Clivvy needs help!

[clivvy]

so on my way to work today, everything is fine. Engines idling really nicely for a change i think to myself.

blooming heck i think, its still cold, yet the temp gauge is up to half way.

fiddle with the buttons, nothing, no heat, oh dear.

temp gauge reached 3/4 when i pulled into work about 5 miles from home. still no heat, i was frozen.

took some pics:

water coming out of rad cap?

temp gauge

ok, so the radiator felt cold, yet the large pipe at the to left was warm, the pipes across the bulk head warm (to heater??) and the bottom pipe on the lower right was cold.

so, what do you guys think?

forgot to mention, been totally fine up untill this day, and last night was -10....

 

[zippy656]

was the water pump moving?

might have bust that if one end turning and the other end ice locked?

but ive no idea realy, never had that happen to me

by the way, Lidi are doing coolant testers for 99P, ive got one will test mine tonight.

 

[clivvy]

how can i tell if the water pump is moving? is it attached to the viscous fan, so the viscous fan woudl be moving??

 

[zippy656]

yes the fan will move.

ive no idea.. but if iced up the water pump will not pump the water / slush about

 

[clivvy]

hmm, would seem likely, but not explain the collant coming out of the rad cap...unelss thats due to pressure? i wonder if perhaps the thermostat is stuck closed? so water is being pumped, but cant flow as needed..hence theb uild up of pressure and coming out of the cap ??

ill go and check the fan shortly...

 

[Timbo_1975]

My guess is the rad core is frozen, and so is the heater matrix. How much antifreeze have you got in ?

Just had exactly the same on a BMW this morning.

 

[nenook]

rad

hi i had a similar do yesterday, car running engine hot no heat coming through. so i flushed the system with warm water and the rad, swapped the thermostat
and refilled with long life 50/50 mix antifreeze ,it cured my problem , less than £ 30.00 and half hour out of my day.

 

[makeitfit]

Agreed, defo frozen heater matrix and prob rad too. What temp thermostat yopu got in?
Increase your antifreeze ratio:thumbs

 

[clivvy]

cheers guys, it does sound the same as you. im waiting for it to cool down, then ill get a new thermostat/anti freeze from the car shop down the road. I have no idea what mixture i have in tbh, which is probably my mistake (and lesson learned) but so long as nothing is broken, and its just frozen water, then thats ok.

im going to go and check shrotly to figure out a bit more...

 

[clivvy]

Agreed, defo frozen heater matrix and prob rad too. What temp thermostat yopu got in?
Increase your antifreeze ratio:thumbs

i think ive got whatever the standard thermosts is...85?? whihc one do i need, and should i replace it?

 

[makeitfit]

I'm not sure myself:augie
I've just taken out my 88 degree one and put in 82 or was it 84:nenau
I think the lower the temp on the thermo the sooner it will open and send hot water to heater matrix.:thumbs

 

[clivvy]

I'm not sure myself:augie
I've just taken out my 88 degree one and put in 82 or was it 84:nenau
I think the lower the temp on the thermo the sooner it will open and send hot water to heater matrix.:thumbs

think ill go for an 82...

do you think the system will thaw out today?? if so, it means i can drive home normally via Andrew Page and pick up a new thermostat and coolant and do it at home over the weekend...??

 

[makeitfit]

Go out and start it up again. Run around for a bit and then leave it again. Repeat

 

[solarman216]

I'm not sure myself:augie
I've just taken out my 88 degree one and put in 82 or was it 84:nenau
I think the lower the temp on the thermo the sooner it will open and send hot water to heater matrix.:thumbs

Not quite correct, the heater gets all the heat till the stat opens then it goes to the rad as well, so if you want a hotter heater use a higher temperature stat, Rick

 

[clivvy]

ok peeps, more info. went out and checked the hoses, gave them a squeeze, i can feel the frozen water inside, and can here it crunching, so definately frozen pipes.
presumably once defroasted, i can empty the rad and re fill with a better mix of anti freeze? with luck, it might get me home so i can do it at home.

 

[solarman216]

If you have ice in the pipes I would be very wary of driving it as head gasket is next on the list if it gets too hot, I would get as much water out as pos and get some more anti freeze in it, Rick

 

[clivvy]

ok Rick will do. best way to do this? remove lower rad pipes?? i probably wont be abel to completely empty it, but will this be sufficient? i just want to be able to safely defrost the water, top up/change the rad coolant etc and carry on!

 

[clivvy]

ok, ive ordered a new thermostat and coolant from Andrew pages, can collect after 230pm, so looks like ill be repairing the truck here at work, i may as well undo the lower hose now and let the ice drain out....

oh and i ordered BLUE anti freeze, no idea what colour is in there but it LOOKS blue...

 

[solarman216]

Yes pull the bottom rad pipe, run the engine for a few minutes beforehand to get it warm not hot, reconnect the pipe and fill with neat AF, you should get more than enough in, then run engine till you get circulation, if the gauge rises too high stop the engine with the bonnet down hopefully the heat will warm the frozen rad, let it cool down to normal then start it again, do not drive it till you are sure you have circulation, feel the top of the rad the bottom will always be cold when idling in this weather, Rick

 

[clivvy]

thankyou Rick, and everyone for the advice. ill be doing this about 430 this afternoon in works car park, going to be very cold but hey.:clap