Renault 19 gtsx keeps on overheating HELP!! please

Loopelisa · Unread post by **Loopelisa** » 29 Jan 2004, 21:32

Hi to all
I have a 1991 renault 19 1.4 energy that keeps on overheating, the thermostat has been changed several times and checked to make sure it is working and also the thermostastic rad/fan switch changed. The temperature just keeps creeping up and up until i get steam coming out of the bonnet - oops not good. The only way to stop it overheating is to rip the guts out of the thermostat so it is permanently open, but poor old me and little boy then have no heat in car, but this does keep the temp gauge virtually on cold. ooo and other strange thing, for some reason when thermostat has guts ripped out the fan does work in traffic when temp rises, but with a correctly working thermostat installed for some reason it blows the rad thermostatic switch, bizarre hey!!!
really hope someone might have a clue how to help, would be very much appreciated
Lisa [:D][8)]

CITMAN · Unread post by **CITMAN** » 30 Jan 2004, 15:19

Sounds like a coolant circulations problem. Best bet would be to flush the system through with a good rad flush such as forte cooling system flush which you should be able to get from a good garage. And after you have done this give the system a good flush using a hose pipe by taking the bottom and top hose off first. Including the radiator and reverse flush everything.
Failing that you might have the start of a headgasket problem but thats a worst case scenrio. You say that it blows the rad switch, this could be due to excessive pressure in the cooling system which could again mean a head gasket problem I could be way off.

Loopelisa · Unread post by **Loopelisa** » 31 Jan 2004, 00:26

Hi and thanx CITMAN
My boyfriend said i should also mention that i have been driving the car around for the past year and half with a thermostat in it with the inners ripped out, (un-known to me, the ex bodged it!!!!!) we can't work out why its been running ok for the last year and half, all be it that the temp gauge stays virtually on cold on continuous journerys and only starts to rise when sat in traffic, surely a thermostat with the guts ripped out is equivelant to a working thermostat that opens correctly?????????????. Also during the past year or so there has been no loss of water or power etc, its just bloody cold!
Any more ideas???? please[8)]
Lisa

Loopelisa · Unread post by **Loopelisa** » 31 Jan 2004, 00:39

PS
do you think it still could be a headgasket problem if its been running like this for a year and half, with no major problems except there being no heat in car, there has been no real loss of water or power etc.
thanx
Lis

CITMAN · Unread post by **CITMAN** » 31 Jan 2004, 01:56

What the thermostat does is to regulate the temp of the engine. When the engine is cold the thermostat is closed to aid the warm up period of the engine to reduce engine wear. To do this when its closed it stops the flow of coolant through the radiator. As the engine warms up it starts to open and allows coolant to circulate through the radiator which is then cooled by the incoming air which in turn cools the engine. If as you say they guts have been ripped out this means that themostat is open all the time, which would mean the engine would never get up to temp when your driving along. But when you stop there is not air coming through the radiator hence the temp gauge begins to rise.
The removal of the guts of the themostat is common bodge when the engine has a head gasket problem because it will continuously overheat with themostat fitted. But I would fit a new themostat of the correct type, do what I said in the earlier post first flush everything through fit themostat and bleed the system as per the haynes manual. Renaults are pain for bleeding of the cooling system. And see how it goes. Failing this you need to have the headgasket tested by a garage. There are number of tests which are the following: -
1. Take it the garage and have a headgasket test this is when pressurised air is fed into the cylinders of the engine and any loss into the cooling system is accompanied by bubbles forming in the expansion tank.
2. Take the car to an mot station and ask them put their exhaust gas analyser into the expansion tank and not into the coolant to detect and exhaust gas emmisions i.e. hydrocarbons HCs.
3. Do it yourself check with the engine running remove the filler cap on the expansion tank and look for a continuous stream of bubbles which indicate a head gasket problem.
4. Do it yourself check - Check for oil in the cooling system i.e. coolant is brown and horrible and check the oil for water contamination i.e. creamy sludge on the dipstick and under the oil filler cap.

Loopelisa · Unread post by **Loopelisa** » 31 Jan 2004, 03:58

cheers CITMAN
appreciate all your advice, still not convinced its a headgasket problem, as i check the oil regularly and its definately not got any signs of sludge in it. Adam checked for bubbles in the expansion tank last weekend, again nothing there and not topped up the coolant in over a year, so not been losing any water really.
Adam still suspects it could be an airlock or something, so have started a thread asking if anyone has a Haynes manual to copy out the bleeding procedure, (i let someone borrow my manual and can't get the bloody thing back!! gggrrr)
once again, i appreciate all your very useful advice, will let you know how we get on
Lisa [:D]

Loopelisa · Unread post by **Loopelisa** » 01 Feb 2004, 23:30

Hi Citman and all
YIPPEE, Got it sorted, Managed to get back my Haynes manual and Adam followed the bleeding procedure after changing the thermostat, and bingo, it seems to be fine now, managed an 80 mile journey with the temperature gauge remaining at constant temp and heat in car, bingo, keeping fingers crossed that its the end of my problems
Lisa [:)][:D][8D][:)][:D][:D][:D][:D]