i20 coolant level

kingtut

I recently got my car back from the Hyundai garage who had to replace my radiator after an issue with the engine temperature.

All was fine for 2 weeks but then yesterday I noticed the temperature starting to travel between 90 and 110 (fluctuating between the two about every minute). I was not far from home and it never went into the red so I drove home.

Checked the coolant level this morning (while engine is COLD) and noticed that the coolant reservoir is full to the brim!! Thought it was not meant to be filled above the F line as it is an expansion tank?!

Can anyone tell me what I should do? Should I try drain it until it gets to the F line? Thanks in advance.

George Dalton

Sounds like the engine may have been damaged in the initial incident, as the garage warned you. You would think they would have made 100% sure it was ok before giving you back the car though.

Quote from your thread about the initial issue.

kingtut wrote: »

The engine temp guage in my car was ready 130 yesterday (it's a 142 Hyundai i20) so I pulled in and called the AA.
Garage just called and said that it appears that a stone hit the radiator and is causing a leak (or something like that - I no very little about cars).

Said it would cost approx €560 to put in a new radiator and if that didn't work then it might be a head gasket job.

kingtut

George Dalton wrote: »

Sounds like the engine may have been damaged in the initial incident, as the garage warned you. You would think they would have made 100% sure it was ok before giving you back the car though.

Quote from your thread about the initial issue.

Thanks George, I ended up just paying it myself (having spoken to my insurer). Is it a good idea to try and drop the level? The issue is not as bad as before but there is definitely something wrong (as you said yourself they should have been 100% sure it was fine)

George Dalton

The high level of coolant is a symptom of the problem rather than a cause. So draining out some coolant isn't going to help you I wouldn't think.

The most likely reason for the high level is air in the cooling system. So either the dealer didn't fill the system properly or (more likely) you have head gasket problems.

kingtut

George Dalton wrote: »

The high level of coolant is a symptom of the problem rather than a cause. So draining out some coolant isn't going to help you I wouldn't think.

The most likely reason for the high level is air in the cooling system. So either the dealer didn't fill the system properly or (more likely) you have head gasket problems.

Sh1t that's not good, thanks for letting me know.
I did hear a bit of gurgling so I guess that is an indication of air in the system, straight back to the garage it goes (but they can feck off if they think I'm paying when they didn't do it right the first time).

Thank you so much George

Stheno

kingtut wrote: »

Sh1t that's not good, thanks for letting me know.
I did hear a bit of gurgling so I guess that is an indication of air in the system, straight back to the garage it goes (but they can feck off if they think I'm paying when they didn't do it right the first time).

Thank you so much George

In fairness to the garage they did warn you the head gasket could be damaged?

Foxhole Norman

Stheno wrote: »

In fairness to the garage they did warn you the head gasket could be damaged?

But it might not be the head gasket. When I had my radiator replaced the temp gauge started to go up a bit because there was air in the system, bled it twice more until we were sure there was no air in it, hasn't ever budged since. He's right to get it done for free if it's not the HG.

Stheno

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

But it might not be the head gasket. When I had my radiator replaced the temp gauge started to go up a bit because there was air in the system, bled it twice more until we were sure there was no air in it, hasn't ever budged since. He's right to get it done for free if it's not the HG.

Ah if it's not the hg fair enough

kingtut

Stheno wrote: »

In fairness to the garage they did warn you the head gasket could be damaged?

They said that if replacing the rad did not fix it then it could be the head gasket however after they replaced the rad they said that it fixed all of the issues and therefore there was nothing wrong with the head gasket.

I should note though that I have had the car back for two weeks now and the new temp issue only started on Friday (in case that is indicative of something else ...)

Foxhole Norman

kingtut wrote: »

I should note though that I have had the car back for two weeks now and the new temp issue only started on Friday (in case that is indicative of something else ...)

I reckon that means it's another issue so other than air if it's only cropped up two days ago after two weeks of being fine!

kingtut

Stheno wrote: »

In fairness to the garage they did warn you the head gasket could be damaged?

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

I reckon that means it's another issue so other than air if it's only cropped up two days ago after two weeks of being fine!

Ye it's a bad situation, anyway I'll get it back to the garage asap, going by my posts you can tell I'm clueless about cars I won't be attempting repairs myself, although in terms of my original post I know that the coolant level should not be above the F line.

