quick idea that came to mind if the water pump is damaged then you would get no water flow at all, you can check for water moving (when car is cold) by removing the temp sensor

I use creolina to clean the cooling system from time to time and then flush it by disconecting a hose(the one at the botton of the radiator) and pumping a good amount of water though the engine in the oposite direction of flow, and then reconected the radiator and filled with coolant

why dont you guys try it, and afterward check if flow is restore, then put coolant and hopefully the system is back in business

Been testing my car for the possibility of an airlock.

The car still overheats if I let it. But the heater hoses are not getting hot so water isnt getting up to those pipes.

Not got the time at the moment to disconnect them and see if water gushes out though.

The heater on the hot setting gets warm then coldish, not a constant hot stream in the cabin.

Been testing my car for the possibility of an airlock.

The car still overheats if I let it. But the heater hoses are not getting hot so water isnt getting up to those pipes.

Not got the time at the moment to disconnect them and see if water gushes out though.

The heater on the hot setting gets warm then coldish, not a constant hot stream in the cabin.

Could it be the collapsed plastic thermostat housing syndrome often mentioned?

Could be.

Will do some checks over the week.

My Dad was saying "sell the car"

But my Skoda isnt going anywhere

I mean its not for sale but I hope I can take it long distances again soon as my sisters Micra really isnt the car for too many distance cruising trips.

Changed the stat today.

Disconnected the hose but the old thermostat wasn't there.

This hasn't cured it but I do now get hot air when the car is on the move.

When the car is stationary the air is pretty cool.

More investigating on Saturday probably

had same prob on my fun, it had always run hot but i the summer of 2007 was overheating unless i had heater on full. changed stat was worse!!! ran without one after taking off various pipes and pouring water down them to make sure of no air locks and didnt overheat

failed mot cos it wasnt heating up proper without stat was running rich sort of if auto choke part of the injection system was operating which buggered the lamda sensor

so more thoughts with new stat back in hot one side of stat when hot but cold the other bingo new stat i boughts was faulty [after 5 days of warming up cooling down checking stuff etc] new stat bleed all pipes and it was perfect new lamda cost me £50 though :(

as an aside if ya heater isnt hot when temp is hot theres air there or stats not working

if theres air then water isnt held under pressure so will boil turn into steam and blow coolant out

early mk 3 cortinsa with the heater at the highest point the coolant travelled [what a stupid idea] actually had a T piece with a rubber cap and a jubilee clamp to act as a bleed valve and also with a bit of tube and a funnel could be used to fill system

some fiats actually have brake cylender style bleed nipples to expell air

i'd check air first cos thats cheaper than water pump!

When people are changing the thermostat do you change just the stat or the housing?

When they break its not the stat, its the housing itself that causes the fault. Put a new stat is and the fault remains.

Thanks Lummox. I'll prob soldier on for now and get the sender changed at 120k miles/before summer time with the timing belt and water pump.

I was meant to post Teflon a cheque but had to rip open the envelope as I didnt sign the bloody thing.

I've now decided to have the rad changed too. Might as well if the engines going to be kind of in pieces to get to the water pump and cambelt.

A little dissappointed that my local Skoda dealer can't match Jorily's very competitive price (£140 at garage £50 delivered from Jorily) But they can't beat every price.

When my sister pays me for all the repairs on her car, I can get mine fixed and have a fully working heater for winter!!

Done some fiddling on the drive. Disconnected both the pipes from the heater matix, so now there's no water in there. once it all flowed out.

Checked the Thermostat. There was some sellotape on there, presumably to hold it in place when the pipe goes over the top. We took the tape off just in case.

Topped it with water

Now there is no water going into the heater matrix at all (cause when I pull the matrix pipe theres no water left in the system to spill) so it stays cold. eeek

My Dad thinks that there might be 2 thermostats. One on the temp sensor housing and one on the bottom hose?

Or is there only be one?

At least I dont need a new rad. But I think the temp sensor and housing will need to be changed again. Or its def the cambelt and waterpump.