Fiat 126 Chat > Fiat 126 Mechanical Problem Solving
Cooling system problem...maybe head gasket
Njkip:
My recently purchased Bis.....I've had it a few months but due to work commitments I've only been out in it twice... ( and I loved it ) It has 17000 genuine miles with lots of paperwork. I've been systematically going thro things as it wasn't running as well as it should be....so far I have found that the timing was miles out! I've set the timing with a strobe and that has improved things regarding idling and running. Despite the paperwork saying it had and engine flush and refill with antifreeze in 2017 there was very little evidence of any antifreeze in the system and the coolent level light was flickering. So my problems begin.... 😡 I've drained the coolant or should I say water! By disconnecting the lower hose on the thermostat housing, also from the three way manifold on the head and the heater matrix bleed at the front....so far so good. I've reconnected the pipes, removed the bleed from the top of rad and refilled with an aproprite concentration of antifreeze. Filled up until coolant came out of bleed on rad....I've then run the engine until up to temp ( fan kicked in) undone the expansion tank cap....at this point it it bubbled and gurgled throwing coolant out of the tank...( my thoughts were trapped air) I've bled the air from the heater bleed under the bonnet. I've repeated this process three times....taken the car for a run, temperature level fine, upon stopping can hear the coolant bubbling and gurgling, unscrewed filler cap and again coolant bubbling out of tank....oh my days! So....I can't see that there was that much air trapped in the system and felt that I'd vented it properly! I'm begging to suspect that the head gasket has blown, thus pressuring the cooling system.... is there a particular process/order to venting the cooling system? And does anyone concur with me that the head gasket might have breached.....any advice from you bis knowledgeable members out there would be much appreciated.....before I look to taking the head off.....thanks guys.....🤔
Pete126:
Maybe a silly question but did you have the heater controls on hot and was the heater blowing hot air?
Njkip:
Hi, yes I had the heater open and the heater was blowing hot air. I ran the bleed until the new antifreeze was coming thro, bled this a few times until I got all the air out and hot water ran. I can only think that there is air still in the system or indeed the head gasket has blown....unfortunately the symptoms do look like it...pressurising of the cooling system....thanks for your comments, much appreciated...👍
Pete126:
Have you checked the colour of the oil if it’s milky then the head gasket has gone,
You can buy cheap head gasket testers kits on eBay which analyse if there’s any exhaust gases in the cooling system before you start a repair, I had a similar problem 140 miles from home but I always carry a bottle of K-Seal headgasket sealer which was a quick fix to get me home
Njkip:
Hi, I've checked oil on dipstick that's fine, I've checked in filler cap that's clean. I was going to check the compression see if that's ok. It's had a new thermostat fitted recently so that's ok...could i ask if it turns out to be the head gasket then I assume as a matter of course the head would need skimming? ( I have no idea if the car was overheated in the past) looking at the paperwork it has done very little mileage between MOT's and talking to the guy I bought it from has been garaged for most of its time.
Anyway back to the head, if I need a skim where do I find an oversize gasket for it...? I'm gonna give it another Run this afternoon and see what happens...I will say on yesterday's run it did seem to loose a bit of power on way back....I'm really disappointed now, it's a great car I've always wanted one, it's just taken the edge off for me now. thanks Pete for your help so far tho....onward and upward......maybe..😳
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