t25 over heating.

[walchy]

Hello any advice would be apriciated. Our 1.9 petrol t25 b reg keeps over heating. a month or so ago after an hour and a half journey we got back to our house and coolant spilt out all over the drive. We had it in the local garage who found the pressure cap on the expansion tank had broke so they replaced it they also found a small leak which they repaired. the problem appeared to have been solved and the following we we drove 2 hours to the east coast for the weekend there and back no worries. this friday we did the same run once again no problems until we got to the campsite. When my wife poped in to reception to check in the temp warning light came on and straight away white smoke/ steam. coolant pouring out from a leak in hose from rad to engine. all the coolant had emptied. Anyway stayed at campsite friday night and saturday then called recovery out today, as the split in the hose was right at the end of hose he cut bit off and reconected it. All seemed well again temperature was holding nicely until about an hour in when warning light came on again, now engine smelling of burnt rubber. ended up with van on recovery truck. Any thoughts, we thinking its not looking good

[maxstu]

Im not the most knowledgeable chappie regarding T25's and perhap you should wait for a few different opions before taking mine, yet I have read your posting a few times over to see if there was anything obvious happening, and fact that you drove for two hours without problems makes this one a bit of a conundrum?

Did you check coolant level before second run to coast. Are you familar with a T25 coolant system and it's header tank viewable through the rear flap?

If coolant is boiling then check thermostat, waterpump, radiator fan and be sure your vehicle coolant mixture is correct. Halford sell a little tool for a few quid for checking mixture. And lastly make certain coolant system is totally air free.

Im sure you'll get the correct diagnosis from other club members soon...hang on in there

[kevtherev]

was the system bled of air after all this loss of coolant and replacing coolant?

[fall-apart-dave]

was the system bled of air after all this loss of coolant and replacing coolant?

Dingdingding, we have a winner. My bet would be an airlock that has cause coolant to boil and split the hose the second time around. Possibly have some crap in the cooling system too causing a blockage.

Perhaps trying to flush the system out would be helpful? I have no experience with water cooled T25's but with out Morris Minor I just disconnected the radiator hose, had one end in an empty bucket and the other in a full bucket and flushed about 30 litres of clean water through it with the engine running and you would not believe the crap that came out, huge chunks of old gasket, rust, sludge, feathers, it was 'orrible! Ok, it leaked like a sieve afterwards, but once I repalced perished hoses, a couple of gaskets and tightened a few things it was ticketyboo.

[walchy]

Thank you for your replys thats really usefull I will let you know how we get on.

[farley5258]

we had exactly the same problem with out 1.9 water cooled... she would be fine driving for 2 hours or more but the moment we stopped she would pour coolant all over and steam would pour out everywhere... she never showed any signs of overheating until we stopped... then the warning lights would come on etc too..

we carried out the following and she now runs like a dream.

1) new header tank "dalek" cap.
2) new header tank (saw a bubbling split in the old one on one overheating experience)
3) New Thermo switch in the front of the van which kicks the fan on when needed (realised our fan never kicked in.. ever!)
4) Bled the system as per instructions in the good ol Haynes manual.

Did all the work myself at a cost of about £40 for all the parts.

thought i'd add this as i know how horrible it is driving and dreading a traffic jam!

good luck

Karen

[maxstu]

we had exactly the same problem with out 1.9 water cooled... she would be fine driving for 2 hours or more but the moment we stopped she would pour coolant all over and steam would pour out everywhere... she never showed any signs of overheating until we stopped... then the warning lights would come on etc too..

we carried out the following and she now runs like a dream.

1) new header tank "dalek" cap.
2) new header tank (saw a bubbling split in the old one on one overheating experience)
3) New Thermo switch in the front of the van which kicks the fan on when needed (realised our fan never kicked in.. ever!)
4) Bled the system as per instructions in the good ol Haynes manual.

Did all the work myself at a cost of about £40 for all the parts.

thought i'd add this as i know how horrible it is driving and dreading a traffic jam!

good luck

Karen

Good on you for doing the work yourself

[walchy]

hi thanks karen, husband and father in law have bleds system this weekend with the help of the haynes lots of gunk in there so we are really hoping that does the trick, we have had her running again but not too far so wont know for sure till we go on a decent run out. its good to know you had the same problem and resolved it! hope that is the same for us. will let you know how we get on planning our next trip in a couple of weeks.

[ermie571]

get it to a garage and do a block test.....a glass cylinder is connected to the expansion tank...if there are exhaust gasses in there...it turns green. Your experiences sound similar to mine.....only the AA checked the head at the roadside before sending us off....and it failed....so they booked the flatbed there and then.

Engine now dropped for repair.

The reason it can keep leaking (and we had a rad go earlier this year, then a split pipe, then a join and so on....) is that pressure builds up, finds and breaks a weak spot. You repair and bleed engine. All fine while running...stationary traffic and it flips its lid.....repair next pipe...all fine while running...stationary again...and up goes that needle. Trouble is, every time it gets hot you risk damaging the engine.

so to make sure....get it tested.
Takes minutes...gives piece of mind....or bad news....but at least you are not out and dreading a traffic jam....
Em
xx