Engine at 130deg suggests potential damage due to excess heat. Cause was coolant loss due to rad damage. Rad replaced, garage deemed the car fine. Two weeks later engine temp rises again suggests the head was damaged due to the initial overheating.

Fault not with the garage for the issue to he fair, harsh to even consider it a really poor assessment. Unfortunately many garages aren't very proficient at what you'd expect them to be.

Imo its 100% hg

166man

If temperature hit the red at 130 then more than likely could be damage done.

Is it just me or does €560 for a radiator (even from a main dealer) sound excessive, especially given that it's a smaller Hyundai?

Stheno

166man wrote: »

If temperature hit the red at 130 then more than likely could be damage done.

Is it just me or does €560 for a radiator (even from a main dealer) sound excessive, especially given that it's a smaller Hyundai?

Yeah I thought it sounded expensive too

George Dalton

Genuine Hyundai parts are very expensive.

166man

George Dalton wrote: »

Genuine Hyundai parts are very expensive.

Evidently so! That's some bill to get landed with a year after buying a car, I know it was a stone so it's unlucky but I thought genuine Alfa parts were pricey!

George Dalton

Even service parts are a scandalous price for them. For example a genuine cabin filter for an I30 is €23 ex vat. It's just a bog standard non charcoal filter. An aftermarket one is about €8.

Just for comparison a genuine non charcoal Mk5/Mk6 Golf cabin filter is €10 ex vat. Aftermarket aren't much cheaper.

kingtut

Hey guys just letting you know that the garage are looking at the car today so I'll report back when I hear more. Thanks for all the help/advice/suggestions thus far!

kingtut

Update - Garage says it's the head gasket. I know it is going to cost a bomb but am waiting on a quote.

Anyone else ever heard of a stone busting a radiator? Surely it is a define flaw? So annoyed

Stheno

kingtut wrote: »

Update - Garage says it's the head gasket. I know it is going to cost a bomb but am waiting on a quote.

Anyone else ever heard of a stone busting a radiator? Surely it is a define flaw? So annoyed

Yep have heard of it before

Hopefully it's not too expensive

kingtut

Stheno wrote: »

Yep have heard of it before

Hopefully it's not too expensive

Do you think I would have a case against Hyundai with regard to it being a design flaw? Also any idea on total price? *gulp*

Stheno

kingtut wrote: »

Do you think I would have a case against Hyundai with regard to it being a design flaw? Also any idea on total price? *gulp*

Don't think you'd get very far with a case there other cars I heard it happening to were different makes
No ide on cost I'd be surprised if it cost as much as the radiator though

166man

Had the head gasket done recently on my Alfa, was in and around €600.. I got it done at a good pric. From a main dealer I'd say you're looking at more than that.

Sorry to hear. It's just bad luck I reckon.

Toyotafanboi

it's mad how a dealer is so quick to ring you and tell you the nature of the fault, but don't offer a quote at the same time. it's not like they don't know how much it'l cost.

kingtut

Stheno wrote: »

Don't think you'd get very far with a case there other cars I heard it happening to were different makes
No ide on cost I'd be surprised if it cost as much as the radiator though

166man wrote: »

Had the head gasket done recently on my Alfa, was in and around €600.. I got it done at a good pric. From a main dealer I'd say you're looking at more than that.

Sorry to hear. It's just bad luck I reckon.

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

it's mad how a dealer is so quick to ring you and tell you the nature of the fault, but don't offer a quote at the same time. it's not like they don't know how much it'l cost.

Thanks guys. 166man was that €600 all in?

I was looking around online and looked like the head gasket itself was €250 but required 9 hours of labour to fit (labour being the pricey bit) so would over a grand sound about right? Perhaps even 1500 ?

kingtut

Stheno wrote: »

Don't think you'd get very far with a case there other cars I heard it happening to were different makes
No ide on cost I'd be surprised if it cost as much as the radiator though

Have you got any examples of this? I looked online and couldn't find any other examples of a stone hitting the radiator

Toyotafanboi

i reckon you are looking at €800 - €1000 all in, biggest variable being what the garage charges for labour.

rex-x

The biggest variable will be if they are willing to skim the head or demand that a new one is fitted, its not as simple as just fitting the gasket in an overheat situation.