2005 Ford Ka Overheating

if the water is not falling out then check that the coolong fan works.

: > It apparently overheated last week so has been sat in their : > garage since then. : >

: > I'm going to have a look at it later for them. Is there anything : > in particular I should look for on a Ka cooling system. Any out : > of sight hoses etc that are prone to cause problems? : >

: > TIA, : >

: > -- : >

: >

: >

: : : if the water is not falling out then check that the coolong fan works.

Hi Mr. C, I've just run the car up to temp with the expansion tank cap off, had water flow (followed by a bit of overflow) fan also kicked in.

Had the car running for just over half an hour and everything was fine. As I walked away and they went to put the car away the temp light came on.

Apart from hearing a bit of air, there doesn't seem to be any problem.

then the next thing to do is to get a head gasket test done. of course a stuck thermostat is also a possible and cheap to replace.

Would it have run for half an hour without boiling if the stat was stuck closed?

Chris

: > : > It apparently overheated last week so has been sat in their : > : > garage since then. : > : >

: > : > I'm going to have a look at it later for them. Is there : > anything : > : > in particular I should look for on a Ka cooling system. Any : > out : > : > of sight hoses etc that are prone to cause problems?

: > : if the water is not falling out then check that the coolong fan : > works. : >

: > Hi Mr. C, I've just run the car up to temp with the expansion : > tank cap off, had water flow (followed by a bit of overflow) fan : > also kicked in. : >

: > Had the car running for just over half an hour and everything was : > fine. As I walked away and they went to put the car away the temp : > light came on. : >

: > Apart from hearing a bit of air, there doesn't seem to be any : > problem.

: then the next thing to do is to get a head gasket test done. of course a : stuck thermostat is also a possible and cheap to replace.

I assumed the thermostat was ok from the increase in flow.

There's no "emulsion" in the oil filler cap so, again, I assumed all was ok - can the headgasket go without this "side effect"?

ticking over, even a small flow can be enough to keep the temp OK.

Head gasket failure does not automatically mean emulsion in the oil cap or in the tank, those are often a much later sign after struggling around for a while.

find someone with a 'block testing kit' (about 25 quid off ebay) and check the head gasket. basically with the engine running and hot the kit draws air from above the coolant through a special liquid that will change colour if combustion by products are in there.

head gasket faults often manifest as overheating because of air locks formed from the gases that leak into the coolant area. removing the pressure cap lets those air pockets out more easily, one of my customers kept going for two years with a blown HG just by leaving the cap loose (it is a long story :)

: ticking over, even a small flow can be enough to keep the temp OK. : : Head gasket failure does not automatically mean emulsion in the oil cap or : in the tank, those are often a much later sign after struggling around for a : while. : : find someone with a 'block testing kit' (about 25 quid off ebay) and check : the head gasket. basically with the engine running and hot the kit draws : air from above the coolant through a special liquid that will change colour : if combustion by products are in there. : : head gasket faults often manifest as overheating because of air locks formed : from the gases that leak into the coolant area. removing the pressure cap : lets those air pockets out more easily, one of my customers kept going for : two years with a blown HG just by leaving the cap loose (it is a long story ::)

Many thanks Mr. C. I will let them know in the morning and see if we can find a local garage with the necessary kit.

Thanks again,

another possibility, that doesn't happen so often nowadays is a blocked radiator, but I am struggling to think of exactly how long it is since I saw one.