Not vw related,van is overheating

[MrD]

Hey folks i have an astra diesel van 1.7 td,now the weather is warmer it`s starting to overheat,had been using the heater to cool it down (not good in this weather) but even that is not enough now.Fan on the rad has not worked for yonks,so went to scrappers and got another one ,hopng that would fix it,still didn`t work,so i have wired it to a switch,even with that going from start up it still get too close to being in the red !

Does it sound like my thermostat is stuck shut ? Heater gets red hot,but i assume it`s because the water in the block is getting red hot and not getting any cooling air ?
Uses a little bit of water about a pint per 100 miles,not h/gask as no mayo etc.Need to get it sorted really got work booked all over the place this week !

Could it also be my water pump ? when the engine is running,should i not see movement in the expansion tank,with the lid off ?

[Ryan]

Uses a little bit of water about a pint per 100 miles

Isn't that quite alot?

[MrD]

Isn't that quite alot?

It`s not ideal,but ok if i keep an eye on it ! i know it`s getting low when the heater stops blowing hot air !

[MRMENDER]

First off try the small hose to the expansion tank is clear . Quick check flex the top rad hose by hand water should squirt out into expnasion tank.
Try removing thermostat....................... you should then see circulation in header tank. Could be water pump
If still O/Heating head gasket??

[MrD]

Will check small hose,as it`s had rad weld in before,so may be blocked,when a squeeze bottom hose i get water bubbling up.
Where the thermos is, it`s covered in scale,all round bell housing thingy,scared to try and remove it,going to give it a good soak in plus gas,then belt each bolt with the hammer,before i try and undo them.
Had had bonnet up when gauge is in the red just to see if i can see anything leaking,but nothing ,when i sit in traffic ,even in this really hot weather my windscreen is getting steamed up !

If the h/gask was gone surely it would affect the running /performance ? it`s running sweet,no mayo,clean oil,no oil in water at all,weird.
Cheers for the non roc related help !
Typical that it waits until i am really busy with work

[MRMENDER]

Head gasket symptoms not all same so COULD be Head gasket. Good luck :)

[Nate]

when i sit in traffic ,even in this really hot weather my windscreen is getting steamed up !

that'll be the heater matrix then. how damp are your carpets?

[MrD]

Carpets not damp.I

Looks like i will be spending the weekend fixing this and not fixing the heater in the roc ,which has stopped blowing too.

Can`t see where the water pump is on the flipping vaux,not driven off the belt that drives the alt,crossing my fingers it`s not driven by the cambelt

[Nate]

on most vx stuff the water pump is driven from the cambelt.

try this: there should be two 1/2" (inside) hoses that go from the engine thru the bulkhead to provide the water for the heater. remove these and join them together. if your windscreen now stops misting up, you've got a glitch in the matrix. erm, i mean a leak in the matrix

[Nate]

have you checked that the rad is getting hot? make sure both pipes to it are nice and toasty and that the whole of the rad is getting hot. if it's had radweld thru it in the past it could be getting clogged, which would give you cold spots. if the 'stat is stuck shut then most of the rad will be cold. if the whole rad is getting warm, but not hot, then the 'stat will be stuck part shut.

is the coolant getting all brown and gloopy? flush it thru with lots of clean water from a hose, then refill and add a cup of biological washing liquid. run it about for a few days like that and then rinse.

[MrD]

Water is pretty brown is,but that might be the rad weld,did feel the rad,and it was hot ,but i only felt the bit where the fan was not behind.will try and do the matrix check,have alweays had prob with the heater in the van,currently on my 3rd blower motor ! not had it for 4 years yet.Need to make it last as can`t afford anything else as yet.
Cheers for the input guy`s ,could turn out to be quite expensive if it is the water pump then

[Nate]

*if* the pump is driven by the timing belt, good practice says to change it at the same time as the belt, so if the belt is due soon anyway...

[MrD]

Belt could do with being changed i had it from 96 thou miles,it`s now on 127 thou.
So yeah would get that done at the same time,will take it to the garage if it is the pump,as i can claim it all back on my tax,no point losing skin on it.
If it`s a simple fix like thermos i will do it,crossing my fingers it is the thermos,need to get out of my o/d which i have been in since Jan,flipping tax bill

[MrD]

Got a new stat today,used the van all day just using the heater for cooling,and it`s running much cooler than it has been,makes me think it might just be the stat.Heard on my carpet cleaning forum,that heads going on this engine is really common ,if you run them hot.
It`s not actually boiled over though.Managed to keep it just out the red all the time,will see if the stat fixes it,if not back to the drawing board.

[Nate]

is the screen still misting up? does it need the heater on hot to keep the engine cool enuf?