half an hour holiday (overheating)

Big lumps of metals and spanners. Including servicing and fluids.

Moderators: User administrators, Moderators

Da dan
Registered user
Posts: 612
Joined: 16 Sep 2015, 06:00
80-90 Mem No: 0

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by Da dan »

Grind a channel partly down the side so you can bleed it without taking out the plug. Works a treat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

pkrboo
Registered user
Posts: 144
Joined: 06 Jul 2019, 10:45
80-90 Mem No: 17060
Location: North Lincs

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by pkrboo »

redsnapper wrote:cheers pkrboo for coming to my aid, do you know which model van it came out of?

Just having a look if these are universal or not...

If you could pm me a couple of pics of the radiator that would be great, this is all new territory ;)

Mine is a 1.7 diesel..




 
The rad is from a 2.1 DJ, pretty sure they are all the same

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

1.6 CS Diesel DOKA

pkrboo
Registered user
Posts: 144
Joined: 06 Jul 2019, 10:45
80-90 Mem No: 17060
Location: North Lincs

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by pkrboo »

redsnapper wrote:well would you freakin believe it...

Managed to use the point of a flathead screwdriver on the sheared bit still inside the radiator and got it turning and out!

Image

Now to track down a replacement... onwards!
Nice one

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

1.6 CS Diesel DOKA

User avatar
redsnapper
Registered user
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 00:20
80-90 Mem No: 9941
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by redsnapper »

(double post - delete)
Last edited by redsnapper on 12 Aug 2020, 13:47, edited 1 time in total.
LHD 1989 Diesel now with a 1.9 1Y engine :)

User avatar
redsnapper
Registered user
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 00:20
80-90 Mem No: 9941
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by redsnapper »

cheers, not out the woods yet, but that one could have been a show stopper at this point!
LHD 1989 Diesel now with a 1.9 1Y engine :)

User avatar
redsnapper
Registered user
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 00:20
80-90 Mem No: 9941
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by redsnapper »

ok, the story continues...

Found a replacement radiator bleed screw and got that in fine.

Water topped up and took it for a spin.

Town driving, temp gauge seemed to sit nicely around the half way mark.

Onto a stretch of road where I hit 60 and needle immediately climbing, got to just under 3/4 within I'd say a mile and had me pulling off.

Sat it idling and the radiator fan did kick in (good news).

Slowly back to town (20/30 mph) and temp dropped back to around half way.

Did the same loop, same thing happened.

Any thoughts? Is it possible the water pump is not keeping up?

It only lasts a second or so on startup but I noticed a slight squeal, I'm wondering if the belt is slipping slightly, will have a look once it has cooled.

The needle has always sat dead centre come hell or high water so very cautious when it does anything else! Currently only water in the system for testing.

All ideas and input welcome, thanks guys!
LHD 1989 Diesel now with a 1.9 1Y engine :)

User avatar
937carrera
Registered user
Posts: 3599
Joined: 05 Apr 2015, 19:29
80-90 Mem No: 16333
Location: N Yorks.

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by 937carrera »

937carrera wrote: 08 Aug 2020, 10:29
Flush the system and refil with water. Get it up to temperature, bleed and see if it is stable on idle. If so run and hold the engine at 2000 rpm or so and watch the header tank. Lot's of air bubbles going in and it's almost certainly head gasket. Watch the exhaust for condensation even when the engine is warm, that's another sign.


But first, get that drivebelt adjusted or changed

Is it bled properly.... top and bottom of the radiator hot ?
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine

User avatar
redsnapper
Registered user
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 00:20
80-90 Mem No: 9941
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by redsnapper »

Thanks, radiator is hot top and bottom and only water coming out the bleed valve (put it on a slope so bleed tank higher than header).

Will have another look for bubbles in the header tank and at the drivebelt.

Cheers!
LHD 1989 Diesel now with a 1.9 1Y engine :)

User avatar
redsnapper
Registered user
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 00:20
80-90 Mem No: 9941
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by redsnapper »

Feeling a bit disheartened and just too damn hot, and it was all looking so hopeful!

