Hello guys.
I have noticed recently on our Mk2 Punto (8v) that after a few weeks of running the coolant level creeps up from its normal level in the reservoir so that it is getting higher up the neck. I open the breathers and do a bit of hose-squeezing and air comes out, then coolant and the level drops back to normal.
The car and heater work perfectly but there are some bubbling noises on start up from the heater matrix area which I don't seem to be able to get rid of, so it seems air is getting in some where a bit at a time. Temperature gauge is normal as well.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for reading.

air in the system could be the start of headgastic failure unless you've had work done on cooling system and it's not been bled properly ?

on my mk1 and mk2 it always slowly goes up when car is warming up
i also got gurgle on startup, but i just ignore it, temp gauge is on middle, hot air from vents, car works normally, doesnt overheat

i would just ignore it

Air can be drawn into coolant systems if there is a leak on the suction side of the pump. Bottom radiator hose and the wee metal pipe are prime suspects, particularly the hose clip at the bottom of the rad that gets opened for draining and the o-ring seal on the end of the pipe where is goes into the back of the pump. If it hasn't been changed already that o-ring is probably in a sorry state and would do no harm to replace it.

Can the bottom radiator hose clip be allowing air in, but not leaking coolant?
Can the reservoir filler cap be faulty ?

pooroldcodger said:

Can the bottom radiator hose clip be allowing air in, but not leaking coolant?
Can the reservoir filler cap be faulty ?

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Yes on both..

Normally if cap is bad. You should hear it Hiss's..

After a run or once its up to temp..

Also when a cap goes bad the usual experience is mysteriously disappearing coolant rather than a level rise.

Rising coolant means something else is getting in
Either more coolant/water - which i dowt
or air

Are you getting gurgaling?
You may be the early signs of a HG failure
A coolant pressure test may the next step or a compression test
See whats going on

Ziggy

Yes I have some gurgling from behind the passenger's side dashboard area, which I guess is the heater matrix, but to be honest it's done that for ages.
I am pretty sure it is air getting in because the coolant level goes up further up the neck gradually ovcer a few weeks, but goes down again immediately when you open the bleed screws and squeeze the hoses. One thing I have noticed is that just opening the bleed screws doesn't do anything (i.e let coolant out) until you give the hoses a good squeeze, then air followed by coolant comes out.
The car only usually gets very short runs (although in the last month it has had 2 runs of a hundred miles or so), but in the last 2 weeks only 2 miles each way to work (my daughter!) and today I topped up the oil and found a bit of mayo on the inside of the cap. I don't want to jump to conclusions as I know that mayo can be just condensation after short runs, but I am starting to think that this combination of symptoms could be the start of HG failure. Any thoughts? If it is IS HG failure I assume it is always best to change it before it fails to avoid warping the head? Also, if you change it before it fails totally, is it alkways necessary to have the head skimmed?
Thanks.

Hi,
do a preasure test first,before getting worried about HG failiure,


Make a cap up,, old cap and a tyre valve.


ithink ziggy did a guide for it in mk1 section,

pooroldcodger said:

. I don't want to jump to conclusions as I know that mayo can be just condensation after short runs, but I am starting to think that this combination of symptoms could be the start of HG failure. Any thoughts? If it is IS HG failure I assume it is always best to change it before it fails to avoid warping the head? Also, if you change it before it fails totally, is it alkways necessary to have the head skimmed?
Thanks.

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Other early signs of hg failure are slight misfire on cold start with maybe a whiff of steam out the back. One or more discoloured/steamcleaned looking spark plugs.
If you catch it early enough you can escape with the gasket and coolant. I know, did ours 30k ago.

The gunge on the cap, might be due to lack of 'long run's.




Are you sure.. the 'Stat is doing its job?


if its Sticking maybe that will cause the coolant to 'rise..and may account for
why your not getting coolant flowing out of the 'Bleed points properly.

Thanks guys.
I will investigate further.

oldhammer said:

The gunge on the cap, might be due to lack of 'long run's.




Are you sure.. the 'Stat is doing its job?


if its Sticking maybe that will cause the coolant to 'rise..and may account for
why your not getting coolant flowing out of the 'Bleed points properly.

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I was hoping to investigate this weekend, but I just decided to check the collant level again tonight. The car has done about 12 3 mile journeys since I last looked at it (last Friday). The car had been switched off for about 3-4 hours, and when I took the cap off collant came out the spout.
I have opened the bleeders (heater set to hot) and squeezed the hoses and I am only getting anything like a steady flow from the rad bleeder, not the rear one. When you say maybe it is the thermostat, why would that prevent a flow of coolant from the rear bleeder (my ignorance)?
Just trying to understand what's going on.
Thanks.

Sorry for late reply,


Re: rear coolant bleed screw,


if car is held at a steady ..revs, will coolant come out then?
if not,
Id put a ? mark on the water pump if so,

Well due to lack of time and also if I am very honest lack of confidence that I could do this job, I decided to pay somebody to do the head gasket. It needed doing - I saw the gasket and it had failed, and since it has been done (yesterday), so far the pressuring problem of the cooling system has gone, so that seems to be that.
The only question I have is that the car seems to be down on power to me since it has been done (although I don't drive it very often so I might just be imagining that). Also when my daughter went to work in it this morning I noticed a bluish smoke as she started up and it smelled a bit more "fuelly" than normal.
The plugs weren't changed so I am going to change those tonight and check all the hoses etc. I am just wondering if anything else could have gone wrong or it could be "crap" in the system somewhere that's built up clearing away?
Any thoughts gratefully received.

Give it a bit to clean itself out. Plugs shouldn't bee too bad, if anything depending on which way the fail goes they get a steam cleaning,. The cat may have taken a beating, they don't like coolant if some escaped that way. See what the next few days brings.

Brendan W said:

Give it a bit to clean itself out. Plugs shouldn't bee too bad, if anything depending on which way the fail goes they get a steam cleaning,. The cat may have taken a beating, they don't like coolant if some escaped that way. See what the next few days brings.

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Sounds like good calm advice- thanks!
I have got myself wondering if the timing could have been set wrong or the valve clearances messed up or something like that.

pooroldcodger said:

Sounds like good calm advice- thanks!
I have got myself wondering if the timing could have been set wrong or the valve clearances messed up or something like that.

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Timing did cross my mind. They shouldn't have disturbed the cam unless they went to do valve seals.