Hello

So I bought my son his first car 2001 Sei 1.1 MPI with 101K miles.

Needed some work but was running fine. Fitted new Fuel Tank, Shocks, Brake Pipes, Rear Wiper Motor and some welding and it's through the MOT. The guides on this Forum are fantastic.

Then.....

The car sat for a couple of months whilst the tank and pipes etc were done. On initial start up there was a loud whining that got better after 10 mins.

The car did use some coolant in the following weeks and the heater didn't blow hot air. But my son was happily driving it around everyday.

I tried to bleed the cooling system of air, in an effort to get the heater to work. The bleed pipe behind the headlight flowed OK but not the heater one - it only did very slightly when the engine was reved.

Then son drove the car yesterday for 15 miles and then sat in traffic for 20 mins. The coolant all blew out through the cap and he pulled in.

Refilled coolant after it had cooled down. Engine starts and runs but tick over is lumpy, engine light comes on when driving a short distance and the coolant has oil in it. The engine fan is coming on.

So I'm guessing it's new water pump and belts, replacement head gasket and head skim???

Would anyone with more knowledge than me (most) on here like to give me their thoughts. I'm guessing the water pump was on it's way out and I should have got it replaced when I first heard it whining.

Thanks

Seicento has a water blend heater system so that could just have been cock trouble.

We've got that one out the way....

Interesting that the fan is coming on now. I guess it didn't when in the traffic.

Radiator blocked?

Its certainly time for a gasket and skim and you might as well do the pump while you are there.

Cheers

D

Thanks RC

I'll check the cock as well... add to the list!!

Son says he didn't hear the fan come on when it blew.

It did this morning when I ran it up but only after I'd wiggled the temp sensor a bit.. Best check that connection.

Thanks again.

I'd guess it was a combination of a failing water pump and (or leading to) a part-failed head gasket.

The water pump almost 100% wasn't doing its thing/circulating enough coolant, so that led to an overheat.

A new pump and coolant ought to fix all that but your symptoms now suggest you also have a HG leak between the combustion chamber and a coolant channel, so the car will be getting "gas" pumped into the radiatore but no mixing of coolant and oil, which you might have noticed.

Some of the coolant will be in the combustion chanber, hence the rough idle and the engine light. You probably have vapour out of the exhaust too.

If it was me, my money would be on the HG being already damaged when it overheated, since the fan didn't come on. Gas in the rad' would confuse the fan sensor, since gas is cooler than overheating coolant. No "heater" would also indicate that the coolant was low... which it would be if it was being sucked into the combustion chamber and/or being blown out of the pressure cap because of that gas/pressure in the rad'.

Good news is that head gasket is relatively cheap and easy compared to a v8 Maserati for instance... and a water pump and cam-belt can be swapped for some Curly Wurly's at your local motor factor, so a DIY job would leave change from £150 for sure.

Get your lad involved in fixing it... since it's educational and the next time he's revving the b'jesus out of it, he'll remember the pain and back off it a bit...


Ralf S.