Currently - temp gauge stable on idle, but sadly looks like there are air bubbles coming in when revved after the engine has reached temperature, hopefully you can see what it looks/sounds like from the video link below.

Video of header tank:

https://streamable.com/wqvdyn

Do I presume the worst, that this is the gasket?

I know finding a VW mechanic at this time of the year around here is nigh on impossible and feeling our road trip window may be closing... nuts!

Thanks guys
 
LHD 1989 Diesel now with a 1.9 1Y engine :)

User avatar
937carrera
Registered user
Posts: 3599
Joined: 05 Apr 2015, 19:29
80-90 Mem No: 16333
Location: N Yorks.

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by 937carrera »

You need to do the test with the pressure cap on, then watch for air coming into the header tank by looking through the side

You will always get that bubbling with the cap off, it's a side effect of the normal circulation.
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine

User avatar
redsnapper
Registered user
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 00:20
80-90 Mem No: 9941
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by redsnapper »

Ha! You know what, I was going to ask whether the dalek cap should be on or off and I should have stuck with the mantra that no question is a stupid question.

Thank you for your patience!

Ok, so good to know all hope is not lost, will carry on tomorrow.

 
LHD 1989 Diesel now with a 1.9 1Y engine :)

User avatar
redsnapper
Registered user
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 00:20
80-90 Mem No: 9941
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by redsnapper »

So... took a while to be able to get out there today.

Good news is no sign of bubbles in the header tank! I shone a stupidly bright bike light through the tank to be able to get a decent view (tank is not the clearest anymore) and all looks good.

Took it for another spin and temp gauge rising up to about 5/8 - 3/4 very soon after starting to drive.

Sat perfectly on 1/2 when idling before setting out.

Put the cab fans on to see just how hot it was blowing and it was hot but you could hold your hands over it. It also seemed to drop the temp back to half fairly quickly, but started creeping up again as soon as the fans were off.

Heavy traffic coming back and so a crawl into town, needle sat above half, could hear the rad fan kicking in periodically.

So not sure where to go next, any suggestions?

Thanks!

 
LHD 1989 Diesel now with a 1.9 1Y engine :)

pkrboo
Registered user
Posts: 144
Joined: 06 Jul 2019, 10:45
80-90 Mem No: 17060
Location: North Lincs

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by pkrboo »

Is your coolant tank(dalek cap one) topped up the brim?

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

1.6 CS Diesel DOKA

User avatar
redsnapper
Registered user
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2011, 00:20
80-90 Mem No: 9941
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by redsnapper »

Hi, yes, header tank up to the brim.

Just going into a labrynth now..

went to start it up to give it another look and won't start. Oil light comes on briefly (self test) then off, but no yellow glow plug lights (normally light) and when I turn the key, nothing....

Battery reading 12.99 across the terminals

Off to hunt the electrical forums!

 
LHD 1989 Diesel now with a 1.9 1Y engine :)

User avatar
937carrera
Registered user
Posts: 3599
Joined: 05 Apr 2015, 19:29
80-90 Mem No: 16333
Location: N Yorks.

Re: half an hour holiday (overheating)

Post by 937carrera »

Hmm, I think you are going to need some feedback from owners wth your engine type.

Cold engine with thermostat closed should allow the engine to warm up quickly......... if this behaviour has changed, then maybe the old thermostat was sticking partially open.

Similarly with the running temperatures. What was it doing before and what is it doing now.

It sounds like it is getting hotter than expected (according to the gauge), but the fan is cutting in and doing what is required to cool the engine back down again.... BUT.... the good news is that there does not seems to be compression gases getting into the coolant, so no HG problem, something else.

You did do the "hold the engine at 2000 rpm" (wedge / screwdriver / assistant) routine when you watched the header tank ?

Battery voltage seems fine, so favourites would be ignition switch, wiring to solenoid being the cause of the no start issue
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine

Post Reply