my old mans just come home with steam coming out the bonnet, and the temp gauge in the red, and the engine started pinking.

Had a look under the bonnet, theres no water in the radiator tank, and the fan wasnt on either.

Theres no mess on the engine.

What we think?

 

I think you've been messin with your dads escort

Serious tho, take the thermostat out, fill with coolant. Only fill with warm coolant if the engine is still hot. Or leave till cooled (say 2 hrs to be safe)

 

check the dipstick and oil filler cap for mayo

 

Well ive dropped him back at work so it will be sat on the drive now for a while.

Hes had nothing but shit luck with this car, it overheated about 10months ago aswell only he didnt stop soon enough and buggered the engine, so we had a new one put in...... and now this happens

I left fords about 10months ago, i think ill be advising my dad does the same

 

even though its well looked after? ill have a look in abit though

 

No offence here BM08 but has he checked the oil latley?

 

see above mate, neither of us are mechanical in any way at all, but we know how to look after them between services.

 

obviously not that well if it's being overheated that badly and still being driven

 

is this a mk1/2 conversion or an escort that the zetec is fitted to as standard?

 

Is it not entirely possible that something could have suddenly packed up which has made it over heat? got nothing to do with keeping it ticking over between services.
I already said we know nothing about engines.


If you havent got anything helpful to say then dont reply please

 

Mk6 1.6 mate

 

The water pump could fail, causing the engine to overheat and pop the head gasket and thats where your waters gone?

 

My dad only notice it getting hot 1minute from our house then switched it off, the engine was running fine.

Plus the temp gauge was registering, i think if the head was gone already the gauge wouldnt even read?

 

the car wont overheat in 1 minute from coldstart, it couldnt have had any coolant in it.

also was the engine running for? as you just said it was pinking?

 

No i meant from our house as in coming TO IT, sorry.

So it had done probably 4-5 miles THEN noticed the temp gauge getting into the red 1 min from the house, then switched it straight off.

As far as were both concerned the cars levels were fine prior to this because he does regular checks, and it goes for 2 services per year so its not like something was hanging off/ broken for a while.

 

I'd personally say head gasket mate.

If the expansion bottle is empty & no signs of an external leak (water/coolent on floor, round engine etc) then it's gotta be goin somewhere, is the exhaust smoking ??

Things it could be...........

Headgasket
expansion bottle cap
thermostat
blockage
heater matrix
water pump

things to check..........

radiator hot all over ??
when refilled with coolent can you see the water swirling in the expansion bottle, water coming out the overflow into the bottle if fitted ??
Oil (looking for Mayo)
coolent (lookin for oil deposits etc)
Top rad hose gettin hot ??
Temp sensor wire snapped ?? (wouldn't explain coolent lose tho)
drivers/passengers footwell for damp/wet.
Fans operating when run up to temp (switch connected ?)

I'd say it's probably done the head gasket now tho regardless if it has overheated !!

Good luck

jb

 

If its boiled up to that extent (in 4 - 5 miles)i would say either a water pump failure - or head gasket failure.

Either way, fill it up and start it from cold and see if its pressurising the water hoses etc etc

 

fcking hope not, like i said its a new bloody engine

Ill have a look under the bonnet cheers mate

 

I hope its a replaceable part i really do.

Ill have a look but thats all i can do at the end of the day, so it will likely have to be taken up the road to the garage but after reading some of your comments i dont even want to start it let alone drive it

 

got nought to do with how well its been looked after mate, reason for asking is if you see mayo, its likely the headgasket

 

yeah i realised that just after mate, my bad

 

Fill header tank up and take all the plugs out and keep turning it over and see if you get a nice water feature

 

Thanks for the replys guys

Just looked under the bonnet and took the filler cap off and check the dipstick, both are squeaky clean.
We filled the coolant up but it was going down slightly as i was filling it, so we filled it then he just took it up the road for the guys at the garage to look at, its only 2miles so fingers crossed, ive had no phone call yet

It started fine, sounded fine so we'll see