Technical help please? Thermostat or water pump

[BSheridan]

Hi

I've recently changed the radiator on my 98 Barchetta but i'm still having problems with the water temperature rising and flowing out around the water reservoir cap (replaced). I don't know if it's the water pump or thermostat? The fan comes on as the radiator heats up, but i can't see any water returning into the reservoir. The car ran out of water when the radiator failed and i needed to replace some corroded pipes that run into the oil cooler, so the system seems seams to be sealed up and the heating works fine.

Would a faulty thermostat stop the water from flowing around the system?

Thanks
Bryan

PS. Had the timing belt changed recently, but not the water pump.

 

[bollie69]

I had this problem before with another barchette
' The car ran out of water when the radiator failed'

Waterpump broke in 2 parts also.
Take off the return line off the water reservoir (the small one on the right)
Run the engine, there needs to come water out. If it isn't you'll need to change some parts though

-new cambelt, waterpump and spanner. Probably best to take a new variator too when your at it.

Yes those pipes at the oil cooler is a common problem. Probably best to replace if there too far gone

 

[gar074]

Yep, sounds like the waterpump's shot.

 

[BSheridan]

Thanks for the speedy replies

This is probably beyond my limited mechanic skills - so it looks like a trip to the garage ....again!

Had the car 14 years from new, but it's really testing my patience (and wallet) at the moment. Love/Hate relationship for sure.

Recent work:

Timing belt - garage
Track rod end - me
Rear bearing and disks/pads all round - me
Oil+filter/fuel filter/air filter/idle control valve - me
New Radiator - me
Oil heat exchange (second hand) and new pipes - garage
Rear trailing arms - garage

Sometimes i wonder if it's worth the hassel, but it still puts a smile on my face.

Thanks again
B

 

[BSheridan]

Car will be going in shortly for a new water pump.

Next problem is the slight petrol smell i'm getting after replacing the fuel pump.

Unfortunately one of the screws protruding from the tank snapped off during fitting, so now theres only 7 bolts holding the pump in place. I've sealed around the area with blue gasket seal, so hopefully that should be sufficient.

However, I think the return fuel line which connects to a plastic lug on the pump is causing the smell. It doesn't seem to be very tight and Fiat say they no longer make the fuel lines.

The connection is push fit, so I'm not sure what to do??

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Regards
Bryan.

 

[F4usT]

some small clamp?

 

[Penelope Pitstop Spain]

Timing Belt done....but not the water pump ?

I thought it was common to do both at the same time.

 

[BSheridan]

Unfortunately i didn't know that at the time and the garage never mentioned it.

I've had the belt, water pump and thermostat changed today. Got the car back and it's running really rough. Not 'variator' rough, just idling poorly like it's struggling to stay running. The engine even stopped itself a couple of times just after starting?? The car was idling okay before the work was done, so I'm not sure what the problem is. I've even changed the idle control valve, fuel pump and fuel filter recently.

I left the engine running in my garage while i checked it out and when it had heated up (fan coming on etc) the cap on the water reservoir started leaking water all over the floor? The Garage said they had bleed the system, so something funny is going on.

I phoned the garage and they said to drop it back and they would check I everything.

Getting pretty hacked off with it now................

B

 

[HP]

Sounds like they've got the cam timing wrong.
If it keeps overheating it could be the head gasket.

 

[Crachat]

With a Peugoet Partner van with a diesel engine, (bear with me I'm getting there) I had exactly the same problem. On a drive back to the UK earlier this year I put in 8 litres of water on the journey up, another 8 whilst pootling round including a visit to a main Peugeot dealership who couldn't find anything wrong, then 8 more litres on the trip back to the Gers. Took it to the garage where I bought it a couple of months before and they discovered the head gasket had a small split but the water was boiling away and not emulsifying with the oil. They also discovered that the excess heat had cracked the cam shaft so replaced everything and gave me the van back with no charge.:slayer:

So, getting to the point, headgasket is favorite likely fault. Just hope the cam shaft is ok.

 

[BSheridan]

Thanks for all the replies,

Picked the car up today and all seems okay. It was the cam timing which was slightly out and now the car runs fine.

As for the coolant leaking out of the filler cap, the gargage bleed the system again and it hasn't happened since i picked it up. I really need to take it on a long drive to check it out.

Now onto the next problem - slight fuel smell in cabin - belived to be faulty return fuel hose that connects to fuel pump?

Onwards and downwards...............

 

[Crachat]

Glad the water loss has been sorted out and that you didn't get the "worst case scenario". Fortunately we've never suffered with a petrol smell, except when I overfilled it :bang: and discovered the excess drain pipe exited under the passenger door. Or at least the fuel ran along a seam somewhere and came out there. That caused some fun on the filling station forecourt

 

[bollie69]

Replace the clamps on both filler hoses to the tank and the fuel return hose clip too.
Most likely will fix the petrol smell, I had it too

 

[33JOF]

Fuel clamps for that petrol smell (I have it) - is that a interior out job?

 

[bollie69]

Euhm.. Yes

needs to go out;

Seats, plastic aside the seats to hide seam of the carpet.
Rear plate where tank is, and windscreen if you have one.