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Fiat Panda overheating

My 1990 Panda FIRE is overheating when stationary in traffic, but is fine when blasting 100 miles the M6 yesterday. Sometimes I see small drips of water leaking from the O/S of the engine under the oil filter/water pump position. The fan does switch on, but only when the temp is pretty well over 110C in the red. Any ideas? Is it likely to be a knackered water pump, or very slightly leaking head gasket? Is this a common problem on older Fiats? Is the water pump easy to change?

Reply to
Richard Collins
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Change the thermostatic switch in the radiator or hook up a temporary bypass switch to switch the fan on manually until you can change it.

Ian

Reply to
Ian

It'd be easier to change the thermoswitch for the fan first.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

As a temporary measure try wiring the fan up to a switch so that you can put it on earlier or wire it so it runs all the time - some of the Mk1 Fiesta's had this.

Best of luck

Ian

Reply to
Ian

hehe

Reply to
Barry

Knackered fan switch i'd say! It ought to be turning the fan on at 98-102 degrees.

also check the pressure cap is allowing the sytem to stay pressurized, else it will be boiling at 100 and not 110-115deg as intended.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim (Remove NOSPAM.

I've replaced the fan switch and the fan is cutting in and holding the temp to just below the red zone on the gauge.

Tim, The rad cap looks OK as it boiled over when I slackened it off during a test, so is clearly pressurizing!!

Rich Collins Debian/Linux rules

Reply to
Richard Collins

I'd also think about replacing the waterpump. We had all sorts of problems with an overheating Cinq Sporting (effectively the same engine

- just bored out to 1100cc). Replaced the radiator, fan switch, thermostat, flushed it, tried summer coolant etc, but still suffered with overheating on hot days. Finally bit the bullet and replaced the waterpump. Best £60 I ever spent on a car (this included new timing belt and aux. drive belt). It's a pig of a job to do on a Cinq. because of the tight access to that side of the engine against the wheelarch, but should be a tad easier in a Panda. Reckon on 2 - 4 hours to do it.

Reply to
SteveH

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