Engine Overheating - Update!

[jayjay]

Hi! They've just bought my vannie back from the garage. they had it overnight (I thought they'd gone camping in it, LOL!).

They have flushed out the radiator and heater. It's a manual not electric fan, so no prob there as it's working fine. They have fitted another new thermostat as they thought the other one might be 'opening too soon'. They can't find anything wrong with it now, at all, and the sender switch is also working fine. The only thing they thought it could possibly have been when it overheated (and which I have put right myself) is a new radiator cap as the old one was, well,, old. They said that might be the only thing that was wrong.

However, I have been instructed to take it out for a run and keep checking the water in the radiator. They say if I am replacing only half a litre into the radiator each time I go approx 50-100 miles, then thats normal. If that replacement level goes up then I need to take it back. Question - do I put in antifreeze or water or a mixture of both when I do this?

So it's normal to lose up to half a litre of fluid every time you do so many miles? If so, Martin was right in his assumption that it needs checking every time you stop and it must have been losing a small amount all the way to Aber (100 miles each way) and back, until it overheated as there was none left.

I tell you what, I am not looking forward to checking the water level in the radiator every time I stop (after waiting for the engine to cool down first : it is a maul getting the seats out and then getting dirty handies... yuck!

I don't know if they took the advice someone (Graham?) put on the other thread (which I printed out for them), re taking off the pipe that corrodes and fugs up the rad and heater, and connecting the heater pipe down the other side of the vehicle, but if not and this keeps happening I'm going to give it a go (or someone is on my behalf as there are an awful lot of pipes in there!)

So cross your fingers that it was just the rad cap and a faulty thermostat and it will now be ok! I'm not convinced myself!

Forgot to add: I have bought a Haynes Manual for Darned Daisy, so if there are any more probs, then someone with a spanner can sort them out a bit easier! (Won't be me, not got the physical energy/strength to do half the jobs even in the 'novice' section!)

[Graham]

Well Jay Jay lets hope that's the end of all your problems and that from now on its all plain sailing (or should that be plain driving).

Graham

[jayjay]

;D ;D ;D Thanks Graham!

The garage lads have told me to top it up with neat antifreeze. I will have to go for a day trip somewhere and see what happens! (hopefully nothing).....

[martinw]

Hi Jayjay,

I hope it's sorted, but don't be misled by the initial loss of water.

When the water is heated up it expands and looses the excess out of the over flow, which then leaves a little space for the water to expand into again, you could put some more water in, DO NOT, you could do this for ever.

There should be a line or a marker of some sort to fill to, but I would think your garage has shown you how to do this.

Neat antifreeze!!!!!! are you going to the Arctic?

Use a good antifreeze and a 50/50 solution is more than good enough for this country.



RE. WHIZZY THINGS will send you a PM in the morning

[jayjay]

Hi Martin - did you have a good time? Will look forward to your PM.

re the overheating. The garage guys said to check the water in the actual radiator - it overflows into the reserve when it boils....

I have to take it for a run (still haven't yet) and wait for the engine to cool down, then top up the actual radiator (if it''s lost water) back to the top with neat antifreeze! There is a line (max and min) on the plastic overflow tank but not one on the actual radiator - they said to top that up right to the top again if it loses water/boils over again.

TBH, I haven't felt like taking her out yet for the day, let alone finding the time and energy! Must do it soon! ;D