HELP - Overheating

[Dazz]

Hi all

Tonight my clio decided to overheat. Id only been cruising and its pretty cool outside as well. Pulled over and loads of steam come out from under the engine I left it to cool for about 3/4 hour and the temp gauge had dropped to quarter. Decided to try and get it home (only a mile) and by the time i got there the temp was right up again. Popped bonnet and another load of steam came out like before.

Any ideas what it could be? Its a clio 1.4rt 92(k). The only thing that seems to be the problem is the radiator fan isnt spinning when its overheating? I guess this is part of the problem, but why would it overheat on a mile journey when been driven very conservatively?

Many thanks

Darren

 

[Ben H]

Thermostat? Fan switch?

 

[Dazz]

where shall i look for them?

anyway of testing them?

Thanks

Dazz

 

[Dazz]

cmon BenR

Plz help

 

[CB1A]

This could either be the thermostat or the fan switch as BEN H stated or your fan motor could have siezed - its common on older clio,s. Your better of letting the car cool down & then run it for a while with the bonnet open - keep a look out for any signs of steam or leakin water. also check you header tank & the pressure cap on top - is it split ? are all the water pipes ok ? check your head gasket ? is your rad leakin ? are all the fan switch wires which supply current to the fan ok ? has your water pump gone ? has the water pump drive belt snapped ? there are so many possibilities so if ya dont know what ya doin - get it diagnosed by a mechanic.

 

[Dazz]

ok il have a look tomo. i sort of know what im doing, got a nice idea for the engine cooling system when i replaced the water pump on my old fiesta.

Know most of the stuff, just not to sure where to find the switch or thermostat?

Thanks

Dazz

 

[CB1A]

On the 1.4 E7J engine the fan switch is on the right hand side of the rad at the bottom & the thermostat is at the side of the cyl head inside the thermostat housing. Like i said - just check your fan motor by twirling the blade round - if its difficult to turn - its siezed. The rest is straight forward enough.

 

[funkimic]

i had the same prob with mine. make sure u check the wires into the fan switch in rad. mine had corroded and broken off. easy fix

if it was overheating that quick id check how rusty the water is too.

 

[BenR]

itll almost certainly be the thermostat, as the fan switch didnt come on, and if water was flowing through the rad it would of cooled with normal air sped.

Not a problem, jsut take it out and test it, but dont keep pverheating the engine, youll end up with a lovely banana shaped head.

 

[Dazz]

i thought the thermostat told the fan when to come on?

Even if it was bust, surely the air speed would have still kept the engine cool?

Thanks

Dazz

 

[ChavyBoy]

No the fan switch does that, the thermostat keeps the water in a small part of the engine block (For the internal heater purposes and also helps to warm the car up quicker) until it reached the pre determined temp then opens up and circulates the hot water round the whole of the engine keeping a constant temp.

 

[Dazz]

Hey all,

THANKYOU

Managed to fix it this morning, turn out the thermostat had fked :-(

Oh well, only cost £15 for a new thermostat - me happy

THhanks

Dazz