My new car overheat today. I have changed the thermostat which seems to have helped, been out for an hour in it and hasn't overheated but didn't get stuck in traffic so couldn't tell. The fan is not kicking in as early as I like the only time I have seen it work was when it overheated but I suspect it needs to come on earlier.
Does anybody know where this switch is I just cannot seem to find it and I do not have a Haynes manual.
It is the 1.3 Endura E.
The radiator has a few kinks in it but seems to work fine (it is hot to touch) and you can feel the water pumping through as normal.
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I don't know about the Endura but most fan switches are located in the radiator itself. After all it is detecting the temperature in the radiator to determine if the fan should kick in.
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yeah but can't find it on the radiator anywhere, had a good look underneath too :(.
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aint it on the thermostat housing?
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no, there is no electrical connection on it. It must be there some where as I have seen the fan kick in but far too late.
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If you'd bothered to put the year....
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Dec 97 R reg on a Fiesta Ghia.
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On the Endura-E from 10/97 to 05/98 cooling fan control is an ECU function - your overheating isn't that; look elsewhere.
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The fan is not kicking on on time though, does this mean it is an ECU problem :(. I am actually very worried now.
The radiator seems to work, the thermostat is working but there must be some sensor some where that detects when the fan kicks in?
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Found this which suggests its normal for the fan not to need to be kicking in.
www.dervman.com/buyaka.htm
Basically it hasn;t over heated since changing the stat but at first after 5-6 miles it did go across quite a bit, I then looked at the pipes squashed them etc and could feel the hot water running through. The radiator dosn't look too clever so I may get a mechanic to check it over.
I have done 1 hours combo city/motorway driving over revving it on purpose and it did reach half way in the city then on the motorway it moved down to quarter two position. I may be panicing about nothing.
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On the Endura-E from 10/97 to 05/98 cooling fan control is an ECU function - your overheating isn't that; look elsewhere.
Though it must have a CTS for the ECU to know the temp.
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Are you sure that the temperature gauge on the dashboard is telling the truth? It could be this, that is telling you is very hot when it isn't.
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surely the fan will only kick in when the temperature in the top hose or the cooling fan exeeds normal op temps so it must be between the thermostat and the radiator i would of thought
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All Fiesta had the switch in the thermostat housing until they went to full EEC;it was then switched by the module.
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until they went to full EEC;it was then switched by the module.
Though it still must have a CTS.
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yep there must be a sensor some where for the ECU even if there is no fan switch as such.
As I said I have driven for an hour in it since the thermostat change and it did go to the middle but didn't over heat it cooled down a bit then but then I haven't been in traffic much so until we get a traffic jam I won't know.
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Why don't you run it up to operating temperature and then idle it to see what happens to the gauge and to find out when the fan kicks in ?
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Done that and it doesn't kick in but that Ka website reckons it is perfectly normal for it not to kick in, incidentally my other Fiesta 1.1 HCS fan never kicks in either and that never over heats.
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Just idle it-heater in OFF position-without any airflow thro' the rad,fan should cut in eventually.
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yeah will do that after my jobs today. The fan did kick in when it over heated so I know it works, but the dervman site (a Ford Ka site which I have the exact same engine of) sait that the fan should only kick on these engines when it gets very hot so be suspicious if the fan kicks a lot.
The radiator has a couple of kinks in so I reckon it may well need a new radiator.
I guess if by the testing tonight I am not convinced it is fixed I will need to get the system pressure checked. I can get a new radiator for £60 so it and haynes say its 2/5 for difficulty so I reckon it will cost £120 at the most at a garage.
It did over heat though when I drove it on Friday and I wasn't stuck in traffic but then yesterday it didn't over heat for about 6 miles before the thermostat was changed.
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My uncle has just told me that the sensor is actually in the engine block itself which is why it dosn't seem to exist. And yep the ECU does actually switch the fan on. He reckons its not actually over heating as its normal to go past half way when in traffic as longs as it goes back again but keep an eye on it, if not then its either an air lock or water pump.
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As long as it stays out of the red you're OK-doesn't have to be in middle.
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Thanks, I guess for the price I paid even if it needs a new water pump it is not the end of the world :).
I'm going to forget about it now and get on with my work. Have done 30 miles in it today and didn't over heat but wasn't much traffic about only the odd bit of traffic lights.
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On Enduras you're unlikely to have problems with water pump or airlock-it's a simple uncomplicated system.
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would you say it is normal for the temp gauge to be going 3 quarters of the way up in really bad traffic?
I am guessing if it is the fan it will be a massive job due to the lack of a thermatic switch?
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>>would you say it is normal for the temp gauge to be going 3 quarters of the way up in really
>>bad traffic?
Yes this sounds fairly normal, you can expect the temperature to rise in traffic from what it would be whilst you are normally driving.
Does the temperature gauge not have a red zone? As a general rule it is only overheating and getting dangerously hot if the needle enters the red area on the temperature gauge.
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Isn't the word "normal" inscribed on the temp gauge of a Fiesta ? Any deviation from this would not be normal I would assume !
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just checked the coolant level and its well over max, so I will check this again tomorrow when the engine is freazing.
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By the way,Ka don't have temperature gauges.
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This is not a Ka, it is a MK4 Fiesta with the same engine.It is still overheating :(.
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My mechanic reckons it could be a cracked head but not over the cylinders :(.
I feel an ebay auction coming on and a few hundred quid lost :(.
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This engine is so simple that even if it does need a head gasket, or even a head, it won't cost the earth - if the car is otherwise good you might as well fix it. Not really clear from your posts above what it's actually doing? When does it overheat? Does it go into the red (with or without the fan coming on)? Is it losing water? Is the cooling system perssurised in the morning when the engine is cold? Are there bubbles rising into the coolant? Is there water in the oil or vice-versa?
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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My mechanic reckons it could be a cracked head but not the one over the cylinders.
Got a dry sense of humour, has he?
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Fianlly got into touch with my normal mechanic after having trouble getting in touch him for a few days. I described the symptoms and he seems pretty sure its a lazy water pump. Taking it on Friday :).
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lazy water pump.
It can't get lazy, it's run from a belt.
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Mike Farrow
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how do water pumps fail if its not leaking then? He did say it could also be an effeficient radiator but it does feel hot.
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It could seize, but then the belt would squeak. Basically it cant (AFAIK).
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