'56 1.4td Festa Coolant/Heater issues.
31-12-2009, 01:43 PM
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'56 1.4td Festa Coolant/Heater issues.
Hiya's first post here! A couple here know me but not many! so hi to the rest 
I've noticed this morning my festa is playing silly games. not had time to strip anything down to investigate, im a vauxhall bod so don't really know the setup at all as i choose not to open the bonnet if possible, and everywheres shut.
Symptons
Driving along i first noticed the heater blowing cold air. checked temp gauge and its fine, sat at 50% as normal.
Popped the bonnet, undid the exp tank, and it let out a small but noticable PSSSST so was pressurised but not extremely, little bit of steam/vapour, but dipping my finger the water was all but cold.
Had to drive it on, and so did a few tests and noticed the following.
Temp doesnt go up or down stays at 50% once warm (same as always)
heater does not blow with high revs so pump not just performing poor, BUT it kicks out like a hair drier under load, ie hit a duel carriageway or stick your foot down through country lanes low or high speed.
Top rad hose is HOT but not too hot you can't hold it, bottom rad hose is warm but not hot, rad feels cold anywhere i've managed to get my hand on it without stripping anything. (i have never checked in the past to know if it gets warm this kind of weather i would assume so? but unsure due to the current cold weather.)
So in my mind the water pump must be okay or it would boil over, the stat can't be siezed shut or it would boil and the heater would work anyway, it can't be stuck open or the engine would over-cool in this weather not sit at 50% (though im thinking this is most likely atm)
Any ideas??? pretty much as soon as you load it up, 10-15seconds later warm/hot air comes out. outside that time on light throttle or idle etc its stone cold air not even luke warm :-S
when i turn it off, i hear bubble bubble bubble of air inside the dashboard once. and occasional gurgle when i first startup the car but its done that a while so i've kinda forgot about it and not sure its related.
hopefully i'll get some time to have a look at it saturday so any suggestions would be great, at this point i dont even know where the stat is lol. poor neglected little festa!!
I've noticed this morning my festa is playing silly games. not had time to strip anything down to investigate, im a vauxhall bod so don't really know the setup at all as i choose not to open the bonnet if possible, and everywheres shut.
Symptons
Driving along i first noticed the heater blowing cold air. checked temp gauge and its fine, sat at 50% as normal.
Popped the bonnet, undid the exp tank, and it let out a small but noticable PSSSST so was pressurised but not extremely, little bit of steam/vapour, but dipping my finger the water was all but cold.
Had to drive it on, and so did a few tests and noticed the following.
Temp doesnt go up or down stays at 50% once warm (same as always)
heater does not blow with high revs so pump not just performing poor, BUT it kicks out like a hair drier under load, ie hit a duel carriageway or stick your foot down through country lanes low or high speed.
Top rad hose is HOT but not too hot you can't hold it, bottom rad hose is warm but not hot, rad feels cold anywhere i've managed to get my hand on it without stripping anything. (i have never checked in the past to know if it gets warm this kind of weather i would assume so? but unsure due to the current cold weather.)
So in my mind the water pump must be okay or it would boil over, the stat can't be siezed shut or it would boil and the heater would work anyway, it can't be stuck open or the engine would over-cool in this weather not sit at 50% (though im thinking this is most likely atm)
Any ideas??? pretty much as soon as you load it up, 10-15seconds later warm/hot air comes out. outside that time on light throttle or idle etc its stone cold air not even luke warm :-S
when i turn it off, i hear bubble bubble bubble of air inside the dashboard once. and occasional gurgle when i first startup the car but its done that a while so i've kinda forgot about it and not sure its related.
hopefully i'll get some time to have a look at it saturday so any suggestions would be great, at this point i dont even know where the stat is lol. poor neglected little festa!!
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