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Hot Hot Hot! Fan or Head Gasket?

#1 User is offline   TheCableLayer 

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Posted 23 July 2006 - 02:20 PM

Hi All

Over the past couple of weeks my Puma has been getting very hot. It started after my girlfriend noticed the temperature nearing the red whilst driving it. This was during the return journey of a 120 mile trip. She found that there was little coolant in the expansion tank. She then topped this up and returned home carefully!

Since then, I have drained the coolant and replaced it all with the pink long life stuff (with water). The temperature continues to go up, especially at higher speeds. By putting the heater on I can bring down the temperature. I am no longer losing any coolant and it is bubbling/boiling after driving. For this reason, I've got a feeling that the engine fan is not coming on. I have never actually heard it, even after hard driving. I checked the fuses and all seemed ok, however one of the relays for the fan seems to be missing (according to the owners manual). Also, the temperature guage now stays where it is after the engine has been switched off and the key is taken out! It only resets when you start the car again.WHATS GOING ON!!

Sorry for going on! There are symptoms of both a faulty fan switch and possible blown head gasket. The head gasket went on my old car, but on that occasion the coolant leaked into the engine. How can I check to see if the fan is coming on?

Any ideas?

Thanks Guys and Gals

PS Oil level ok, no cream

#2 User is offline   Jessie 

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Posted 23 July 2006 - 02:30 PM

Fan only very rarely comes on on mine, even in the hot weather I can only recall it coming on once when I couldn't find the address I was going to and was driving round really slowly, it just doesn't tend to get hot enough.

I'd say you possibly have both problems, being as the fan isn't cutting in and the engine getting that hot in the first place. Can't say I'll be of much use other than that I'm afraid sad.gif

PS you can hear the fan come on from inside the car it's quite loud. (provided you haven't got your music blaring out wink.gif )
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#3 User is offline   TheCableLayer 

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Posted 23 July 2006 - 02:41 PM

Thanks for that Jessie. I'm preparing for an expensive visit to the garage!

Any more ideas anyone?

#4 User is offline   JamesMalin 

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Posted 23 July 2006 - 05:01 PM

Your fan should come on automatically when the engine gets hot, you may not always notice it though.

I'd get that checked asap, could be a blocked pipe or leak or broken sensor.
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#5 User is offline   LiamPurcell 

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Posted 23 July 2006 - 09:44 PM

fan should come on with air conditioning i think, its a check to start with anyway. i'll check mine tomorrow and let you know

#6 User is offline   Jessie 

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Posted 23 July 2006 - 09:52 PM

A fan comes on with the air con but when the engine gets hot either that one speeds up or another one kicks in as the fan noise suddenly gets a lot louder
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#7 User is offline   TheCableLayer 

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Posted 24 July 2006 - 09:36 AM

Thanks. For the record there's no air con in my puma. My G/F has the car this week as she has to travel between places for work, and her new car is not ready yet. So I'm catching the smelly bus and then walking 2 miles to work every morning!

Hopefully getting the car looked at this week.

#8 User is offline   Mug 

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Posted 24 July 2006 - 09:56 AM

i suggest you to do a compression test, you'll be able to discover if the head gasket (and maybe the head itself) is damaged.

maybe the thermostat valve is locked???
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Posted 24 July 2006 - 10:04 AM

Sounds like you may have an airlock in the cooling system.

#10 User is offline   TheCableLayer 

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Posted 24 July 2006 - 10:16 AM

Any ideas about the temperature guage? Or would the possible causes mentioned here have this effect?

"the temperature guage now stays where it is after the engine has been switched off and the key is taken out! It only resets when you start the car again"

#11 User is offline   P7 TNY 

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Posted 24 July 2006 - 11:11 AM

Similar symptoms when my g/f punto head gasket had gone
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#12 User is offline   TheCableLayer 

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Posted 25 July 2006 - 09:23 AM

Thanks everyone. A mechanic had a look at it yesterday and guess what? The car was fine. It was not overheating, it hadn't done all day, the fan was coming on as expected. It was as if it had fixed itself!

However, on the way home, all of a sudden the temperature shot up into the red! I pulled over, the fan was on but the temperature was not falling. Typical, why didn't it do this when the mechanic was looking at it. Anyway, apparently this has all the markings of a head gasket issue.

