Mechanical novice with an overheating Hijet...

Hello, first I'd like to say thanks. Reading this forum has made me feel a little better, though I'm still worried I've bought a dud overheating van...

Basically a couple of months back I fell in love with the Hijet, thought it'd be more fun than the typical entry level student car and picked one up on ebay for £800. I should have admittedly had it serviced straight away, but as far as I could see it was running fine. It has made the trip Newcastle - Anglesey to get it home and since then a couple of trips to Liverpool and back and general running about the island no problems. The temperature gauge has never really budged either to show the van was hot until the other day, making me think its not an issue with the thermostat? I'd taken him down to Chester Zoo from anglesey the day before and had no problems (he had sat in a hot car park all day though). I ran him to ASDA the day after parked in the car park engine off and when I came back a couple of minutes after I noticed he was p**sing water everywhere. I got him home and left him in the garage. I did look under the van to see where the water was coming from but didn't lift up the seats to have a proper look, I was more concerned with getting him home at the time I suppose. Since then I haven't moved him and I've tried to research what the problem could be to gauge if there is anything I could do to fix him myself. I mean its the first time he's overheated but water everywhere is a grave sign I'm guessing?
Anyway I checked the radiator caps as they looked a bit rusted, however the rubber seals on both pictured looked in good condition:
APPARENTLY I CAN'T POST PICTURES FOR SEVEN DAYS WHOOPS

Then I had a look under the seats to gauge how confident I felt about flushing the radiator/doing an air pressure test to look for leaks and replacing the coolant from the information here. After trying to use my hijet manual and the guides forum members have written I've sort of realised I don't really know what I'm doing, I think I would be best to just book Henry into a garage. Even looking under the van to see if the hose clips and pipes looked fine I can't really gauge what is rotten and what is ok. It all just looks grey to me That takes experience and knowing what you're doing I suppose. He's booked in tuesday.

Anyway sorry for the life story, the main questions I wanted to ask were: is Henry dead? Is it something that can be fixed or do overheating hijets carry on having this problem again and again? I understand they're old vehicles and they're going to cost money from time to time, but if its going to end up being a money pit and carry on overheating give it to me straight I can take it.
Also second question: would it be cheeky/pointless to list the minor faults that cause hijets to overheat for the mechanic to check? I mean I don't want to get stung for a new headgasket then that end up being the problem? Idk this is the first vehicle I've owned myself (as you can probably tell) any help/advice/thoughts/abuse would be much appreciated

Me and Henry have emotionally bonded, I feel guilty I caused this by not having him serviced sooner. Up until now he's been a trooper, I just want to do all I can for him...

Check the hoseclips, pliers, squeeze them. Or replace them, follw instructions on here to bleed it. Oh, and welcome

My white one never budged on the gauge, but then it rocketed up one day - but 2 minutes later droped back down.

A month later rocketed up and didn't come back down!

Got it home, the thermostat had stuck closed.

I bet it's one of the main causes of overheating.

Along with minor leaks.


Welcome also! I'm sure you can get it fixed, you just need a mechanic that excels past the 2.5 brain cell mark.

Unfortunately many don't

Thanks for the responses! =)

Heard back from the garage, they want to send the radiator for pressure testing, replace a corroded pipe and check the head gasket. Water loss was causing the overheating apparently. Said it would probably going to cost £180+ depending on wether I need a new gasket etc =( Oh dear...

Just hope after this he runs like a dream haha!

Make sure it gets a thermostat too - they are only £7ish and one of the most common causes of coolant system failure on hijets.

The other common cause is weak clips that hold the coolant hoses on.

Any garage that pressure tests a radiator sounds really promising to me, they may be some good knowledgeable skilled automotive engineers!

So just to update incase anyones interested they tested the engine head and its wrecked. In two minds wether to look out for a new head or a whole engine on ebay or from a breakers or just scrap/break the whole thing. Garage couldn't put the head back on in the condition it was in so its now sitting in my garage in pieces. Bitten off more than I can chew, need to be more careful and research these things before buying things on a whim haha. Silly me

What is wrong with the head? Is it cracked?

You can get another head easy enough.

Ask woody.

And if not, I have a spare one.

Yeah, its cracked. :/ And great, I will ask. Thanks mate. I suppose the radiator was tested and came back fine which is something. I need a new oil filter, cam belt set, head gasket and thermostat. Get a mobile mech to throw all back together and pressure test it and put in some of that ebay K seal and fill up with coolant. I'm going to be skint =P

Buy your bits off ebay.

Head gasket sets are about £45

Oil and filter from a motor factors is £20

Thermostat about £7

Sod building it up with K seal mate, that's just stupidity, half the cost is already done by taking the head off. Your literally giving up the race on the last hurdle.

If the cam belt is OK use the old one, everyone changes cambelts at 60k when there is another 40k miles left in them. Most common thing that causes cam belt failure is fucked pulleys, so as long as the bearings are ok in the re-use them.

If anything you are partly blessed. Getting a radiator is HARD! Looking at about £150 for a recore job. At least a second hand head is only about £80ish.

Hi Dan. I have looked back at all the posts and you dont say and no-one has asked --- what engine is it 1000 or 1300? If it is a 1300 then I may be able to help as although I dont have a head off I have two engines out on the deck that I could rob a head of of. If its a 1000 then no sorry I am unable to help you with that. Woody.

Have just got back from my Workshop Dan and found your PM. I am up to my Eyeballs in wanted parts -- never mind my roofing and Handyman Business work. I will  go round the Garage early in the morning an take a head off and a petrol tank for PFM. I will let you know how I get on if you can PM me your mobile or home number and if you ask Highly Jetted nicely he can suggest some good priced carriers to pick it up from me and other kind members I am sure will suggest ones too. Woody.

Thanks a lot for trying mate! Its appreciated =)

Hi Woody, I use parcel2go.co.uk. I normally book Hermes couriers through them. I find them very good but you need a printer to print the delivery address as they scan it, never had a problem with them.
Waz

Thank you very much indeed for your kindness waz. Trying to get this Internet Spares lark off the ground as well as keep up with my day to day work is very hard going for even a very fit
OAP like me. The Forum members are keeping me on my toes to say the least and it is a great feeling to be able to help as many as I can though sadly I have had to dissapoint a couple already.
I will try your suggestion though. At the moment I am trying to avoid having to arrange for and pay for carriers . Its much simpler for my accounts to receive the dosh for the goods
and not then involve invoices for carriage etc but still get tax allowances for normal expenses.

I do exactly the same for my Handyman Business -- the customer buys or pays for the materials then all I do is charge for Labour. Makes accounting for me much easier, keeps the Accountants charges down and my turnover much lower so on paper I look the Pauper I really am.

Waz, Hermes don't have any collection centres on the Isle of White!!!

I know it sounds mad, but check for your self.

I think they only got flushing toilets and gas a couple of year ago.,

No problem Woody, the buyer can arrange and pay for Hermes to collect the item from you.

Just seen your post HJ, thats the problem when you just take it for granted that they cover the whole of the UK.

HighlyJetted wrote:Waz, Hermes don't have any collection centres on the Isle of White!!!

I know it sounds mad, but check for your self.

I think they only got flushing toilets and gas a couple of year ago.,

Sorry to be pedantic HJ but (1) it is spelt Wight and (2) Dont be so ridiculous about us being behind the times here. We only got flushing Thunderjugs here last week and Niton doesn't have Gas ( seriously )-- nearest place with Gas is Ventnor,
5miles away. (3) Thank you very much for taking the trouble to find that out about Hermes for me. I suppose knowing how hopeless I am still with Computers you took pity on me.

Mind you I am learning ---- I just managed to send PFM a Paypal invoice for his petrol tank all on my little ownsome. I am quite Chuffticated with myself !!!

You make 1 damn comment about Photobucket Logan and I shall get a Posse together and we will all come up to Kilmarnock and find out the truth about your age from your neighbours or relatives !!!

woody wrote:

Mind you I am learning ---- I just managed to send PFM a Paypal invoice for his petrol tank all on my little ownsome. I am quite Chuffticated with myself !!!

Glad you have worked it our when your ready I can send you a payment as a gift so I pay the paypal fees not you for the repair panels.

Trust you to come up with something you rogue.