zxd heater and engine overheating

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pauljacey
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zxd heater and engine overheating

Post by pauljacey »

The heater blower only blows cold air and the engine runs hot even on cool spring days, hovering around the 120 degree (red line) on the temp gauge.
what is the ideal running temp for a 1900D?
The heater did, briefly, blow hot air once, turned it down and it blew cold then turned it up and it did not blow hot anymore. I hope it's not the matrix after reading other contributors trials.
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TomH
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Post by TomH »

Oh dear, not good symptoms I'm afraid. At best an air lock from not bleeding the coolant properly, at worst head gasket and/or water pump issues.
It should be between 85-90, and never much over 90.
should be lots of previous discussion on this
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oscarloco
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Post by oscarloco »

Have you checked the thermostat?
wilkobob
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Post by wilkobob »

Sounds like an air lock (had it before on a 1.4 reflex). Try bleeding the system.
pauljacey
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Post by pauljacey »

Looks like wilkobob could be on to something.
I checked the coolant level after driving home last night. The engine was hot (too hot) and the expansion tank was reading just under the max. mark but the radiator was only hot at the bottom.
I let the engine cool down opened the radiator bleed valve puckered my lips and blew into the radiator filler cap. It bubbled several times and then the level in the expansion tank dropped away, I topped it up with water/antifreeze. I repeated this 3 times until the level didn't go down and started the car.
Lo and behold, it didn't overheat and joy of joys the heating works!
On my way to work this morning I bought a vat of antifreeze and I will get a proprietary chemical flush to clean the system. Hopefully it I follow the detailed instructions on flushing and changing the coolant left on other postings, I will solve the problem.
Thank you for your help.
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Post by wilkobob »

Bear in mind the radiatior and header tank are below the level of water in the engine. You need a "funnel" type system to bleed it up properly, I usully find its easier with 2 people. Depending on the car, there are 3 or 4 bleed points. One on the upper right of radiator, one above thermostat, one in bulkhead where water pipes enter for heater matrix, and one to the left of that. apart from the one on the radiator, they all have "valve cap" type caps on them. I usually start with the one on the radiator, then the thermostat, then the matrix then the other one. For the funnel, I find a robinsons pop bottle with the bottom cut off usually works. Like I said, its alot easier with 2 people. Hope this helps
Simon
pauljacey
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Post by pauljacey »

Oh dear.
The garage has just phoned to say the head gasget has gone on my zxd, TomH's worst case scenario (see earlier reply). Anyone replaced one recently? Did you do it yourself and if not how much can I expect the bill to be?
I searched the forum for "head gasket" but only got this topic.
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Post by rashmore »

A garage reckoned mine had gone, but they only looked into the rad expansion tank and observed tiny bubles in water. i bled the system and kept an eye on it - loads of air came out. since changed the thermostat and bled the system - told this can give same symptoms as failed HG. then had chemical test to check no exhaust gases in coolant water - of which there were none, so head gasket is fine. saved me £300 and a week without car. Water level not changed since.
cos the level in the expansion tank was above max level when hot, the bubbles were being produced from turbulence as water was pumped out of tube at top of expansion tank.
Brian Oblivion
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Post by Brian Oblivion »

If you do get the gasket done, I'd get the radiator replaced or exchanged. I had three gaskets and matrix's changed. the problem which was causing it was eventually found to be a blocked rad. Very, very expensive.
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Post by wilkobob »

Id agree with Brian here, I had the same sorta job. £100 for a rad was alot cheaper than the head gasket, which hadnt gone in the first place. My problem was also a blocked radiator. Change that first, and keep an eye on it, if it keeps losing water then maybe consider the head gasket.
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Post by fastandfurryous »

if it's no longer oveheating, then it's unlikely to be the head gasket. Head gasket symptoms are over pressure coolant, mayonaise in oil/water and difficult starting (if really bad). Flush the rad, bleed the coolant and see what happens.
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Post by Peter.N. »

I have just changed the head gasket on my 2.1 td XM, not a job for the fainthearted, I have found out why they charge neary £1,000 for doing it! (if you can get them to do it) however, in view of the work involved I have just fitted a new radiator as a precaution and have been rewarded with a somewhat lower temperature under load. The heater has never been as efficient in this car as my previous ones, I thought this to be due to the matrix being partially blocked, but not so, it was due to air in the system, it now burns your hand. The problem with the 1.9td engine is that it is difficult to get all the air out when refilling, on the 2.1 engine they have resolved this problem by siting the thermostat in the return side at the bottom of the engine, its a pig to get to but it does prevent you cracking the head by not bleeding it properly, but doesn't apparantly stop the heater from getting air locked!
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Post by pauljacey »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Brian Oblivion</i>

If you do get the gasket done, I'd get the radiator replaced or exchanged. I had three gaskets and matrix's changed. the problem which was causing it was eventually found to be a blocked rad. Very, very expensive.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Thanks again for your advice and experiences.
I am getting a new radiator and thermostat fitted today (£60 plus the parts). I am also renewing the cambelt, and tensioner (3hours labour plus parts), it's not been done in 95,000 miles. I have also asked my man to change the waterpump if it looks in the slightest bit suspect.
Fingers crossed I will not need a new head gasket. The coolant water is not pressurised, it starts well, and there is no "mayonnaise" instead of oil/water.
Watch this space. And may I add <u>what an excellent resource this</u> forum is. I don't have a garage or even off road parking to do the work myself, I live 20 storys high in a london tower block so I can't even flush the coolant with a hose and its a bugger when you forget a tool, you can't walk away from anything in the street, tools etc, because it will be nicked. But your advice, information and experience is empowering and it gives me confidence when dealing with mechanics.
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Post by Peter.N. »

I hope it all goes well. You should live in the middle of a farm like me.
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