General Please help :( Engine overheating...

[thaduck1]

Hi

Well it started 3 days ago, my car heaters would only blow cold heat even though the temp gauge thinggy on the dash was at halfway (where it normally stays) then the next day, same thing.. would only blow cold air.

Then halfway through the day my temp gauge went nearly to the top and the red light came on.. this is the first time this has ever happened, so i stoped the engine and let it cool down then drove to my home (about 4 minutes away).

Checked the water/coolant levels and they were minimum, so i topped up. the problem went away, the heaters were blowing warm air again. so i thought yayyy this is sorted now. so i drove the next day about 40 miles and everything was nice, then as i was heading home the heaters were blowing cold again and the temp gauge was slowly rising above halfway.

So i got home and checked the water levels again, an once again they were on minimum.. so what could be wrong, why is my car going through water this fast? there is no visible leak so where could the water be going?

If anyone could help on this matter, it would be much appreciated. also what sort of costs am i looking at??

Thanks
Ryan

 

[s and b]

have a pressure test of cooling system if no obvious leaks and exhaust doesnt look like a steam train when car running even when warm

 

[fingers99]

And/or a compression test (most backstreet garages will have a compression tester, fewer have the kit to do a pressurisation test). Compression test shouild cost you about £15 at a backstreet garage (or buy a kit off eBay).

Do bleed the cooling system whenever (or, I should say, if: it shouldn't happen) the coolant ever gets below the minimum mark.

Likely causes are blown head gasket and/or water leak (generally head gaskets go for a reason).

Post any results of a compression test here.

 

[thaduck1]

Thanks for the advice guys, also my oil light is flashing when going around corners or if i brake suddenly, i have checked the oil and its ok. what could this be?? i dont know if it has anything to do with it, but all of this has started happening since i went through various big floods on the way home from work last week when the rain was extremely heavy.

 

[fingers99]

It's possible that you have some sort of short in the circuit to the oil pressure warning switch and/or damage to the radiator caused by the pressure of the water on it.

But you really need it looked at as a matter of extreme urgency.

 

[thaduck1]

just an update, it stopped for a day or two, but is now happening again.. .the engine light comes on after around 25miles and the water tank goes from max to min... what could this be? there is no mayo substance around the oil cap.. and the car seems to run fine up until i get in to work (25 miles) what could be causing the water to go that rapidly?

how easy is it to bleed the cooling system & radiator... i know nothing about cars, would it be easy enough for me to do??

Thanks

 

[nikkiy9]

Get a pressure test done on the cooling system ASAP, and also a compression test as you have been told earlier!!!!!!! If you continue to run the car and lose water then you are just speeding up the head gasket going and the head warping!!!! If you have money to burn then keep on doing what your doing without finding the fault!!!!

 

[Ziggy122]

if water is being lost
either engine is burning it off
or its leaking out

u need to find the leak and fast.befpre you overheat and cook it

ziggu

 

[fingers99]

:yeahthat:

Don't delay, act today! (etc.)

 

[thaduck1]

How would i go about finding the leak, where do you suggest i look? also once i have found it what do i do then?

I would just take it to the garage but i really dont have the money, being nearly xmas and all that lol..

Thanks for your help Ziggy

 

[fingers99]

If it is (just) a leak top up and bleed, start the engine, run up to temperature, crawl underneath the car and look.

If the headgasket has gone, you'll not see anything. You need to do a compression test.

Failure to act in the very near future will destroy the engine, it's as simple as that.

All these jobs are DIYable by a 12 year old with a Haynes manual, but if you don't want to act now, the answer is simple -- park up the car, drain the coolant, walk till after Xmas.

 

[thaduck1]

I have just gone to check on my water level, and it was near min, and the car has been stationery all day.. so i put more in and noticed for the first time water leaking out of the pipe connected to the water tank!

I have made a video of the area that is leaking, sorry for poor angles as i was in a rush as i was on my break in work.

The video link is: http://youtu.be/r00qiMcyMbs

It seems as thou its leaking from the area with the metal strip around it.

How would i fix this as i need to get home tonight

THanks

 

[Ziggy122]

It looks like the the radiator feed to the coolant rail is has failed, running down the pipe to the bottom radiator connector

That clip looks pretty darn rusty and soo does that water.....
I'd be nipping to a local DIY shop - get some suitable sized Juablee clips and clamping the hose and getting rid of the current of that mangled one

With Winter been here - and potentially no history of a coolant change?

it'd be ideal time now to drain and refill with a nice strong 50/50 mix

ziggy

 

[nikkiy9]

the water rail went on my car last week, managed to get it from fiat for £40.99, YET Eurocarcare have them for half the price, just didnt have any in stock last week :'( i will dig the part number out for you dude

 

[Ziggy122]

a water rail is a water rail btw
Does't make a difference if its from Fiat, Ebay, Autospares shop
it'll do the same job

Ensure the seal is a good fit - otherwise it'll leak when inserting into back of the water pump

Ziggy

 

[thaduck1]

Hey guys, thanks for the info..

after actually breaking down last night on my journey home i now can actually see the leak its not where i originally thought it was, its not the jubilee clip thing... its actually on the metal pipe thats connected to the jubilee thing lol (awesome description i know)

There is a crack in the pipe and the water is just shooting out of it, i cant believe i didnt notice it tbh.

Whats best, to get the crack welded or is there a replacement pipe that i can buy, and would it be easy to fit??

Thanks again guys.

 

[fingers99]

Doesn't really make any sense welding it -- if it's split in one place, it'll be nearly rusted through somewhere else. Easy to fit. It's called a "water rail". Hose clamp and one bolt and bob's your uncle.

Big Mick and Little Mick at eurocarcare in Derbt are said to be getting some in within a day or so (and they'll prpbably be around half the price FIAT charge). Google will find. You'd be best replacing the O ring seal at the end (water pump end) while you're at ir.

 

[nikkiy9]

The Water pipe comes with a new seal as standard, fiat wanted 40.99 for new pipe, eurocarcare were about 20, simple job to replace the pipe, done mine earlier in the week, URL="http://www.eurocarcare.net/hose-pipes/55188163.html"]this is the pipe[/URL]

 

[nikkiy9]

The Water pipe comes with a new seal as standard, fiat wanted 40.99 for new pipe, eurocarcare were about 20, simple job to replace the pipe, done mine earlier in the week, this is the pipe

 

[thaduck1]

Thanks for the info Nikkiy, looks like im going to have to replace it.. i just want to make sure im buying the right pipe, as i havent got a clue lol.. so i have attached a few pics and labelled where it is.

I know this might be a bit silly, i just dont want to buy the wrong part.

[img=http://s15.postimage.org/pijw8hdtz/image.jpg]

[img=http://s9.postimage.org/d4srp5vl7/image.jpg]

[img=http://s18.postimage.org/wubp7c8th/4_5.jpg]



So after looking at the pics, is it defo the water pipe that you gave me the link to Nickiy??

Thanks Guys