Cooling System (CAR)

[Martay]

Hi,
Hope you dont mind me asking about the car but...

My car overheated on saturday, and when i stopped, the radiator was stone cold. Ive just changed the thermostat.
To do so, i had to partially drain the coolant. When i changed the thermostat and put everything back together, i refilled the coolant bottle.
Problem now is the engine temperature is still climbing, the radiator and heater is stone cold, as are the pipes.
Im assuming this is caused by air in the system? Theres no bleed valve on the radiator or bottle?
Anything else i can try?
Ta
____________________
Eat well, poo hard
Drives: Cavalier 2.0 16v
Rides: Slightly ratted Honda City Express

[2Smoke]

There should be a bleed valve somewhere in the system. Have a good look. Otherwise I have heard of a method of bleeding air out where you top up the header tank, leave the cap off, run the engine until hot and air bubbles escape out of the tank.

Does your waterpump still work? If that fails then I guess most of the radiator will stay cold..

Paul
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Currently in the stable.. '89 TDR250, 86 NSR250 '79 350LC, '79 DT175MX, 82, Pasola, '98 R1, '95 Speed Triple.. all of them total sheds..

[Livefast123]

Sound like either you have a major air lock, the temperature guage sensor is faulty or the impeller on your water pump has failed meaning that no water is being circulated. The bleed valve may be on the surrounding pipework and may be a bolt in a metal pipe or a car tyre valve type thing in the rubber pipework.

First check does the engine actually get hot and does the fan come on. This will rule out electrical problems.

I would then take the bottom hose off the radiator and drain all the coolant. Then turn the heater on to maximum and start the engine. Fill the expansion tank slowly to avoid bubbles until you have filled to the coolant capacity and water runs without bubbles from the bleed valve. That way you can almost eliminate air locks as long as you found the bleed valve.

Finally if that doesn't work then I would say your waterpump is FUBAR. Pump normally costs 25 - 30 for a good one and i'm not sure but if it's run from the cambelt then a new cambelt kit will be needed.
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Current ride - Yamaha MT-07

[Martay]

Thanks for the advice. Ive had a look around a Ford OC forum, and there is no bleed valve in the system. According to the haynes manual, you remove the expansion bottle cap, and run the engine. I have done this several times to no avail

Il try dumping all the coolant out, and refilling slowly. I have a water pump and cambelt kit here, as i was planning on getting the belt done before i had to spend on this.
Is there any way i can check the pump?
Thanks
____________________
Eat well, poo hard
Drives: Cavalier 2.0 16v
Rides: Slightly ratted Honda City Express

[fiery tupp]

Did you check the themostat worked before fitting it even new ones are sometimes faulty ? heres how you might get more answers here . https://www.ehow.com/how_2189728_test-cooling-system-thermostat.html
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If you can't fix it with a hammer , use your head .

[Livefast123]

Lol internet forums are a godsend, I always use them to fix my vehicles.

There should be a return pipe to the expansion tank, when the engine is up to temp then coolant should flow through this back into the tank if the pump is working properly.

Some pumps have plastic impellers and break up over time
____________________
Current ride - Yamaha MT-07

[fiery tupp]

[Livefast123]

[Acemastr]

I'd personally say that you have no anti freeze in the coolant.
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[Martay]

Hi,
Thanks for the help.
Il check to see if the pump is working. The coolant did have anti freeze in it, light green tint and tasted sweet.
I didnt check the new stat, but ive still got the old one, so il have a play to see it its works. If it does it would indicte something else wrong? Yes, i put it in the right way
Ta
____________________
Eat well, poo hard
Drives: Cavalier 2.0 16v
Rides: Slightly ratted Honda City Express

[Suntan Sid]

[ORourke]

[P.addy]

[Robby]

Someone on here had a similar problem on an old escort when it got cold last winter. The problem in the end was a weak coolant mixture, which was taking on the consistency of a slush puppy at about 2 degrees below freezing. The water pump snapped off its impeller blades trying to pump this.

I know that a lot of car traders and general idiots tried to claim that ford coolant was sealed for life a few years ago, one of told me that when I bought a 10 year old escort. If previous owners have believed this and your car is a few years old, it could well be the problem.

New water pump, flush the cooling system (if it's old enough to be that weak, it's old enough to sludge up) and refill with pink (5 year) coolant. Cost about a quid more than the blue (2 year) stuff. Make it up strong, I go 50/50. Peace of mind can now be achieved.

[Acemastr]

Pink stuff is for cars younger than 98 and blue is for cars older than 98, got some blue stuff the other day
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[P.addy]

[Martay]

Thanks for the advice, its all a great help

Ive just got in from work, and tested the old thermostat in a pan of water. It opened before the water boiled :'(
This means my little problem just got alot more expensive!!

Next step i fear is the water pump. Does anyone know if the pump on a mk4 fiesta (zetec engine) is cambelt or aux belt driven?

Ta
____________________
Eat well, poo hard
Drives: Cavalier 2.0 16v
Rides: Slightly ratted Honda City Express

[Walloper]

You check water pump flow by loosening a hose clip and slackening the hose till you get a CONSTANT DRIP of coolant from the opening you create.
Start the engine and watch to see if the CONSTANT DRIP changes to a POUR or faster drip.
This indicates that there is flow.

Any pump only creates flow.

The slushy anti-freeze is a good point.

Fill with a pre-mixed solution or fill with 50% antifreeze and 50% water mix.

If there is no bleeding point on the engine That is a point some place higher or as high as the top surface of the cylinder head.
Then the engine is of a type where bleeding is not required as any trapped air will be purged as the system is SLOWLY filled.

But helping the fill by squeezing the hoses can help push any stubborn air out.

Run the engine with tank lid off to get all air out.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Bikeless]

Water pump is driven by the aux belt,if your car has the HCV behind the firewall,sometimes these can stick half shut and half closed and cause overheating probs.

[cagiva gezzer]

Friend has Zetec 1.25 Fiesta. Lovely car, but at random it always decided to overheat.

Would overheat, pull over, cool down and work fine for another week or so.

She took it to a Ford dealer and they removed the thermostat. It now runs cold / rich all the time but doesn't overheat.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[Billing]

Seeing as you have the water pump already change it, as I said the symptoms are sudden and have come about right as the super cold weather was here, so I'd hazard a guess at a busted water pump, when I turned what we think is the w/p drive pulley I couldn't feel any resistance at all, which to me rings alarm bells

Edit: Btw guys, its a 1.25 Zetec unit
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'84 TS50X, '91 TZR125, '89 CBR400RR, '91 VFR400R NC30, '98 R1
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[Walloper]

[ORourke]

[Walloper]

Yeah... Change a water pump for no reason..

Tesdt for flow before you do the change.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Acemastr]