Technical cooling problems

[spanner]

Hi lookin for some advice losing water in sei, have fitted new fan but still not cutting in anyone tell me where to find fan and temp sensors? Temp light is not coming on or fan starting up even when its boiling.

Started to lose water recently haven't been able to find where from yet any common problems?

PS Oil doesn't seem to be contaminated she loses heat but once topped up heater goes back to normal. Any ideas
Cheers

 

[allanhelen]

Which model is it an SPI or MPI?

Water loss with no obvious leak can be head gasket failure

 

[randomizered]

Is your temp warning light working now? It could be overheating and leaking from expansion cap.


Kristian

 

[fingers99]

Really need yo know whether it's MPI or SPI to give advice on sensors/fan operation, etc.

As to water loss, it could be the pressure cap. Another possibility is the water pump. Place the front of the car on axle stands and run it up to operating temperature. If the pressure cap is leaking it should be obvious. If the water pump is leaking, you'll see a fast dribble of water on the driver's side of the engine block by the timing belt cover.

Lots of other possibilities, but if the engine is otherwise running OK, it's probably not the head gasket.

 

[spanner]

light still not working.its taking two kettles every couple of days.Not sure of model what am i looking for. 2001 sei s 1108.running abit rough on idle today could be gasket.want to check warning light and sensors before replacing gasket. Could it lose that much water from cap

 

[randomizered]

Is the air box on the engine greyish and box like, or is it black and more rounded and oval?

 

[spanner]

grey and boxlike

 

[fingers99]

Could it lose that much water from cap

Unlikely. But could certainly loose that much from water pump or various other places. Don't rush is and assume it is HG. Get a compression test done first.

 

[randomizered]

grey and boxlike

That means you have an SPI car

 

[spanner]

what about the sensors then were am i likley to find them and what is the best way of testing them

 

[allanhelen]

forget sensors with that level of water loss it is something else

 

[randomizered]

:yeahthat:

Think its possible to pressurise a system, with a hose pipe on full pressure, and obviously sealed in tight. Like the top heater hose or similar.

The pressure, may be enough to cause a leak to appear.


Of course if it is HG, your gonna fill the piston with water


A random thought of the day from me


KRistian

 

[spanner]

the reason for the sensor info is that theres no sense in fixing anything untill i know that my sensors and fan are ok. Dont want to replace rad or head gasket and then have it overheat again.If gasket which i think it will be i take it skimming the head will be a must

 

[randomizered]

the light and the fan sensors are independat i think (not so hot on spi).

TO test the temperature sitch for the fan (screwed into radiator) remove the plug and short it with some thick wire. Turn on ignition. Does the fan turn. If not suspect fan, wiring or big ass fuse.

If Fan does turn suspect the temp switch in the rad.


Does the waring light turn on, when you turn the keys in the igition (asked before in your other thread). If so, and it's not lighting when boiling over, suspect temp sensor. It'll be in on the heater core ouput at the rear of the head on the right side when looking into the bay.



Will be odd if both are independant faults.


Kristian

 

[fingers99]

Does the waring light turn on, when you turn the keys in the igition (asked before in your other thread). If so, and it's not lighting when boiling over, suspect temp sensor. It'll be in on the heater core ouput at the rear of the head on the right side when looking into the bay.



Will be odd if both are independant faults.

Unless you recently bought the car and some bastard removed the bulb...........

A compression test, as I said, will show if it's the HG. The test will cost around £15 or the tool will cost £20 or so........... Skimming the head alone is going to cost £30 plus.........

But, get the fan working, check the bulb and the sensor (by substution or a meter) and crawl under the car looking for leaks.

I'd expect a car loosing that much water to be showing very obvious signs of a blown HG if that were it.

 

[allanhelen]

:yeahthat:


or p*ssing water out of it is any other type of leak

 

[rallycinq]

Are you bleeding the system when refilling?

Cheers

D

 

[StoneNewt]

If the waterway is leaking into two or more cylinders you can lose a silly amount of water with very little effect on engine performance. Under this condition it's also possible to introduce so much air into the system that the radiator fan and temp warning light won't actually come on.

 

[FIREsporting]

:idea: Ues a Block Tester then ur no if it's the head gasket.

 

[spanner]

cheers everyone will test all tomorrow hopefully its not gasket the rest should be easy enough now i know were to look for everything.appreciate all your help
:worship: