Overheating problem

Jimmydee · 10-27-2009, 09:27 AM

Hi,

I'm new to this site having been an AW11 owner for only a few months.

Last week I decided to take my new addition to Edinburgh (lovely city) from my home town down on the South Coast.

It performed admirably getting us there but on the way back, the temperature gauge hit the red and we had to pull over on the M1.

The very nice man from the AA thought it may have been the head gasket but thought it was more likely something like the coolant fans not working.

Water had boiled out of the metal cap in the engine bay but the radiator fans had not engaged.

Having checked them the radiator fans work and having let the engine run for a while sat on the drive, the following happens:

1 - Having filled up the coolant expansion tank, nothing seemed to be feeding from it even though some water had boiled out of the system. Surely if the system needed water I should see the level in the expansion tank drop as it feeds through?

2 - The pipes in the engine bay get hot and water appears to seep through the metal water cap (the name for which escapes me) probably as it gets too hot.

3 - The temperature gauge on the dash board shows it is getting hotter - I didn't let it go all the way to the top. I switched the engine off when it reached half way.

4 - The radiator in the front however was still cold. No sign of warmth at all.

Has anyone experienced this before? And how do I fix it?

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks!

muffinman · 10-27-2009, 10:15 AM

have you checked your thermostat?

Jimmydee · 10-27-2009, 11:49 AM

No but I thought the radiator would be hot too if the thermostat were wrong?...Not just the pipes in the engine.

muffinman · 10-27-2009, 12:24 PM

your right i'm sorry

i completely screwed up the direction of the flow

are the hoses hot on the return side?

in this pic you can see the flow direction

randomxzero · 10-27-2009, 12:49 PM

Radiator cap, coolant lines may not be holding pressure..

Jimmydee · 10-27-2009, 12:53 PM

Yeah. The hose seemed to be hotter on the return side than the other side.

I also gave the hoses on both sides a bit of a squeeze and it seemed to send some bubbles through the open cap which makes me think there is air in the system but how would it get there?

In addition to my original post, when I saw the temperature gauge was on red, I put all the blowers on hot to buy myself a few extra minutes but it all came through cold until I stopped and turned the engine off. Then it was like an inferno in there!!!

muffinman · 10-27-2009, 02:25 PM

sounds like air in the system. could be a leak.

traintech86 · 10-27-2009, 04:50 PM

/save on that there pic. very good stuff

Jimmydee · 10-27-2009, 05:02 PM

Thank you all very much. I'll bleed the system and let you know how it goes.

How would I get air in the system in the first place? Just so I can make sure it doesn't happen again.

traintech86 · 10-27-2009, 05:35 PM

the air could have been there from the begging. when you're tryin to get rid of it try these:

use the bleeder tubes from the frunk and from the top of the radiator.

lift the butt of your car up so the air can escape

gently bend the black rubber pipe near the filler cap and look for air.

also sometimes sitting on the front end of the car can shake some air loose.

thats all i can think of att but if i come up with anything else, ill besure to put it up there!

10-27-2009, 09:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jimmydee No Skills Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Hastings Posts: 7 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Overheating problem Hi, I'm new to this site having been an AW11 owner for only a few months. Last week I decided to take my new addition to Edinburgh (lovely city) from my home town down on the South Coast. It performed admirably getting us there but on the way back, the temperature gauge hit the red and we had to pull over on the M1. The very nice man from the AA thought it may have been the head gasket but thought it was more likely something like the coolant fans not working. Water had boiled out of the metal cap in the engine bay but the radiator fans had not engaged. Having checked them the radiator fans work and having let the engine run for a while sat on the drive, the following happens: 1 - Having filled up the coolant expansion tank, nothing seemed to be feeding from it even though some water had boiled out of the system. Surely if the system needed water I should see the level in the expansion tank drop as it feeds through? 2 - The pipes in the engine bay get hot and water appears to seep through the metal water cap (the name for which escapes me) probably as it gets too hot. 3 - The temperature gauge on the dash board shows it is getting hotter - I didn't let it go all the way to the top. I switched the engine off when it reached half way. 4 - The radiator in the front however was still cold. No sign of warmth at all. Has anyone experienced this before? And how do I fix it? Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks!

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10-27-2009, 10:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
muffinman Brain Surgeon Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 1,797 Thanks: 24 Thanked 102 Times in 99 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	have you checked your thermostat?

10-27-2009, 11:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
Jimmydee No Skills Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Hastings Posts: 7 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	No but I thought the radiator would be hot too if the thermostat were wrong?...Not just the pipes in the engine.

10-27-2009, 12:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
muffinman Brain Surgeon Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 1,797 Thanks: 24 Thanked 102 Times in 99 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	your right i'm sorry i completely screwed up the direction of the flow are the hoses hot on the return side? in this pic you can see the flow direction

10-27-2009, 12:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
randomxzero Downshift to Reverse! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: 562 Posts: 1,030 Thanks: 10 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Radiator cap, coolant lines may not be holding pressure..

10-27-2009, 12:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jimmydee No Skills Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Hastings Posts: 7 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Yeah. The hose seemed to be hotter on the return side than the other side. I also gave the hoses on both sides a bit of a squeeze and it seemed to send some bubbles through the open cap which makes me think there is air in the system but how would it get there? In addition to my original post, when I saw the temperature gauge was on red, I put all the blowers on hot to buy myself a few extra minutes but it all came through cold until I stopped and turned the engine off. Then it was like an inferno in there!!!

10-27-2009, 02:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
muffinman Brain Surgeon Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 1,797 Thanks: 24 Thanked 102 Times in 99 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	sounds like air in the system. could be a leak.

10-27-2009, 04:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
traintech86 Traintech86 on all im's Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norfolk VA Posts: 912 Thanks: 13 Thanked 25 Times in 24 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	/save on that there pic. very good stuff

10-27-2009, 05:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jimmydee No Skills Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Hastings Posts: 7 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Thank you all very much. I'll bleed the system and let you know how it goes. How would I get air in the system in the first place? Just so I can make sure it doesn't happen again.

10-27-2009, 05:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
traintech86 Traintech86 on all im's Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norfolk VA Posts: 912 Thanks: 13 Thanked 25 Times in 24 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	the air could have been there from the begging. when you're tryin to get rid of it try these: use the bleeder tubes from the frunk and from the top of the radiator. lift the butt of your car up so the air can escape gently bend the black rubber pipe near the filler cap and look for air. also sometimes sitting on the front end of the car can shake some air loose. thats all i can think of att but if i come up with anything else, ill besure to put it up there!