Forum:
Could someone please help re: heating (or not heating!).
I've been reading the recent postings about overheating etc. but I'm not sure where my problem fits in.
A few weeks ago, I had the leaking radiator fixed - one week later, the water pump died. This has been fixed, but since this was done, I can't get the water temp. gauge to move off cold (and I only get cold air blowing through the interior heater). The only temporary fix I can think of, and it seems to work (but I don't know how much damage I'm causing) is I've put some tin foil over 1/3 of the radiator - the water temp. gauge moves a couple of mills off C and I get some heat through the blower to demist.
Does this sound like the main fan is wrongly working at full speed all the time? or is the thermostat duff? or is there maybe an air bubble in the system near the heater matrix?
Am I doing permanent damage? I'd like to know, cause after paying for rad and water pump, and with it being xmas and all, I'm running close to skint, and if I'm not damaging the car, I can keep the tinfoil on for a few more weeks before I can get a garage to look at it.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Cheers
Bort
PS It's a Sportrak ELXi 1992
heat
First locate the two heater hoses that go throught the bulkhead - rear of engine to the lower left side of bulk head. Assuming the engine is hot, touch each hose. If one or both hoses are cold then suspect an airlock. However this does not exclude the possibility of a faulty water pump or stuck/closed position temperature thermostat.
I assume the belt which turns the water pump has been re-connected and tightened .... mechanics have a poor memory especially nearing home time!
Check the thermostat
It could be possible your thermostat is bad or perhaps they didn't even put it back in.