Help With Overheating Problems

Fionn101

Hi All,

OK , the Girlfriends Fiat Brava Mareno is over-heating , before I drop it into a garage I'd like to diagnose the problem first (so I don't get ripped off for a new head gasket or anything)

It seems that the car is only overheating when she is stuck in traffic , once it's driving it cools down , so I'm thinking it can be one of 5 things

1) Fan isn't working to cool engine (how do I force the fan to On ? so i can check)

2) Radiator is bust ????

3) Fuse for fan is blown

4) Water pump is broken

5) Head Gasket is blown

Just wondering does anyone have any ideas how I can check these various components , fair enough I can replace a fuse but how do I force the fan on or check the water pump is working , any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Fionn

alias no.9

Fionn101 wrote:

1) Fan isn't working to cool engine (how do I force the fan to On ? so i can check)

I used have a bravo and the fan used come on when the temp gauge was at the half way mark so start the car up while parked and let the gauge rise until the fan comes on, but be careful not to let it go into the red. To force the fan on, there should be a little plug close to the fan, disconnect this and connect the two terminals to the battery terninals but use the fan fuse in the circuit

Fionn101 wrote:

2) Radiator is bust ????

Check the water in the expansion tank, has there been any water leaks on the ground where the car is parked?

Fionn101 wrote:

3) Fuse for fan is blown

The fuse box is on the right hand side below the steering wheel the fuse functions are charted, it it's not in there, theres another one behind the glove box, theres 2 clips at the back that let you take the inner part of the glovebox out, failing that, there's another set of fuses on the right hand side of the engine bay in black casing. Switch the fuse with a similar amp fuse from a component you know to be working

Fionn101 wrote:

4) Water pump is broken

There'd probably be a terrible noise and the timing belt would probably have snapped (ouch)

Fionn101 wrote:

5) Head Gasket is blown

Check under the oil cap and in the radiatior expansion tank, if there's white gunk in either of these, then it's probably the gasket.

Fionn101 wrote:

Just wondering does anyone have any ideas how I can check these various components , fair enough I can replace a fuse but how do I force the fan on or check the water pump is working , any help greatly appreciated.

Another probable fault is the thermostat, if the fan works when hooked up to the battery but not when the temp gauge is nearing the red and the fuse ain't blown, then this is the most likely culprate.

Seth Brundle

alias no.9 wrote:

Check under the oil cap and in the radiatior expansion tank, if there's white gunk in either of these, then it's probably the gasket.

Having 'mayo' inside the oil cap doesn't necessarily mean that the HG is gone. It could simply be the result of condensation not burning off after many short drives.

alias no.9

kbannon wrote:

Having 'mayo' inside the oil cap doesn't necessarily mean that the HG is gone. It could simply be the result of condensation not burning off after many short drives.

Maybe not, but with overheating problems, if none of the other probable causes check out and there is 'mayo' under the oil cap, it's probably the head gasket.

Fionn101

Thanks For all the replies, seriously nice one.excellent suggestions.
I am going to do the fan test , mayo test and fuses after work and an oil change at the weekend.

Will post how I get on, cheers

BrianD3

It's probably fan related. The fan motor could be knackered or a fuse could be gone or the fan switch in the rad could be knackered. If you're getting overheating in traffic but not when travelling at high speed then it's unlikely to be a problem with a HG, blocked rad, airlock, thermostat or water pump.

BrianD3

Fionn101

thanks Brian , sounds about right,

So I opened the fuse board last night and there is no bloody diagram to tell you which fuse is what , and we never got a manual for the poxy thing .

Does anyone have a manual for this car 99 Brava moreno ?

time to google , anyone with boolean tendencies feel free to help (actually please help)
Garage is gonna charge a minimum of 70 for 'Labour x 1 hour' to look at it. grrrrr

Fionn

mike65

Check this out and post a question on the forum!

http://www.network54.com/Forum/15639

Mike.

Chimaera

AS has been said, if the car is not overheating in open road driving, then the cooling system (rad, hg, water pump, etc) is most likely fine.

A lot of cars have a bypass plug on the fan so that it comes on all the time the car is running (useful in hot countries). It should be somewhere on the line running in to the fan. If this doesn't make the fan work, then it's knackered!