Technical 105 JTD - Getting too hot - Where is Therm ?

[b1gduk]

The other night I stopped off at Tescos and noticed my fans were going , I looked at my temp gauge and it was on the last white pip before the RED.

I drove the car home and same again.

Same the next morning too so I have not driven it again.

I am not loosing water, there is no steam and the coolant looks clean as does the engine oil. The car drives fine.

If I turn the heater on it helps keep things under control but off the temp starts rising again. I also notice that the temp rises quite quickly whilst going up hill and may settle down again on the flat.

I am thinking either airlock or more likely a stuck thermostat.

I made the car get hot again so the fans were on , the felt the two water pipes at the top of either side of the rad, one was HOT the other was ambient no where near as warm). Hmmm

Does it sound like the thermostat to anyone else here and also where is the bugger on my 105 JTD Marea weekend.

Much obliged.

Regards
Dwayne.

 

[b1gduk]

Well , it went to the garage today. They changed the thermostat, this has made no difference. £137 down and no joy.

They say most like be the water pump as it looks like the water is not circulating still , ie when hot the rad is not and one pipe is hot, the other pipe is cold. This will mean a cambelt change which is never a bad thing but will incur a further substantial investment. Then it might still be a cylinder head gasket or blockage but this seems less likely. :bang:

My MOT is also due by the 10th which is the day we go on a family holiday, in the car !!! Car tax by the end of June too. :yuck: :bang:

AAAHHHHHHHHHHGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[Hellcat]

How many miles has your JTD got? Has it had a cam belt change before?

 

[b1gduk]

It is on 87K miles , it has had one cambelt change 3 years ago so I guess it is due anyway now although it has only done 17K since then.

I cannot see any paperwork to suggest the water pump was ever changed but tentionsers and pullys are in the history.

Thanks for responding. Could there be a more innocent explanation ?

 

[Hellcat]

Overheating should be checked in the following order

1. First (and cheapest) option is the air lock. Guess this was ruled out when you did:
2. Thermostat failed closed - they are supposed to fail open but they sometimes go the other way.
3. Waterpump.
4. Head gasket leaking compression into water jacket.

87k on one waterpump is about the limit. It's reccomended to change pump with cambelt for the sake of £35 you're saving yourself £200 if the pump fails.

 

[b1gduk]

Yes, I always have changed the Waterpump on previous cars and will continue to do so after having 2 different cars where the Waterpump has failed. BMW 320i and Pug 306 TD.

When the waterpump on both models failed it was loosing water rapidly.
In my current case I am not loosing coolent it is not discolouring or showing sings of contamination and the oil looks fine too so I am hoping that is is not head/gasket related.

They did a complete coolent change when they replaced the Thermostat so I guess that will address any airlock.

Only other thing is a blocked RAD , somone suggested that I try connecting a hosepipe to one side of the RAD and see if water comes out of the other side but I dont want to risk and airlock by taking the hoses off.

Really I should try it but as it is in need of a new cambelt and pump anyway due to age maybe I will wait and see.

I have read another thread on this forum regarding a JTD engine and a waterpump impellor problem and it has been known on other cars to so I am hoping that this is the problem.

I have to say the garage are not very complimentary about FIATS , I guess when a new thermostat would normally cost peanuts and the Fiat one has a plastic housing and is one £50 unit one can sometimes sympothise with these comments

 

[b1gduk]

Just in case anyone is following this thread.

Today I took the two bleed screws off the top of the RAD at either side next to the piles and stuck a how against the inlet, water shot out of the other so I am hoping this discounts a blocked Radiator.

I am thinking more and more that it is likely the water pump but tomorrow will reveal all.

I will let you know.

 

[b1gduk]

Great news.

The Timing Belt / Aux Belt and Waterpump have been replaced.
The waterpump was SHOT. You could flick the impellor and it would spin freely when holding the other side, there was not resistance which meant even though the belt was driving the cog , the impellor didnt have enough grip to turn.

My 2000(W) Marea had done 87K on its original Waterpump so let that be a clear message to anyone having the timing belt changed and not the waterpump. For ~£40 its not worth not doing as you will have to go through the same pain and pay to have it all done again if the WP does go.

If I didnt notice the temp and kept on driving it would have been a far more painful as I risked the head gasket and warping the head.

Thanks to those who offered advice

 

[b1gduk]

And today the car sailed through the MOT. No problems.

Thank goodness for small mercies

 

[OilBurner]

The waterpump was SHOT. You could flick the impellor and it would spin freely when holding the other side, there was not resistance which meant even though the belt was driving the cog , the impellor didnt have enough grip to turn.

My 2000(W) Marea had done 87K on its original Waterpump so let that be a clear message to anyone having the timing belt changed and not the waterpump. For ~£40 its not worth not doing as you will have to go through the same pain and pay to have it all done again if the WP does go.

You were lucky. If things had gone the other way your water pump could have seized instead. In so doing it would have caused a cambelt failure and a much bigger bill. That's the primary reason for always changing the water pump when doing the cambelt.

Andrew

 

[Hellcat]

Glad its sorted! Running correct temp now?

 

[b1gduk]

Yep , Right in the middle. When given some stick just above (but not as far as the next white pip) but comes down again.

It appears like it has cured another problem as well. Quite often when turning from a standstill I could hear a loud whirring noise, sounded a bit like a tugboat horn. I couldnt put my finger on it and suspected it either steering or clutch related.

It hasnt done it since the waterpump and belt changes so I am hoping that it was the Waterpump barring.

Alls well that ends well although it is now my bank balance that looks a bit sick.

Thanks for the support