Hi, I'm a newbie in need of advice re our 2008 motorhome with an X250 2.3 multijet engine with 30K miles.
The timing belt and waterpump were replaced at a local garage 20 months ago. Over the last 12 months and maybe 8k I have had to start topping up coolant occasionally, around 3 litres in total. I have taken it to the garage and they diagnosed a leaking waterpump and replaced it and the timing belt under warranty.
I drove 6 miles and the fan cut in, the temp guage went max and the warning light showed. I stopped and the coolant had expanded to fill the header and spurt out of the top. However it was only warm, not hot, as I expected. It soon subsided to well below min. The garage recovered it and seem to have now ruled out an air lock but pressure testing shows higher than normal. It starts and runs perfectly but then overheats/expands. They are now rechecking their work but have speculated a cylinder head problem.
I can't understand why it would run perfectly until they worked on it then these problems suddenly start. Can anyone offer any insight. I would be gratefull.

This sounds as if the engine condition only deteriorates under the hands of your local garage.
Maybe it is time to go somewhere else for a 2nd opinion.
Did they install genuine spare parts?

Just a thought:
I once replaced an oil pump with a new one that looked OK but didn't pump at all because there was a vital part missing. It came in a nameless brown carton with just one OEM number printed on it. No markings on the pump body, so probably a Chinese lookalike.

Thanks for that CDK. The parts supplier to the garage are Eurocarparts who provided the replacement pump and timing belt and labour cost under the 2 year warranty. Not genuine Fiat parts but a pretty reliable supplier. The garage are rechecking the replacement parts.
I am still mystified though and hoping for more replies for me to consider.

Just an update The garage started working on it again today and rang me this afternoon to say that the new replacement water pump impeller had disintegrated. Apparently it was a plastic impeller. They have taken it up again with the supplier and have now sourced a pump with a metal impeller. Hopefully all will now be ok but I will update again when I get the full story.

champyron said:

Just an update The garage started working on it again today and rang me this afternoon to say that the new replacement water pump impeller had disintegrated. Apparently it was a plastic impeller. They have taken it up again with the supplier and have now sourced a pump with a metal impeller. Hopefully all will now be ok but I will update again when I get the full story.

Click to expand...

plastic impellers are known for that..!!,
makes you wonder why they bother making them..??

sounds as if you're well on the way to a lasting repair though

Charlie

I got the van back today, fully fixed. Eurocarparts were the pump suppliers and replaced both of the faulty plastic impeller pumps with a metal impeller pump and a timing belt kit so they honoured their warranties. Barrie Williams Motors of Thornaby on Tees worked hard to get it right in the end so well done to them. An initially worried customer is now very satisfied. Thanks for the replies guys.