Over heating

[boboi]

Hi,

I've got a bit of a problem with my Rascal.

When I start driving, after about half a mile, the temperature gauge goes up to half and by a mile or two it goes up to just under the top. I also notice that after a bit longer it goes back down to half way!

Has anyone got any ideas about why?

...I should also admit I did over fill the oil, a lot, a couple of weeks ago. Drained it and it's working fine apart from the temperature thing.

Any ideas great appreciated

Bob

[TITCH]

Hi,
CHECK that you have enough oil in and check/flush the radiator cooling system.
If the guage is showing like it never has before I would most definately try to find out why as soon as you can!!
I wouldn't drive it far without checking it out!!

Titch

[aussi suzi]

i had the same problem,over here in aussi land it gets to 45 celcius in the summer.i removed the radiater flushed the engine,replaced the thermostat,got the radiater professionally cleaned thenput every thing back.this took about 4 hours using basic tools,filled system with anti boil/freeze and now the guage sits on 1/4 all day hot weather and cold.you dont want to dammage your motor...ken

[matrox02]

yeah.. i noticed most carry's that iv seen sit at 1/4 temp all day long, unless there is a faulty thermostat.. or a blocked radiator.. or a faulty pump..

[aussi suzi]

I have tried that radiater flush stuff with not much success,our radiator blokes remove top and bottom tanks then slide rods up each tube to remove the hard sludge then re solder both tanks on,pressure test and good as a new one..aud$ 120.00...ken

[boboi]

Thanks guys.. great advice but I'm not a great mechanic..i think ill get the garage to have alook at it, i really don't want to damage him any further.

Cheers
bob

[>>CHOP<<]

make sure you get a detailed report on the work undertaken and the cause...then put it on here for future reference....CHOP

[boboi]

Ok, i'm having a bit of a rethink after i rang 2 garages and they said they were "busy" and that it's a pretty easy job to flush out the radiator.

...so i think im going to have a pop at it! I just need a little advice....

I've taken some pictures of the patient:


(should  i be able to see water in there?


Not too sure what these containers are




What i'm asking is, is that the right tube (pic3) to undo to let the radiator water out?
also, the garage advised me to fill the rad with 2  litres of this : http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_176881_langId_-1_categoryId_165470 and the rest water.. howmuch extra water? untill its full?


hope you can give me a bit of advice... I'll make a step by step guide for the forum after i do it.

Thanks
bob

[TITCH]

Bob,
the container with the 'orange' liquid in: That's the 'expansion' bottle from the radiator. Take it off & clean out.
The other container 'blue liquid' is simply the windscreen washers fluid, just keep it topped up, but in winter let it drop a couple of inches from the cap to allow for any freezing expansion.

Flush the radiator & head of the engine, some say reverse flush.
Either way, park somewhere you can leave water running for 10 minutes.

ENGINE COLD:
Remove top & bottom hoses from the radiator, GUSH!!!!

Leave the cap on if you like, put a garden hose into bottom of the rad forcing water up into it, hold the pipe, lodge it or whatever for a good ten minutes.
Then, it's best to remove the thermostat ( get a new one too ) and again reverse flush for 10 minutes.
The thermostat will have to be removed otherwise it will never open to let the water pass right round the engines cooling jacket, but put the housing back on before the flush.

I would the re fit everything excluding the themostat for now, fill it back up with water, making sure it IS full, as it can airlock. Squeeze the bottom radiator hose to push up air out of the top, (cap removed).
Add some 'Rad Flush', probably easiest available is Holts, run the engine without the thermostat for 5 minutes watching care fully the temperature guage, if the needle goes up & up, STOP the engine, but with thermostat out, it shouldn't happen.

Let the engine cool ( about time to make a brew & drink it) and re flush the whole system again as before.
Fit a new thermostat & gasket, slowly & carefully refill, again checking for any air locks.

With the cap off, when you think you have enough water in, start the engine, looking into the rad (as your picture).with the water level over the copper bit, when the thermostat opens it will quite quickly dissapear, add more water to the rad until it all levels out.
Keep a check on the temp needle too.

Haven't you got a manual (Haynes) for the van, it would be a good idea to get one.

I now await anyone's reply saying that was all wrong !!! (lol? do they say?) But I've never cooked an engine yet!!
Hope this makes sense,

Titch

[boboi]

great thanks for that, i'll dig out the manual and get my hands dirty!

will be back with my progress soon.

cheers Titch

bob

[>>CHOP<<]

bang on titch.........iv never seen so much rusty water its like a birds eye view of a volcano....put plenty of antifreeze in as it helps combat rust aswell as lubricates the waterpump...which is another thing i would check as the fins could have rusted away....i would go another step and take the radiator off just to give it a good shake ...also dont forget the same water goes through the heater matrix ...give that a flush too...flush flush flush ..till its clear   fill up run it for a while ...flush again...then finally fill up with a 50% mix antifreeze...

[marc4242]

Titch, like Boboi I'm pretty new to mechanics.  I'm interested where you say to remove the thermostat.  Isn't flushing the radiator, just that, flushing the radiator on its own, without including the coolant channels in the engine?

[>>CHOP<<]

judjing by the look of bobois rad the whole engine needs flushing ...but your right in what you are saying if you leave the thermostat in it will block access to the engine ducts......the thermostat only opens to allow hot water to flow through the radiator to be cooled...

[aussi suzi]

it all sounds good to me,maybe we need to take a photo of the thermostat and housing,dont forget to use a new gasket for the housing...ken

[marc4242]

Just to stir in a little to the mix, I recall Dell Boy warning of accidentally
shearing thermostat bolts, I think he suggested heating them.  I changed
my thermostat ok without doing this, but do be careful!