Thermostat or not?

[Uncorruptable]

Hi all,

Need a diagnosis,

This morning when driving the engine temp started to climb high, i pulled in and put on the hazards, when i checked the hoses the top one off the rad was hot & very pressurised, the bottom one was only hot on the top, i opened the resevoir cap & released a gush of steam & a little water, i went back into the car & the temp was still high, i put the heating on full & it began to reduce temp a little, then it dropped fairly suddenly, when i checked in the engine again i was able to squeeze the top hose flat.

Is this the thermostsat sticking shut?

[felicia16v]

sounds like it but if its the diesel the stat is in the bottom of the engine so the top hose should be hot, does it have the correct strength of antifreeze in?

could be water pump on its way out too does the heater work well?

[Uncorruptable]

sounds like it but if its the diesel the stat is in the bottom of the engine so the top hose should be hot, does it have the correct strength of antifreeze in?

could be water pump on its way out too does the heater work well?

Heater works fine, that was what started to cool the engibne off for me, put heating on full which was very hot, then the pressure seemed to be released from the top hose when i checked it again, first time it was very pressurised, after i put the heating on, i could squeeze the top hose flat.

can you show me where the stat is located? tell me where to look?

Edited 24 January, 2013 by Uncorruptable

[jonny a]

If your car is a diesel follow the bottom rad hose into the engine, near the water pump. There is a housing held on by two allen head bolts, its under there.

[Uncorruptable]

If your car is a diesel follow the bottom rad hose into the engine, near the water pump. There is a housing held on by two allen head bolts, its under there.

Cheers, so not an easy get at part, sound like i will be lying on the ground getting increasingly colder & potentially frustrated, ahh the joy of motoring.

[KenONeill]

Another, maybe off the wall, possibility.

Just how cold is it in Ireland right now? If you have a weak anti-freeze mixture, combined with cold weather and a serious wind-chill (remember that driving at 50mph in still air gives you 50mph wind movement over the car) you might have managed to freeze the bottom hose.

[Uncorruptable]

Another, maybe off the wall, possibility.

Just how cold is it in Ireland right now? If you have a weak anti-freeze mixture, combined with cold weather and a serious wind-chill (remember that driving at 50mph in still air gives you 50mph wind movement over the car) you might have managed to freeze the bottom hose.

Could very well be, the anti freeze mix is weak as i have a very slight weep coming from where the pipe enters the head, so i can only keep topping the resevoir up with antifreeze every week or two to keep some in the system, could be as low as -5 with wind chill taken into account, will have to sort the leak & refill entire system.

[KenONeill]

Could very well be, the anti freeze mix is weak as i have a very slight weep coming from where the pipe enters the head, so i can only keep topping the resevoir up with antifreeze every week or two to keep some in the system, could be as low as -5 with wind chill taken into account, will have to sort the leak & refill entire system.

Where exactly is the leak?

If it's a porous hose, then obviously replace that, and use new Terry Jubilee clips on the new one.

If it's a seep past the existing hose clip, then replace that with a Terry Jubilee.

If it's coming out of the elbow I'm not sure what's best.