But the problem is very inconsistent- the car will be fine and just when you don't expect it - BOILING COOLANT! (which I noticed when I got home!)

Is it worth getting the mechanic to call Pumabuild to see if it could be a different cause? I don't want to spend all that money on the head gasket only to find that this doesn't solve the issue. Also, if it does need the head gasket replacing/skimming, is there anything else I should get checked/replaced at the same time, as I understand while the engine is stripped down it is worth using the labour you are paying for to full effect! Sorry if I'm being a bit mechanically naiive, and also for going on forever!

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Posted 25 July 2006 - 09:43 AM

Yes, get the cambelt done.

You are looking at a big bill

#14 User is offline   Pearson 

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Posted 25 July 2006 - 09:49 AM

QUOTE (TheCableLayer @ Jul 25 2006, 10:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Is it worth getting the mechanic to call Pumabuild to see if it could be a different cause? I don't want to spend all that money on the head gasket only to find that this doesn't solve the issue. Also, if it does need the head gasket replacing/skimming, is there anything else I should get checked/replaced at the same time, as I understand while the engine is stripped down it is worth using the labour you are paying for to full effect! Sorry if I'm being a bit mechanically naiive, and also for going on forever!


Why not phone Pumabuild and discuss yourself, assume the worst and get a cost for a new head gasket (you'll also need a new timing belt, stretch bolts stc), but expect little change out of Å“500 - then get the AA / RAC to recover you to Pumabuild - but don't drive the car as you are causing more damage!

Jon
Update (Sept 08): Puma gone after 5 years, now have VW 170 Tiguan TDI Sport and now have my weekends back rather than fixing the rust, HCV's, filling it up every 250 miles and worrying about the next timing belt change

#15 User is offline   TheCableLayer 

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Posted 25 July 2006 - 09:52 AM

QUOTE (SPV @ Jul 25 2006, 10:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yes, get the cambelt done.

You are looking at a big bill


I know! Luckily, the mechanic is a colleague of a friend so hopefully I will get half price labour. My puma is a 1998 1.4 and has done 44k, is it worth getting the cambelt done with 56k/2 years left?

#16 User is offline   Jessie 

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Posted 25 July 2006 - 09:53 AM

I'd say so as they are in there and you'll be sorted for another 10 years then smile.gif
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Posted 25 July 2006 - 09:59 AM

QUOTE (TheCableLayer @ Jul 25 2006, 10:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I know! Luckily, the mechanic is a colleague of a friend so hopefully I will get half price labour. My puma is a 1998 1.4 and has done 44k, is it worth getting the cambelt done with 56k/2 years left?



Agree with Jessie, as you may as well if the head is coming off as the belt will be worn anway

#18 User is offline   TheCableLayer 

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Posted 25 July 2006 - 10:01 AM

Makes sense really, doesn't it!

Does anyone know if this problem could lead to further issues?

#19 User is offline   deluded 

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Posted 25 July 2006 - 11:09 AM

If it's the 1.4 then most Ford garages should be capable of sorting it..

Would have thought that if the coolent level is not dropping, then the gaskets should be ok - although I'm no expert..

Does the fan come on if you leave it idling with the bonnet up?? It should do after a while as there's no moving air to cool things down.

Could just be that the thermostat is shagged, and it's turning the fan on too late.
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#20 User is offline   TheCableLayer 

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Posted 25 July 2006 - 11:30 AM

QUOTE (Pearson @ Jul 25 2006, 10:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Why not phone Pumabuild and discuss yourself, assume the worst and get a cost for a new head gasket (you'll also need a new timing belt, stretch bolts stc), but expect little change out of Å“500 - then get the AA / RAC to recover you to Pumabuild - but don't drive the car as you are causing more damage!

Jon


I've booked it into Pumabuild for a diagnostic over the weekend, hopefully it should shed some light on the situation!

I am always going to assume the worst! Unfortunately although I am not driving the car, the girlfriend needs to use it for work, as her new car is still waiting for a part. But we should be getting a courtesy car in the mean time. Fingers crossed, what a nightmare!!

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