(T) Radiator & fan issues....

Hi everyone

I have an M reg mk1 fiat punto, and a few months ago the thermostat broke, causing the ran to run all the time and run the battery flat (when left overnight and didnt stop). I removed the fuse until i got a new thermostat fitted. This seemed to fix the problem as the radiator fan was runnign when the engine was hot.

Over the last few days or so i have noticed that the radiator doesnt seem to be running - although im not sure how to test this. Basically, i notice the engine temp gauge is near the red, but when i get out the fan is not running. When i get back in and drive it it cools down though, but i guess this wouldnt happen when the bloody weather warms up a bit!

Also, the internal fan which i use to heat the car up and de mist the windscreen has stopped blowing out hot air. It always used to heat up really quickly and blow out quite warm air but now it is cooler. When i turn the dial to cold it does get colder though, so its not completely broken, and it makes a sounds of the lever moving when i turn it back to hot. I am not sure if these problems are linked, but any help or guidance would be appreciated

I know thats a lot of information, but any help would be fantastic

Cheers

Hmm... no hot air? Sounds like the headgasket to me! Might be wrong so I'll wait until someone else replies.

Not necessarily a head gasket, but it will be soon if not sorted. The reason you do not have hot air through your internal blowers is because there is an airlock, or the fluid level is too low. Also, low fluid means that the electronic thermostat in the radiator is no longer submerged in the coolant, so it is taking a reading from the much cooler air pocket, and thus not turning the fan on.

Just to clear this up, it didnt seem to have much coolant left, which was odd because i topped it up recently. Anyway, i added some more and this seemed to stop the problem . My commutes are now a lot warmer in the mornings . Thanks guys

How low was it the first time you topped it up? It is possible that there was air in the system, which has shifted, and that's why you had to top up again. If you think this may be the case, give it a thorough bleeding.

Alternatively, you may have a leak somewhere. Keep an eye on fluid levels.