Overheating in Sweden (2 Litre Petrol)

[Ian]

Message received from member in distress. Can anyone help?

"My wife and I are on a road trip around Scandinavia and are currently in Storuman mid Sweden. Yesterday when stopped for fuel the header tank boiled over (no problems at all in the last 6000 miles)
I let it cool and topped it back up then tried to drive and the same thing happens after 5 mins.
I left it over night and tried again, same thing.

I’ve now been recovered to a garage but as I’m in the middle of nowhere it’s looking like a two week wait just to get them to look at it then ordering parts, fitting etc…

I suppose the question is what would be your opinion of whether it’s the head gasket or not, there is a lot of pressure in the header tank and only the bottom hose is hot. No oil in header tank and no water on dipstick. It starts to pressurise within 5 mins of driving.

There is no water leaks except from the overflow No obvious signs of anything untoward in the engine bay.
Im just a bit stuck really, plus the Swedish language barrier doesn’t help…

Any help or advice much appreciated."

[gilly99]

Any overheating incidents over the previous week or long, hot hill climbs?

You might be lucky and it's a pin-hile leak someplace when it's under real duress, and you have just gradually lost coolant.

Maybe try topping-up and completely bleeding the coolant system, fact sheet on here and videos on-line. It's a quite involved process, two-man job really.
https://youtu.be/jRAKOSxgbKo

Beats sitting around waiting!!

[Debs and David]

Hi sorry to hear your problem but the 2l bongo engine is self bleeding so video no good as its for the diesel. Could be Blockage in coolant system ,Water pump ,are all belts in place just a few pointers hope you sort it

[Rodney1985]

Hi gilly99,

No there’s not been any overheating during my short ownership and roughly 6k miles. Can’t see any signs of coolant leaks.
However the header tank was low, I assume only from the coolant it’s lost blowing it past the pressure cap.

Hi Debs snd David,
I got access to my car whilst it’s waiting in the garage car park.
I wondered about a blockage, so I have drained coolant and run water through the rad which seems relatively free and clear. Water that came out was fairly rusty looking but not oily. Tried running through the engine but it was so slow as if it was blocked but I assume that’s the thermostat stopping it as it’s cold.
Next I’ll inspect the thermostat.

Thanks both for your help so far.
Simon

[Rodney1985]

Update.

Thermostat removed, it was black and part of it breaking up so looks as if it might not of been able to function correctly.
I’ve removed it and refilled the engine with water and there is now no overheating.
I’m aware that running no thermostat is far from ideal but in my situation where I cannot source a replacement perhaps I can carry on my trip without one fitted?
Could this of caused such bad overheating? I suppose if the coolant wasn’t running through the radiator then perhaps it could of.
Could the removed thermostat be somehow masking the under lying problem, I.e if the head gasket has in fact failed?

Again any input appreciated.

Simon

[Ian]

You should be able to obtain a thermostat locally. It's also found on a Mazda 626. Mazda part number is B3H715171A. Aftermarket equivalents shown at https://www.yoyopart.com/oem/1971865/bl ... 59209.html

Good luck!

[teenmal]

Update.

Thermostat removed, it was black and part of it breaking up so looks as if it might not of been able to function correctly.
I’ve removed it and refilled the engine with water and there is now no overheating.
I’m aware that running no thermostat is far from ideal but in my situation where I cannot source a replacement perhaps I can carry on my trip without one fitted?
Could this of caused such bad overheating? I suppose if the coolant wasn’t running through the radiator then perhaps it could of.
Could the removed thermostat be somehow masking the under lying problem, I.e if the head gasket has in fact failed?

Again any input appreciated.

Simon

You are perfectly correct about the thermostat but in your position, I would leave the thermostat out until you get home.

[Rodney1985]

Update.

So with the thermostat removed there was no over heating but there was also no temperature at all in the engine. I was planning on just running like this as I didn’t have much option but when buying antifreeze at the petrol station I bumped into the recovery truck driver who had helped me the day before.
I explained the situation, he said well at least you can carry on your trip, I agreed and we went out separate ways. That evening my phone went and it was him again and he had found 6 new old stock thermostats in his garage and was on his way to give them to me at the campsite we were stuck at. 5 were way to small but 1 looked close so he gave it to me. The next day I filed down the OD and got it to fit the housing, it’s a lovely quality thermostat, better than the one that was in there and now the bongo is good as new! What a result! The kindness of strangers is amazing and we’re back underway with our trip.

Thanks for everyone’s help.
Simon

[g8dhe]

Oh excellent news ! Lets hope you can get on with the rest of the trip and enjoy it all

[Bob]

That’s wonderful.

[Roy748]

Good to hear you are back on the road..
So nice to hear of acts of kindness from strangers. Hopefully should he need assistance some day he too will have the good fortune to meet a like minded individual.