Heating, Overheating, £, Euros, Ouch

[dancingcrane]

Hi Happy Campers

I am a T3 novice happily married to a shiny 1990 Bluestar Multivan 1.6 TD (German Import) I bought in some small town near the East German border.

After belting it back from Hamburg, then weekend trips back and forth from Brighton to London the temperature gauge on the vehicle started to flash red after driving for 10 minutes or so. Overheating.
The Missus dropped it into a mechanic who did something which sorted it out (don't ask me what I was away in Africa, but I he said I remember it being some thermostat issue).

Then we drove to Ireland via Holyhead trouble free- until getting off the boat, and temp gauge flew up after 10 mins. I waited for the engine to cool with the babies sleeping in the back, drove to our destination slowly, hopefully, with the temp gauge not going above 3/4's. Local Skoda mechanic changed the water pump and thermostat and sorted it, at a tidy sum.

Alls been fine Until now 2 months later and another return trip to Ireland and back, again the same problem. Overheating, but not excessively (not above 3/4's way up the gauge, even after an hour trip down the motor way at 80kph).

When I check the coolant level after starting the vehicle, or even after turning off the engine, it overflows (even though before starting it the level is normal). Is that strange? I don't know much but am keen to learn given that this (apparently recurring) problem is starting to be a real pain in the ass. I've now shelled out at least 500. Would changing the thermostat be next port of call? Is it realistic after 2 months to have such a problem again? Head Gasket? Erk...

Any ideas/similar experiences appreciated...

Thanks for your help...

[armyphil]

i had this to so i just took the thermpstat out, sounds like you may have air trapped inside the system or slighty possible head gasket but that doesnt show why its so temperamental??

[Titus A Duxass]

This is a typical 1.6TD head gasket problem, I had it and drove around with it for a few thousand Ks.
I also went the thermostat, waterpump, dalek cap, et al. route before changing the head gasket.

[gavnjax]

I've recently joined this 1.6 diesel overheating and don't know why club. so I will keep you informed after my next move. Tried the stat, rad and feeling hoses etc. the head gasket and water pump are prob next. looking at recent posts this is a comman problem. hang in there! gav

[Dave W]

I also HAD this problem. Pressure tested cooling system and under pressure found a very very slight leak hardly noticable coming from the front to rear plastic water pipes.
The leak was from only one of the pipes at the front of the vehicle ( where the plastic pipe connects to the radiator hose). The olive in the plastic pipe has broken up and air is getting into the system causing as air lock, causing the coolant to spill its guts when cap removed and temp gauge up way past the red light which started flashing!!!. As a TEMPORARY fix I put an extra jubilee clip on the radiator hose that connects to the plastic pipe that was leaking, and bled the cooling system properly, When pressure tested again no coolant leak and all is now well. No photos of this thou.
Has been fine for weeks now temp gauge needle now back as norm running just below the red light on the gauge.