Ford Escort - engine overheating (I think)

[jordana]

Hi Everybody,

We bought a F Reg Escort Popular about a month ago. There were no apparent problems with the car except that the blowers did not blow hot air when the heating was on.

Yesterday when we were driving home the engine started to overheat and there was a burning smell coming from the bonnet.

The AA guy thought the problem was a small leak from near the water pump and said that effectively, we had been driving with v little water in the radiator. He filled the radiator with water and a bottle of antifreeze, ran the engine and sent us on our way. We told him we bought the car for £100 and only planned on keeping it til the MOT in August. He thought that as long we kept the radiator filled, we would not need to fix the leak before this time.

A couple of miles down the road, the temperature guage for the engine again started to climb and the engine got v hot.

He came back again. He felt the water tubes and said that as half of them were hot and the other half cold, he thinks the trouble may be the thermostat. He told us to replace this and something called the gasket.

Could someone tell me what these things are and why they would cause the engine to overheat. Also, are the problems related to the leak near the water pump and the lack of heating in the car? As the car is so cheap, we were hoping to fix these things ourselves using the car manual? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for all you help and suggestions.

 

[cjbigboy]

1. When you start your car from cold the thermostat is closed and only allows water to circulate within the engine block, in order to heat the engine up to optimum temperature quickly. When the water temperature reaches usually 88/92 degrees the thermostat opens and allows the water to circulate through the radiator and be cooled.

If your thermostat is stuck closed, the water inside the block will get hotter and hotter and not be able to cool down, causing you to overheat

2. A Gasket is basically a seal between two component parts of an engine, Depends where the leak is as to what gasket needs replacing. Sounds like the Water Pump gasket needs replacing. Wht engine size is the escort?

3. The lack of heating in the car is also likely to be the thermostat too, as the same coolant circulates to the heater matrix inside the heater box. (basically a tiny radiator which has air blown across it then into the car to warm it up) A Stuck thermostat would not allow any warm water to circulate into the heater, and thus cold air.

hope you get sorted

CJ

 

[jordana]

Thanks for the information. The car has 1.3L engine.

I took the car into the garage and they think the thermostat needs changing - it is going to cost £40 + VAT.

This is nearly half the value of the car! Is the thermostat something I could change myself as the garage man says this is a job best left to the experts.

 

[johnwr]

Hello Jordana, I think the mechanic!!!! is taking the p**s, try somewhere else. Yes it is an easy job, go and borrow a Haynes manual from your local library.
regards johnwr

 

[cjbigboy]

John is right, the thermostat will set you back £5 or so plus a couple of litres of anti freeze. Easy to do.

You still need to identify the source of the leak. Water pump gasket on the 1.3 ohv engine is easy enough, and Haynes will take you through that too

good luck

CJ

 

[sidecar_jon]

Yes like they said don't panic, changing a thermostat is easy, leave the leek it might well sort its self out when the thermostat is sorted and its not under such pressure. You can check if it the 'stat by removing it and putting the housing back on, water will circulate freely and it'll take longer to warm up but it will prove if its the 'stat.

 

[BazzaS]

If you are going to do it yourself, when you buy the thermostat don't forget to also buy a thermostat housing gasket. Don't expect the existing gasket to be re-usable. Also when you've got the old thermostat out and befor you put the new one in, ensure the housing faces (where the new gasket will sit) are completely clear and clean of the old gasket otherwise you'll not get a proper seal.
Best regards

 

[cjbigboy]

When you take the Thermostat out when cold it should be shut, if its open at that point its obviously stuck open.

If it is closed, test it by putting it in a bowl of boiling water (100 degrees C)
It should open, if not its stuck shut.

Either way replace as the above poster said

CJ

 

[jordana]

Thanks everybody for the advice.

I tried to sort out the thermostat on the weekend. When I loosened the two screws on the thermostat housing, the housing cracked and I now have 2 pieces!

The crack looked very rusty yet I didn't notice it when the screws were intact. Have I done something wrong when opening it?

Also, I can’t prise the thermostat out. Does anyone know how to loosen a thermostat that is stuck fast. Also is a housing expensive?

Thanks

 

[johnwr]

The thermostat will come out if you us a large screwdriver, it will be rusted in the cylinder head. The thermostat house should be cheap if you go to the scrappers. best of luck johnwr

 

[keyplayer]

the housing cracked and I now have 2 pieces!

The crack looked very rusty

I suspect you have diagnosed your problem. I believe the housing is alloy which won't rust, but your coolant would stain it. Case of overtightening perhaps? Not sure what type your motor has, but as you have only 2 bolts you should torque them to about 17 - 21 Nm. Any tighter is foolish. As already mentioned, nice clean mating surfaces, and a little jointing compound on the new gasket won't do any harm.

 

[jordana]

Hi Everybody,

Thanks for the information. We changed the thermostat last weekend and the car worked for one day. Then the engine overheated again.

We had filled the overflow tank but when we looked, it was empty.

We obviously have a leak but can't locate it.

I have heard about a product that you put in your radiator to stop the leaks - does anyone know what this product is and how it works.

Thanks

Di

 

[breezer]

i think you mean "rad weld" it fills small cracks, it works but it only solves the problem not the cause

 

[Nige F]

Head gasket prob. gone throw the new stat away leave it out and keep filling rad until mot expires.....trust me I`ve owned dozens of ****ters.on average they cost £500.00 a year to purchase and keep going.can`t be arsed with them now the mortgage is paid, went and bought a new car.first one ever

 

[jordana]

We fixed the thermostat by ourselves but then the water pump started leaking.

Just before Christmas, we gave up and put the car in to replace the water pump and give it a service. £300 odd quid and 5 days later, the radiator hose started leaking.

We fixed the radiator hose but the engine kept overheating.

We took it back to the same mechanic as we thought he should have pressure tested it.

He said he did but has now said that the head gasket has a leak in it and that the cylinders are putting air into the cooling system creating airlocks and causing the car to overheat.

I have four questions.

What is he taking about? Shouldn't the cylinders be separate from the cooling system? What does the head gasket actually have to do with the cooling system?

Should he have picked this up when he fixed the cooling system and serviced the car?

Can we fix this ourselves and how would we get rid of the airlocks?

thanks in advance