you start driving, it will go upwards, and almost reach the RED area, but it should then shoot down quite quickly, and then shortly after that, it should hold pretty close to the middle of the gauge. Next time you start driving, keep an eye on it from cold, as see exactly what it does. What's the oil temperature gauge like? If you are driving steady, it should slowly make its way to about the middle of the gauge. Normally, it will only go into the uper quarter if you are giving the car a lot of stick on the motorway, or driving it high in the revs for a while at lower speed...
3. VTS123 Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Poole, Dorset Posts: 447 Mk1 VTS

   #3 29th March 2007, 08:19

   This isn't normal. I guess the gauge could be over reading. Everything else you have checked sounds ok and the fan is coming on etc. On my VTS the fan comes on when the gauge is about 1 or 2 mm above the middle mark and normal operating temperature is about 1 or 2 mm below the middle mark. It could be the thermostat opening too late but the fan would still come on at the same temperature regardless.
4. VTS123 Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Poole, Dorset Posts: 447 Mk1 VTS

   #4 29th March 2007, 10:31

   Just had a rethink on this and I'd say it's almost certainly the thermostat. The fan would come in late if the thermostat was opening late because the radiator temperature, which is what the fan sensor measures, would not be as high as the rest of the coolant, which is what the gauge measures. (When the thermostat is shut the coolant obviously doesn't flow through the radiator.) If you do change the thermostat I'd strongly recommend you get a genuine Citroen one as every pattern one I've come across does not seal properly when closed, meaning that the engine takes much longer to warm up. They are only about £5 more from Citroen (mine was £10 about a year ago) but they are worth it as they are much better made and if the car takes longer to warm up it will use more fuel.
   
   Hope this helps (sorry it's a bit long-winded!)
5. ckings6056 L-plater Joined: Mar 2007 West Sussex Posts: 44 Ford Mondeo 1.8, Saxo VTR

   #5 2nd April 2007, 01:11

   right, cheers for your help guys. i changed the thermostat. no difference. will drain, flush and bleed to system during the week. the tempreture gauge shoots up when i start driving the car right up to litereally just a shade off the red and it hovers 1 - 2 mm up and down around that area and the fan cuts in and out all the bloody time.
   
   i dont see how it can be running so hot. it all seems normal!
   
   really have run out of ideas if bleeding the system doesn't cure it
6. saxo8 L-plater Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 40

   #6 2nd April 2007, 17:58

   drain the system and put a mix of 60/40 [coolent/water] in it then try that, my vts read high all the time until i put a good strong mix of coolent in it.
7. VTS123 Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Poole, Dorset Posts: 447 Mk1 VTS

   #7 3rd April 2007, 10:24

   When you remove the radiator cap, does there seem to be a hell of a lot of pressure released?
8. daveg1 Established Member Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 1243 Saxo VTR

   #8 11th March 2008, 15:32

   Hi guys im having the same trouble
9. user_20080 Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Dec 2007 smurfland. Posts: 17346 Ex saxo owner.

   #9 11th March 2008, 17:00

   It won`t hurt either to stick a house pipe into the radiator & flush it out.
   
   
   Steve.
10. MattJ89 Infrequent Poster Joined: Feb 2008 Chester Posts: 123 Corsa C saxo 1.4 SX

    #10 19th March 2008, 23:18

    im having the same problem guys. my car heats up so much it actually goes on the red. and water pours throught the seal. thing i need to replace the seal (cap). have replaced the thermostat, and the fan, and the fan switch. still nothing. ganna take it to citroen if thing aint lookin up.
11. glasgowvtspower Newbie Joined: Feb 2008 north lanarkshire Posts: 11 mk1 1.6 16v saxo VTS wicked red Dropped 60mm al

    #11 20th March 2008, 10:56

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ckings6056 right, cheers for your help guys. i changed the thermostat. no difference. will drain, flush and bleed to system during the week. the tempreture gauge shoots up when i start driving the car right up to litereally just a shade off the red and it hovers 1 - 2 mm up and down around that area and the fan cuts in and out all the bloody time. i dont see how it can be running so hot. it all seems normal! really have run out of ideas if bleeding the system doesn't cure it

    
    
    ur gonna have tae take it tae ciroen m8 mines is doin the xact same its so bloody annoyin since no 1 knows whats up wae it av only bought mine and spend a good bit on it to get this fixed the head gasket has been ruled out and the thermostat has been renewed it has been bleed the lot and its still doin it.. keeps building up airlocks goin to take it to citroen after my bf has a look over it if he cant find nuthing again then they should!!!! 1 WORD OF ADIVCE MA DAD SAID NEVER BUY A FUKIN SAXO!!!!! n wit a go n do buy 1 n its nuhin but trouble gettin rid of it!!
12. glasgowvtspower Newbie Joined: Feb 2008 north lanarkshire Posts: 11 mk1 1.6 16v saxo VTS wicked red Dropped 60mm al

    #12 20th March 2008, 17:47

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by glasgowvtspower ur gonna have tae take it tae ciroen m8 mines is doin the xact same its so bloody annoyin since no 1 knows whats up wae it av only bought mine and spend a good bit on it to get this fixed the head gasket has been ruled out and the thermostat has been renewed it has been bleed the lot and its still doin it.. keeps building up airlocks goin to take it to citroen after my bf has a look over it if he cant find nuthing again then they should!!!! 1 WORD OF ADIVCE MA DAD SAID NEVER BUY A FUKIN SAXO!!!!! n wit a go n do buy 1 n its nuhin but trouble gettin rid of it!!

    took mine to the dealer and it was the thermostat housing 20quid thats it fixed!! lol thermostat housing was moving making thermostat hotter as the car got going..
13. Louiswestcoast Newbie Joined: Dec 2010 Ellesmere Port Posts: 5 Silver west coast mk1

    #13 10th January 2011, 07:26

    I think its just saxos in general to be honest i work for bmw n ive had one of the technicians look at mine its been leak tested the lot i flushed the rad filled it back up with a strong mix bled all the system and its ok when im drivin like my gran but if i go above thirty it starts sayin its runnin hot. The pipe that feeds the engine to rad is hot the top pipe that runs back into the engine is hot aswell, is it a possible radiator change?