Hi there
I've been around on the forum for a short while now but this is my first post. I've had trouble with my '97 Uno Fire 1100 in terms of water loss and increased engine temperature up to just before the red line on the temperature gauge.

I first thought that something could be wrong when I had to start topping up the water in the radiator(the bottle attached to the side of the radiator) at least every week then more often as in every second day or so. Then one day I just noticed the gauge going up past the middle line, which for me was abnormal. So I stopped at the nearest garage to check the water and low and behold, the reservoir was completely empty. This morning the same thing happened, but the gauge needle almost touched the red line.

I've seen puddles of water beneath the car a few times but cannot find the leak. None of the hoses are torn, cracked or broken and there are no signs of leaking imo. I am truly boggled.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Hi
you need to separate the gearbox from the engine and replace the welch plug at the back of the cylinder head. the plug is not visible without separating the bell housing and the engine.
all the best.
Debs
South Africa

But before you do that, just to be sure do a check. A garage should have a pressure pump to pressurize the coolant system. Get it pressurized and have a good look around the engine. This way you should be able to more accurately locate where the coolant is going.

Sounds more like headgasket has gone. Coolant under the car could be escaping from the radiator filler cap - overheating raises the coolant pressure, which then causes the filler cap to release this pressure and for coolant to escape. You should be able to locate which area it's coming from by it's location on the ground. Under the engine? Under the radiator? Left or right side of the car? That will tell you roughly where to look.

Also check the oil filler cap and dipstick for signs of "mayonnaise", i.e. water mixed in with the coolant, which indicates that coolant is leaking from the cooling system into the oilways via a damaged head gasket. Also check the exhaust with the engine running - white smoke/ vapour coming out of it is almost certainly a blown headgasket.

It's a fairly simple job to do if you have the right tools and a manual, if not a garage should be able to get it done in an afternoon easily.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the advice. I'll look into it and if I can't do it myself then I'll take it to a garage. That welch plug story sounds a bit hectic.

Like above, stick some sheets of newspaper under the car, fill the coolant resiviour fully up, put the top back on, start the engine, let it hit the red line, then get under the car and look for wet spots on the paper.

One of my neighbours has this problem on his Citroen actually. Says he needs to keep filling up the coolant, but cant find where where water is leaking from.

carlito said:

Thanks for all the advice. I'll look into it and if I can't do it myself then I'll take it to a garage. That welch plug story sounds a bit hectic.

Click to expand...

the welch plug leak is a common problem which i have encounterd thrice in 227,000kms. it's actually half a day's job.
Debs

[QUOTE
I've had trouble with my '97 Uno Fire 1100 in terms of water loss and increased engine temperature up to just before the red line on the temperature gauge.
I've seen puddles of water beneath the car...
[/QUOTE]

Debisingh

If I may throw in my two cents on this one.... I replaced the head gasket (and obviously fitted a new timing belt in the process) on a Pacer 1372cc a month ago - 1997 model - 180k kilometers on the clock - due to the following symptoms:
Coolant was boiling past the radiator cap constantly - replaced cap - but to no avail.
Temperature kept on rising above normal under normal driving conditions - endless topping up of coolant/water.
No internal leaks in the cooling system could be traced but found that water was evaporating through the exhaust system (Check when vehicle is idling for "steam" at the exhaust end)
Finally a week later the gasket blew - traces of oil and water mixing...

But in your case I suggest first try to trace the coolant loss - My personal opinion - The damage is done once the temp reaches the red line - the current gasket is not going to last much longer....

regards

Debisingh Harrichand said:

Hi
you need to separate the gearbox from the engine and replace the welch plug at the back of the cylinder head. the plug is not visible without separating the bell housing and the engine.
all the best.
Debs
South Africa

Click to expand...

