Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,

I'm fearing the worst as my 1.7 KY may have head gasket issues. The engined coolant light flashes and sometimes I get heat from the vents sometimes not. The rad takes ages to get hot as if there is no coolant circulation.

Mate at work thinks it might just be a simple think like the water pump? I think there is pressure block somewhere.

Does anyone have any advice as I cant really afford to rebuild my engine.

I'd check waterpump too.

Sounds like water pump.

Thanks, i'll order a new water pump asap. I did hear some strange squeaking sounds coming from the alternator area today...

Sounds add up. You can soon tell, whip the belt off and wiggle the waterpump pulley. Different waterpump but same principle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LghNy400HzI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't leave it any longer than need be - they can fail catastrophically.

I already had the catastrophe. The van van overheated whilst moving house and the pressure blew a pipe off. I tried to use a thermal imager thisafternoon to see what was going on. It seems the heat in the pipes is not even suggesting lack of flow. Which pipe goes direct to the blower - is it the small diameter pipe on the left of the engine bay? 3rd photo?

rubber junction



Big diameter pipe to front next to cool return pipe



small diameter pipe to front from top of engine block



Pump

To me those pics just show heat in the immediate area of the hot points close to the engine without any heat travelling down any pipes. ie there is a flow issue, the pump itself or dead thermostat.
Did you mean to say that the heat pics are showing lack of flow?

Hi Oldie, yes I think the hot spots and uneven heat distribution might be showing a lack of flow. I meant to say heat not "even", meaning lack of flow.

When I bleed from the top of the rad there is a short hiss of air then cold water spurts out. this is after the engine gets up to 57 degrees. hence I would expect it to be warm.