Overheating problems AGAIN!

[SuperRedMR2]

I went to Immingham Dock today, covered 193 miles to site.

I left 4 hours later and 4 miles later the engine overheated in traffic due to a motorway being shut.

I quickly turned on the heater to full blast which lowered the temperature gauge.

I then checked the reservoir which had all my coolant inside! I took the rad cap off, yes stupid thing to do, but there was no coolant to blast into my face.

I added 3/4 litre of water and then some unmixed coolant into the rad cap neck pipe.

I then covered 210 miles while tentatively driving no more than 60, which took bloody ages!

Nothing has happened since.

This is the first long haul drive I have covered since this engine was put in.

I have covered 10k since the engine install.

I am hoping it was an air lock but am I clutching at straws?

[Finn]

How old radiator/thermostat/water pump do you have? Any chance rad is blocked?

Do the fan/fans work? If they do does the temp go down with fans on?

[SuperRedMR2]

Radiator 9 months old, due to that being possible cause of my other engine cylinder head popping.

New thermostat in March, water pump unknown, but if that had gone I would have assumed it would have gone again within the 210 miles I covered after.

The radiator fans work yes.

[Lauren]

It could have been using coolant before perhaps?

Obvious questions like making sure it was bled properly.


When you say it overheated, was it because you were sitting in traffic or following fast driving?

What sort of speeds were you doing on the way to site?

My first MK1 was fine around town but after 20 minutes on the motorway it turned into vesuvius. It seemed to be the case that the head was lifting when it got hot.

[SuperRedMR2]

I was doing between 60-75 all the way.

I was in traffic for a few mins.

Well the temperature gauge went up, but didn't go into the H or the red marker as I spotted it before it did so.

I did have problems ages ago where it took ages to warm up but that went away after a while.

It hadn't been using coolant before as I checked it every week.

Its just strange that after i topped it up, nothing since then happened.

20 mins is not the same as a 4 hour drive Lauren.

[Finn]

Nothing has happened since.

Perhaps it was just an air lock as you suggested? Maybe worth doing a re-bleed?

In my car I have something that looks like an original rad and the temp needle goes barely to halfway in the summer. I have never even heard my fans to go on.

[SuperRedMR2]

Check your Rad Finn, as when my other head blew up my radiator was the original and when we removed it, it basically just fell to pieces.

[Finn]

Will do - it's on the to-do-list for the winter.

[SuperRedMR2]

I'm hoping based on the fact it did 210 faultless miles since, has regular level of coolant in overflow, has coolant to the brim in rad cap neck pipe, bled the thermostat and only coolant came out no air bubbles. No popping when I took rad cap off and no mayo in oil cap and no oil in my coolant.

[alfiembra]

I had the same thing happen to me a while back, had just recently changed the water pump and coolant, believe it was an air lock but was also advised to change the pressure cap, did this and never had a problem since.

Alan

[SuperRedMR2]

did it happen again?

[Lauren]

Has the engine been run with just water at anytime.

Only reason I ask is if it's got a bluprint water pump the impeller blades can rot away. Mark had this happen on his car.

The OEM pumps have brass blades so they don't corrode.

[SuperRedMR2]

No coolant 50-50 mix all the time.

The water pump is of an unknown make due to it being on the engine when I bought it.

[SuperRedMR2]

Car got to work and had no issues in the 32 miles covered this morning.

Temperature gauge sat where it did yesterday. Didn't overheat when I was momentarily stuck in traffic.

[SuperRedMR2]

It has now done a further 300 miles since the incident.

If it overheats again I'll end up taking the head off and changing the HG but I'm optimistic that it won't.

However if it comes to it that it does, is there any way I can change the HG without affecting the timing too much?

[Lauren]

However if it comes to it that it does, is there any way I can change the HG without affecting the timing too much?

No.

[SuperRedMR2]

Balls.

I'd be confident changing the HG myself anyway but not confident doing timing.

[scomr2]

Save the cam timing by marking the belt and sprockets with Tippex
Save the ignition timing by marking the distributor / cylinder head with a scribe line.

[Lauren]

Balls.

I'd be confident changing the HG myself anyway but not confident doing timing.

It's really not difficult. Just line the cams up with the timing marks, find TDC for the crank. You will need a timing gun as well, but you can get them for about £15 on ebay.

Have a look at the BGB, it explains how to do it in there.

[SuperRedMR2]

I have an AE92 engine and crank pulley with no timing pin and different cambelt covers.