When I stopped at the garage yesterday to fill water, I thought that I had blown a head gasket as there was steam coming from beneath the bonnet/hood. As I opened the hood I noticed that I had not blown a gasket but that water was being slowly squirted from the head at the rear of the engine(more to the right) up against the firewall and also dripping onto the engine(causing the steam). Could this be indicative of a leaking welch/core plug. I can't actually see exactly where the water spray is originating from, although I'm sure that I would be able to see it if I removed the air filter cover from the carb(to have a better look). Also, there's no "mayo" on the oil filler cap or the dipstick, however, there's a brownish creamy substance in the radiator tank and on the cap.

There's is also only steam from the exhaust in the morning or on cold starts. As soon as the car warms up, it's clear.

Hi,

I'm in Cape Town too and I had similar overheating problems a year ago or more ago with my 1100 Mia. Firstly, one welsh plug corroded through, (the one at the cam belt end of the engine). Then a few months later the one at the gearbox end went. This was because the previous owner had used plain water in the radiator with no glycol to inhibit corrosion. It's an absolute must to use a mix of water glycol in these cooling systems.

I also found that the head gasket was seeping water into the one cylinder, due to corrosion and so I changed the gasket, fortunatley the head was still flat and didn't need skimming. In the end I also changed the radiator, the water pump and all the hoses for new ones. Touch-wood since then she's been fine, even in summer.

My main point is that once you find and rectify your leak you should refill the cooling system with the correct mix of water/coolant to prevent further problems. I've found that the green anti freeze coolant that Midas sell works very well.

I to have a welch plug that is corroded but mine is on the front of the motor right behind the exhaust manifold.

Will it be possible to get it out and insert a new one with having to strip the motor?

Is there enough room to swing a hammer to knock one back in?


Drain the coolant, smack the plug with a screwdriver and prise it out, put new one in, smack it in with a hammer.
..... I reckon.

schalk wepener said:

I to have a welch plug that is corroded but mine is on the front of the motor right behind the exhaust manifold.

Will it be possible to get it out and insert a new one with having to strip the motor?

Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum :wave:

I helped do this same job just a few days ago. I removed the pipe from the water pump (it has a single bolt holding it in place). A combination of small screwdrivers and hammers managed to distort and twist the plug around, allowing its removal.

-Alex

I have read all the various posts and replies on an overheating Uno Fire 1100.
The information is very useful and given me places to check on my own car.
My car runs hot, the temperature gauge goes up to the middle line and just hovers either just below or just above the line. I have had two other Uno 1100's and the temperature gauge was always between zero and the halfway mark.
I would like to know what is the normal reading on the temperature gauge under average driving conditions.
My radiator started leaking and yesterday driving to the spares shop to purchase a new radiator, the top hose blew off the top of the radiator. With the help of the attendants at a petrol station we managed to reconnect the top hose. What concerns me is why the top hose blew off, it was not damaged at all, so it was not the failure of the hose.
Any help and advise would be greatly appreciated.
Graham.

Hi Graham, welcome to the forum.

Usual temp is exactly where yours is - at the half way line, sometimes slightly above, sometimes slightly below.

Hose blowing is possibly that the pressure release valve in the radiator cap doesn't work properly, so excess pressure popped the hose off. This wouldn't explain how it was over-pressurised if the temp gauge was at the correct place, however.


Possible over heating of engine, with air lock at temp sensor?

grayjen said:

What concerns me is why the top hose blew off, it was not damaged at all, so it was not the failure of the hose.

Click to expand...

Pressurising of the system due to head gasket failure between cylinder and a coolant channel would be my guess.

why can't it be something simple?
maybe the top hose wasn't tightened enough, with the rise of temp, every material expands, so does the hoes and the clip that holds it... then it wouldn't take a strong pressure to take the hose off.

Hi Ucof
Thank you for the info.
Will have a good look and test of those items.
Regards
Graham

Thank you Lewey.
You have given me more places to really check.
Regards
Graham

Thank you Kosmos
I will add your items to my thorough checking list.
Regards
Graham