Joe9110_0 Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 any advise on my 2 litre pinto engine? i recently bought my Westfield knowing it had a problem, but i was told it was oil not getting up from the sump, so i took off the sump, made sure the pick-up was ok, flushed out the system, put it back together, new oil and plugs, started first turn, runs smooth.. but on its first trial run it overheated, ive checked the water pump, seems ok, all pipes have been cleaned out, theres no thermostat, Radiator ok, but still overheats within 5 miles.. so now im wondering... is it the head? or head gasket? theres no water in the oil, its running ok, although it does backfire every now and again.. which could be the plugs as they were not new, so, do i take the head off? please someone help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe9110_0 Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 any help at all welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Rabbetts Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 Hi Joe, First thing I would do is a kettle test. Stick your temperature sender in a kettle making sure it's properly earthed and make the kettle boil. Check to see if you get 100°C on the gauge. I didn't do this and spent a whole summer chasing an over-heating problem that wasn't there. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 My money's on an airlock. Hard to shift in a Pinto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flat Eric Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 As the others have mentioned - Airlock? or is it actually boiling over, or is the electric temp gauge just showing an unrealistic temperature reading. - What state of tune/compression is the engine. - Does it 'always' overheat, or only when driven spiritedly, or left to idle. - Is the electric fan working. - Is the electric fan blowing/sucking in the correct direction (ie have the electrical terminal been put wrong way round. - Is the timing correct (you said the exhaust bangs occasionally (although with exhaust wrap mine used to bang) - What radiator do you actually have - is it big/efficient enough for the job (now that the rad is a couple of years older?) - has the car been plumbed correctly (others should be able to advise on this as I no longer have a pinto). - if you want to increase capacity of water system - do you want to install a heater (shouldn't need to though - but if you do have one, this is an easy place for airlocks to occur). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe9110_0 Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 Thankyou all for your advise, it does start and run ok, i am certain it is actually boiling over rather than a dodgy gauge, It always overheat, driving its about 5 miles, idling it takes about 15 mins to put the needle in the red, The fan is working, it is drawing the heat off the Rad? As far as i know the Rad is off the 1600, which was fitted from new, It had a 2 litre engine transplant about 2 years ago, before my time with her... but i believe the Rad is the original, i did suspect this could be the problem but was told by a mechanic it would be ok, is this not the case? The timing is correct as it runs good, i think new plugs will solve the backfire.. It has a heater, and it works ok.. so now im wondering... could it be the Rad size?? or airlock? if it is an airlock... how difficult is it to rectify? and advise very welcome.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 Some pictures of the installation would help in case you have some serious mis- plumbing issues ! Its possible the water pump is not working due to damaged/sheared impeller. If you are stripping it down to find out give everything a really good flush out and check the rad isn't silted or furred up. Re-fill in stages as the re-assemble to try and minimise air locks ( e.g fill the rad before fitting the top hose). As you fill squeeze and release the top and bottom hoses to move air around. Run for a few minutes only and re top up/squeeze hoses. Depending on the plumbing arrangements filling via the header tank may not be filling the system up. I would have thought the 1600 rad would not be the cause such rapid boiling up I would also re-fit a thermostat, its a mistake to run without one and use some anti freeze. Get the rad water gas tested at a garage in case the head gasket has gone. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flat Eric Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 I went for the 'then' high volume radiator from westfield (please bear in mind that I went through similar problems 15 years ago, and have sold my pinto westfield about 5 years ago so you should take advice from current pinto owners). Powerful vauxhalls and zetecs etc all seem to rave about polo/golf rads - saw a link that might be helpful nothing to do with me at at price of £30 plus cost of getting it plumbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackv4 Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 mate had problems with his pinto overheating,spent ages trying to cure it,we kind of new it must of been air trapped(as we had just changed the antifreeze)not so easy if you dont no the true history,bleed it time after time and still the same,must of tryed about everything,purchased one of these 300241051046 item number of ebay and cured,simple in line bleeder,it was worse if the engine was just on idle(it would just thro the water out when it got hot)his plumbings probably differant as its in a robin hood but worth a try at a fiver,bleedings usualy pretty straight forward but not in his case johny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perksy Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 The fact that it didn't have a Thermostat fitted show's that it's had issues with Cooling As has been said give the system a good flushing out with a hosepipe, re-fit the correct thermostat Just cos the Fans working doesn't mean it's staying on for long enough and reducing the Coolant temp' Check to make sure the Fans going the right way, Wouldn't be the First that was wired wrong Are You noticing a variation in the Temperature gauge reading's (This would point to an Airlock) Start with the Basics First, and then go from there No point it ripping it to bits if it doesn't need it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 The only time my 2.1 has overheated is when I wired up the fan the wrong way after fitting a polo rad and moving the fan to the front of the rad (which has not caused any overheating or change in running temp). I have always refilled the system via the header tank although I remove it and suspend it as high as possible, filling it slowly over several hours. Never had an airlock. Does this diagram help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I tend to agree with Perksy. Removing the stat is a sure sign that the last owner was having overheating problems and sadly no idea about anything else it would seem, so be suspicious of everything Put a stat in it first and foremost. Overheating within 5 miles/15 minutes with a stat missing is either an airlock, or the gauge and sender are mismatched. Don't spend any money, except to buy a stat and a stat gasket, until you've made 100% sure that the car is full of water and the gauge isn't telling you porkies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartMackay Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Does it actually boil over, or as some one else has said, is it a gauge issue, If you have a VDO gauge, then you most definitely need a VDO temp sender in the head (westfield sell em), the standard Ford sender will make the VDO gauge read high!! Dont ask me how I know!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furbank Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 H Joe I had exactly the same symptoms ( hot water blowing out of header tank, temp. gauge way too hot ) when I rebuilt my pinto and first ran it. Have a look at Liams drawing. If your header tank is plumbed "This pipe sometimes comes off here" try changing to how the drawing shows it. I tried this out of desperation having done the flushing/stat testing/bleeding lark(Westfield build manual shows it coming off the top hose) and instantly all issues were gone. I'd do this with a 'good' thermostat, blank off connections you don't want and try it. I have no heater fitted and if anything it overcools on the road. Hope you sort it out. Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heawooi Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I'd defo say airlock, i had this a few times when i first got my car, The way I solve it is to put the rear wheels on ramps then fill the system, the angle should make the header tank the highest point in the system by far. Run the car with the expansion tank cap off keeping the level topped up until the thermostat opens. Once the stat is open you will have a surge of coolant round the system and the air will bubble back to the tank (highest point in the system) as the cap is off all air escapes quickly, at this point kill the engine and keep topping up the level as it drops. Be careful though as the hot coolant can quickly bubble up and all over the car and you! Also make sure none of the hoses loop or bend higher than the lowest point on the header tank as this will be a prime place for air to sit Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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