wildejon 7 Posted July 3, 2006 Just stuck a 1.9 gti-s in my car, it is overheating (but not to bursting point) and is causing the fan to come on after only a couple of minutes running unless I'm driving at high speed. In which case it runs hot but does not overheat. It does have an oil cooler fitted but it is set up the same as it was on the donor car, any ideas anyone? The system has been bled twice... The exhaust is also leaking somewhere, possibly the manifold, not identified the source as yet. Could this have an effect? Cheers in advance Jon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PsychoSimon 0 Posted July 3, 2006 Feel around the back of the rad for any cold points, as these sometimes block and obviously where the blockage is it wil be cooler than the rest of it. I would also test the thermostat is working ok in a kettle of boiling water. These are the two most common problems i've found on the 205's. Past that it could be a dodgy water pump, hoses on in the wrong places etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildejon 7 Posted July 3, 2006 ...and I thought I could have a weekend not working on the car ta mate, I'll check it out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildejon 7 Posted July 15, 2006 (edited) Hi mate, Right, got myself a new thermostat (a 72 deg one), not had a chance to chack the old one as yet but I'd rather just replace bits as I go anyways. The temp is fine, along motorways and country roads but as soon as I hit town and slow down, the temp zooms right up to the 5th bar (90 deg) and remains around there with the fan bringing it into line when necessary. It wont cool down until I park up from then on. I'm pretty sure the temp shouldn't rise this quickly... The radiator does have a fair few melted (looks that way to me) bits on it but I never had this problem with the 1.6... Any ideas?! btw, checked all the hoses, all good. The radiator does feel a bit cooler at the bottom than the top... Edited July 15, 2006 by wildejon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pug_101 0 Posted July 15, 2006 Hi mate, Right, got myself a new thermostat (a 72 deg one), not had a chance to chack the old one as yet but I'd rather just replace bits as I go anyways. The temp is fine, along motorways and country roads but as soon as I hit town and slow down, the temp zooms right up to the 5th bar (90 deg) and remains around there with the fan bringing it into line when necessary. It wont cool down until I park up from then on. I'm pretty sure the temp shouldn't rise this quickly... The radiator does have a fair few melted (looks that way to me) bits on it but I never had this problem with the 1.6... Any ideas?! btw, checked all the hoses, all good. The radiator does feel a bit cooler at the bottom than the top... Have you got all the air out of the system? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
inferno 1 Posted July 15, 2006 run it up with the water cap off, untill the fans cut in and out without the water bubbling over, topping it up when nessasary. also release any bleed screws while your doing this until water comes out. im assuming the heater blows hot air? sounds like an air lock ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edp 67 3 Cars Posted July 15, 2006 Hi mate, Right, got myself a new thermostat (a 72 deg one), not had a chance to chack the old one as yet but I'd rather just replace bits as I go anyways. The temp is fine, along motorways and country roads but as soon as I hit town and slow down, the temp zooms right up to the 5th bar (90 deg) and remains around there with the fan bringing it into line when necessary. It wont cool down until I park up from then on. I'm pretty sure the temp shouldn't rise this quickly... The radiator does have a fair few melted (looks that way to me) bits on it but I never had this problem with the 1.6... Any ideas?! btw, checked all the hoses, all good. The radiator does feel a bit cooler at the bottom than the top... Sounds about right to me. As long as the fan cools it down and its not over heating when driving on motorways and such. Its a hot summer expect a hot car. When it comes round to winter everyone will be moaning the car isnt getting hot quick enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildejon 7 Posted July 16, 2006 Oh, ok I'll see what happens on a cold day but until then, I'll quit worrying about it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil H 16 Posted July 16, 2006 Only takes a minute to loosen the bleed screw on the heater hose by the bulkhead though, which usually is the only one I have had to bleed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildejon 7 Posted July 19, 2006 Cheers for your replys. Still getting hot quickly. It was on the 5th bar all the way home last night, admittedly it was a hot day so maybe it was just down to that. More worryingly, the fan was even on in the morning when its wasn't too hot... Doesnt come on until I slow down somewhere, usually when I'm parking up. You might be right about an airlock, can I bleed the system with the cap still on? I boils over before the fan comes on otherwise... Is this just normal behaviour still? Cheers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Revla 2 Posted July 19, 2006 Cheers for your replys. Still getting hot quickly. It was on the 5th bar all the way home last night, admittedly it was a hot day so maybe it was just down to that. More worryingly, the fan was even on in the morning when its wasn't too hot... Doesnt come on until I slow down somewhere, usually when I'm parking up. You might be right about an airlock, can I bleed the system with the cap still on? I boils over before the fan comes on otherwise... Is this just normal behaviour still? Cheers! Normal behaviour indeed! You may need to put a little less water in than last time............ You need the cap off dude! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob_the_Sparky 9 Posted July 19, 2006 If the car boils before the fan comes in then you have a problem, with or without the cap on the expansion tank. The fan on mine runs and runs when I get home in this hot weather, that is not that unusual but it certainly shouldn't boil. Rob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildejon 7 Posted July 19, 2006 Like Revla says, it is full up to pretty much the max, it does boil over with the lid off, before the fan comes on... Going to drain it out a bit and bleed again, hopefully get it hot and get the fan on without it boiling over. Sound right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BrainFluid Posted July 20, 2006 You havent got tons of anti freeze in there have you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildejon 7 Posted July 20, 2006 Do you mean in relation to the amount of water or just loads of liquid in the system in general? Its half way up the mark on the side of the expansion bottle... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pugpete1108 62 1 Cars Posted July 20, 2006 have you checked the timing? if it is pinking this will cause it to overheat quicker . mine was like this unless i was on the motorway it would get hot real quick and if i got stuck in traffic i was real f**ked cos it wold just overheat . my timing was miles out . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard 0 Posted July 20, 2006 id suggest you look at the ticking problem first. overheating, ive some experience of this (as most of us here have) 1: get a 'sniff' test done by a garage or you can buy your own kit. This will tell you if you have emissions in your coolant. If you have then its probably the headgasket. (they stick the emissions sensor in your expansion tank) 2: run it with a mixture of 30% Antifreeze 70% water. Let it get up to temperature WITH the cap off. If its bubbling over either you have a lot of air in the system or youve got a pipe connected incorrectly. Too much antifreeze seemed to upset my car. 3: check your fan and fan switch! (this caused my HG failure) on the brown multiplug near the light you can bypass the fan switch. Suggest you test this. (to check that area of the loom) 4: Run the car with enough coolant in it, ie not brimming over the top, half way max up the expansion tank. Turn the heater onto full and leave the cap off. This should after a short while stop bubbling (ie like a kettle) once thats done check the coolant level again, no more than half of the expansion bottle. Top up as required. Then replace the cap. Check that this is fitted correctly Sometimes it looks like its on, until you look at it from the side where you'll see the edge closest is raised. This hasnt sealed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Revla 2 Posted July 20, 2006 have you checked the timing? if it is pinking this will cause it to overheat quicker . mine was like this unless i was on the motorway it would get hot real quick and if i got stuck in traffic i was real f**ked cos it wold just overheat . my timing was miles out . The timing was set fairly recently by SBC when it was in the goodwood.......... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob_the_Sparky 9 Posted July 20, 2006 Running 70% antifreeze will reduce the ability of the system to cool as anit-freeze is quite thick and circulates more slowly. By "boil over" do you mean looses a little water before the fan comes in - this could be normal expansion pushing water out if the system is too full. I'd agree with the HG failure comment, worth checking but usually is a result of overheating, not a cause. Dead fan switches have bust both the HGs that I've had fail. Rob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BrainFluid Posted July 20, 2006 Running 70% antifreeze will reduce the ability of the system to cool as anit-freeze is quite thick and circulates more slowly. Rob He meant 70%water 30%antifreeze but I would just put the min ammout of antifreeze in what with this weather... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildejon 7 Posted August 11, 2006 Hi all, Just wanted to thank everyone for their input. Stuck a new Nissens rad in today along with a few new pipes here and there and its made an amazing difference. Sticks to the 3rd line (the thick one) even at high speed (before it was approachign the 5th) and doesn't seem to get much higher than the 4th line at all. I'm well happy, I can finally watch the road instead of the temp gauge, yippee!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
