hi
im dirving a fiesta mk4 and when finished a drive there is a lot of steam from the radiator. i open the hood and the water storage for the engine seems to overflow through the cap and has a dark murkey colour to it. not knowing too much about this im not sure if there is a connection between water for the engine and the radiator. the cooling fan seems to work ok for the rad. sometimes i turn the car back on as to let the fan have more time cooling the rad. has anyone any advice on what could be causing these headaches. any help appricated no matter how little.

 

The water in the radiator is the same as in the engine, the water pump pumps it around the engine where it absorbs the heat then out through the radiator for cooling, then back in the engine again, and so it goes on.
The dark murkey colour suggests it is well overdue for a change of antifreeze, or that someone has put some rad seal type stuff in there because of problems.
Have you just got the car ?, make sure the expansion tank is only filled to minimum.
tabetha

 

Hiya mate... just read your reply and Im kind of thinking thats whats wrong with my car too, the radweld... at first my radiator was giving off a musky boiled water smell and was leaking a bit so a mate suggested to put radweld in it... a week or so later I was on a long drive and the fanheater started blowing hot air even when turned off... the temperature engine gauge on the dash said normal but it was still blowing hot air even when I turned the heater too cold... since then I have bought a new heater valve and resistor, fitted them both but Im still left with hot air blowing... my engine its self is getting hot even after short journeys but reading normal on the dash temperature... Im no expert and I have asked near everyone I know for help... Im guessing I either have to replace the radiator or buy new dash (fan) switches as Im told they tend to pack in after a while...

any suggestions ?

 

Sounds like an air lock. Run the engine on idle for ten mins with the heating set to hot and the expansion bottle lid off that should sort it out. Keep an eye on it while you do this and watch for the warning light on the dash.
If no joy it's worth checking/replacing the thermostat and if that doesn't fix the problem that murky water could be the signs of a head gasket failure.
One final trick get some rad flush ( made by the same people that make rad weld) and flush the system. Should be similar process pour in and run for 10. Let the car cool down and drain the system ( pour the liquid down the bog not the drain ) and make sure the heating is set to hot again this will get all fluid from the system out, next get some ready mixed red antifreeze from euro car parts (5 litres should do) and fill up in a similar way to bleeding.

Above all else good luck and if you get stuck youtube my fast ford brother.

 

A mate of mine said it sounds like it has an airlock so another mate and me gave the valve pipes a look at, we disconnected them but water came threw... my mate said water wouldn't come threw if it had an airlock (but between you an me I'm not 100% sure he knows what he's on about...) Ill try it your way as that seems more thurrow... also I mite add, there isn't murky water in my car... I only used that other persons message as a reference as its seemed a similar situation/problem to what Im experiencing with my car... Its just one thing I could do without atm as Im in the midle of doing the last bit of prep work ready for its spray job, Il let you know how I get on,

cheers buddy