Very Depressed - Engine Overheating

[albertramsbottom]

Here is the story

We picked our van up from Celtic VW Soul on the Friday after a top-end rebuild, new piston rings and a one brand new head and drove to Camperjam. On the way we the oil light started to flicker on tick over so we pulled up and there was smoke coming from the rear (unused) pipe from the airbox. We were cooking hte oil and it had overheated.

Once it had cooled down we moved on and had to stop about 5 times on the way. When we got there we noticed that both back wheels where really hot, i mean very hot so we thought that it might be the brakes binding and with that the van was labouring and subsequntly overheating.

We went home on the back of a recovery truck. On the monday I took it to a garage and after an inspection they couldnt find anything wrong with the handbrake or the rear shoes but the front pads where worn so we had them replaced. They did suggest that there was a lot of rust and dust in the back drums and cleaned it out.

We took it out for its first real drive since and drove 12 miles to the coast and the engine was fine and there was no heat in the back wheels. None at all. It sat for 20 mins by the coast and we drove back. Just before we got home we noticed the oil light again and pulled over. Wheels where very hot and the engine was as again overheating with smoke coming from the airbox.

A bit later I decided to give it another go and drove 7 miles, stopping twice to feel the wheels and making sure that I didnt use the hadbrake so I could see if that was the problem. There was no heat at all and the engine was fine. Got back in and drove another 5 miles and the oil light came back on, I stopped and the wheels where very hot. I didnt use the handbrake on the last 5 miles either so I assume that its not the handbrake getting stuck.

So I have run out of ideas except that there is somthing wrong with our rebuilt engine. But why would the wheels be getting hot so I havent quite ruled a brake issue out yet.

Any ideas would be great - Im very depressed

Paul

[camper]

Both wheel drums hot or one? It could be the cogged internal adjusters badly worn causing the brake shoes to bind on foot brake.

[albertramsbottom]

They are both getting hot. I am beginning to think its residule heat from the engine so I will need to run it again and touch and feel around the back of the wheels to see if everything is hot. I suppose if it is the engine then everything will be hot right from the engine outwards.

Cheers

[andisnewsyncro]

Sorry to read about your problems, but t be honest I think I'd be taking it straight back to the place that did the top end rebuild and get them to sort it.
Not the answer you're looking for probably but surely they must be able to tell you why it's overhaeting after they've rebuilt it..

Good luck
Andi

[Ian Hulley]

Don't touch it yourself ... straight back to the rebuilder.

Ian.

[albertramsbottom]

Of course I know you are right, but I have just been convincing myself that it was somthing to do with brakes

I did txt him on the same day that I picked up the van once I had arrived at Camperjam about it overheating so I have covered myslef a bit. They have a really good rep as well.

I will call them monday

Thanks guys

[Dartmoor]

Of course I know you are right, but I have just been convincing myself that it was somthing to do with brakes

I did txt him on the same day that I picked up the van once I had arrived at Camperjam about it overheating so I have covered myslef a bit. They have a really good rep as well.

I will call them monday

Thanks guys

Stupid question no doubt, but did they put all the tin ware back and connect everything up properly so that the fan is blowing air over the engine? And is the rubber engine bay seal still there?

[albertramsbottom]

Well the engine bay seal wasnt in properly but I have put it back

I dont know about the fan, not sure how to check

Cheers

[toomanytoys]

Were the front wheels as warm too??? did you come down any steep hills??

Engine will not heat the rear drums up from radiant heat (the rest of the van would be blooming hot too...) sounds like a poss problem with the brakes, but this would not cause the engine to overheat.. it must be driving very sluggish and you would have to be using full throttle even on the flat....

oil light is low pressure... not good.. could be the oil is too thin (what oil did they put in it??) a good mineral 15w40 is whats needed.. but as said... check to see if all tinware is in place and the seal around the engine bay is too..

[toolsntat]

Did you get the missing tinware in place ???

I have been told at Camperjam that I have 4 underside timware bits missing from my 2ltr Aircooled 1982

Not sure what they look like or what they are called. Expect I remember being told by Jason that two of them where on or next to the heat exchangers

Cheers

[albertramsbottom]

No I didnt but it never overheated before and Im sure that the missing tinware was never there. i have been under this vehicle many times and have never noticed the underside tinware. In fact I never knew it existed

Cheers

[albertramsbottom]

I know all that tinware should be there but why would it of started to overheat now?

Would the new head generate more heat than before? or the rebuild give it more bHP so creating more heat?

I dunno, but this rebuild cost 760 quid with the new head. Im gutted

[albertramsbottom]

Were the front wheels as warm too??? did you come down any steep hills??

Engine will not heat the rear drums up from radiant heat (the rest of the van would be blooming hot too...) sounds like a poss problem with the brakes, but this would not cause the engine to overheat.. it must be driving very sluggish and you would have to be using full throttle even on the flat....

oil light is low pressure... not good.. could be the oil is too thin (what oil did they put in it??) a good mineral 15w40 is whats needed.. but as said... check to see if all tinware is in place and the seal around the engine bay is too..

I am going to do some checks today to see if the wheels are heating becuase of radiant heat - but I suspect that wouldnt be the case.

Ive got 15w 40 in it and there is enough oil

Many Thanks

Is it possible that on the original overheat that the oil has been killed. They didnt put the engine bay seal in properly and I noticed this when it overheated first. Im thinking that the oil was boiled and is no good now and that might be why it has continued to overheat - clasping at straws here

[Dartmoor]

Were the front wheels as warm too??? did you come down any steep hills??

Engine will not heat the rear drums up from radiant heat (the rest of the van would be blooming hot too...) sounds like a poss problem with the brakes, but this would not cause the engine to overheat.. it must be driving very sluggish and you would have to be using full throttle even on the flat....

oil light is low pressure... not good.. could be the oil is too thin (what oil did they put in it??) a good mineral 15w40 is whats needed.. but as said... check to see if all tinware is in place and the seal around the engine bay is too..

I am going to do some checks today to see if the wheels are heating becuase of radiant heat - but I suspect that wouldnt be the case.

Ive got 15w 40 in it and there is enough oil

Many Thanks

Is it possible that on the original overheat that the oil has been killed. They didnt put the engine bay seal in properly and I noticed this when it overheated first. Im thinking that the oil was boiled and is no good now and that might be why it has continued to overheat - clasping at straws here

Basically following any overheat you need to replace the oil asap. The oil will have lost its lubrication value when its cooked. The tinware is essential, and an air cooled engine will overheat without it. The cooling is by forcing air over the fins and oil cooler.

[albertramsbottom]

Cheers for that

I understand that the tinware is essentail but the bits that are missing are less essentail than the other bits. Basically it never overheated before the rebuild so I dont know what is going on.

I wil change the oil tomorrow, but will ring the garage to let them know that I am not happy

Cheers