RADIATOR/OVERHEATING PROBLEM

Irishgoatman

I'm having a problem with my '86 camper. Twice in the last week it's overheated and when I've checked the radiator it's required a fair amount of water. At the same time the water reservoir had appeared to have topped itself up from the rad.

There is no sign of water leaks, it is parked on concrete so would be noticeable, and the oil is normal consistency so it doesn't appear that water is getting into the engine, also the engine doesn't smoke.

I can't get hold of the mechanic that does servicing for me at the moment so if anyone has any ideas I will be very grateful as this is a problem that I've not encountered before, even with cars.

Sticky thermostat?

A failed water pump might do it too. Best have a new gasket on stand-by if you opt to go in there.

Aidan_M_M

Have you still got heat in the cab heater?

Irishgoatman

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

Have you still got heat in the cab heater?

Yes.

Thanks guys. The mechanic that I use is back from hols and is going to have a look at it for me. Like Sir Liam, he thinks it's probably thermostat.
Was going to do it myself but thermo is in a very akward place and having had 3 spinal ops in the last 3 years just couldn't twist myself into the correct position to get to it.:o Back also causes probs with other aspects of my life but I'm going into those details:D.

Irishgoatman

Had a report from the mechanic last night.

Anyone want to have another guess at what the problem is? no prizes for correct answer I'm afraid:).

CJhaughey

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Had a report from the mechanic last night.

Anyone want to have another guess at what the problem is? no prizes for correct answer I'm afraid:).

HG? Not the worst to do though.

Sir Arthur Daley

Irishgoatman wrote: »

I'm having a problem with my '86 camper. Twice in the last week it's overheated and when I've checked the radiator it's required a fair amount of water. At the same time the water reservoir had appeared to have topped itself up from the rad.

A faulty radiator cap can cause the symptoms.

Kinked hose.

Nekarsulm

if Rad fills reserve bottle, but does not suck it back, then air leak somewhere, when pressure on the system?

nailer8

Head gasket letting pressure back into the water system ?

Irishgoatman

CJhaughey wrote: »

HG? Not the worst to do though.

And the imaginary prize goes to you sir.:)

Mechanic is fairly sure it's the head gasket and is going to start work tomorrow.

Sir Liamalot, I've nothing against kinky hose but don't think much of your spelling:D.

Thanks everyone, I'll report back when I have more news. Problem is that the Bedford Rascal that my demountable is on is a real so and so to work on. Part of the engine can be reached from inside the cab and part from a hatch in the flatback floor. Only good thing is that the camper pod is straight forward to get off and on again.

Sir Arthur Daley

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Mechanic is fairly sure it's the head gasket and is going to start work tomorrow.

The mechanic is fairly sure but yet is going to rip the head off anyway, what diagnostics did he do to arrive at his fairly sure prognosis?

Nekarsulm

Have you got lots of white smoke?

sorry, just noticed in first post, no smoke............

Irishgoatman

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

The mechanic is fairly sure but yet is going to rip the head off anyway, what diagnostics did he do to arrive at his fairly sure prognosis?

Didn't say that he is taking the head off tomorrow, just that he is starting work on it.
Not only is he a good mechanic who does jobs for me on my car as well as camper, but also he's the guy who does the test on it. And he is very legit. He failed it a few years ago because of rust that I'd missed and hadn't got him to check camper out first. He did apologise but said he had no choice.

Sir Arthur Daley

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Didn't say that he is taking the head off tomorrow, just that he is starting work on it.

That is fair enough, i see all too often mechanics blame a head gasket, they work away and do it anyway. They then change out water pump, thermostat and radiator also while doing the job and get the vehicle running again and a huge bill to the customer. A mechanic needs to be 100% sure it a head gasket before commencing the job.

nailer8

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

A mechanic needs to be 100% sure it a head gasket before commencing the job.

Its a good job they all have x-ray glasses so that they can see inside the engine before they start stripping.

Aidan_M_M

Good answer! A coolant analyser and/or a leakdown test will help diagnose. That said, you'd have the head off handy enough.

Sir Arthur Daley

nailer8 wrote: »

Its a good job they all have x-ray glasses so that they can see inside the engine before they start stripping.

So drive on and strip the engine to find out if the head gasket was the problem or not?

nailer8

I am only making the point that mechanics cant always be 100% sure what is wrong until they open things up.

E.g. it would be impossible to distinguish between a headgasket and a crack in the head

In such a case customer may be quoted for a gasket but then feel ripped off when told he now needs to buy a head.

Today there is a truck in my workshop today which was quoted for a clutch but now needs a new flywheel as well. Couldn't be diagnosed until the clutch was removed.

Although i would admit a lot of mechanics/garages make promises that they cant be sure of keeping and that is wrong too. They quote best case scenario to get the work in.
They also dont always keep the customer informed as the job is progressing thus landing them with an unexpected and unexplained bill at the end.

Sir Arthur Daley

nailer8 wrote: »

I am only making the point that mechanics cant always be 100% sure what is wrong until they open things up.

E.g. it would be impossible to distinguish between a headgasket and a crack in the head

In such a case customer may be quoted for a gasket but then feel ripped off when told he now needs to buy a head.

This is different to what you said earlier. I never said a mechanic should know if its just a gasket or cracked without ripping. My point was specific and that a mechanic should be able to say without doubt that its a head gasket issue thus it may be gasket or head.

Irishgoatman

Happy days are here again:).

Got the camper back a couple of days ago. Yes it was the head gasket and a partially blocked hose.

So new gasket, new hose, head skimmed, general checking done and she's sounding better than ever.
Time consuming job as the engine has to be worked on from inside the cab and through the flat bed floor behind the cab, this meant that I had to take the demountable pod off. Easy to take off more hassle to put back on though, not the 10 minute job that the hand book says! needs very precise lining up, perhaps comes easier with practice as this was only my second time of doing it.

Happy camper again:D.