Sorry Sir but you need a New Head Gasket.

I bought a 2002 MPV with LPG and lots of little extras like an Ammeter, a gorgeous LED Temperature gauge which you can programme the Radiator Fan to cut in at whatever Temperature you like, a 10 CD Auto-Changer and a few other nice little bits and pieces . Just one minor problem though--- it would overheat -- which was why he went to the trouble of fitting the programmable temp gauge and auto cut in--- but it still over-heated. 

So after taking it to his local "know-it-all-about Hi-Jets" garage, they diagnosed Head Gasket- and quoted around five hundred pounds to do it so the chap stuck it on E-bay Buy It Now for £850. As He was in Bournemouth I had a chat with him and as he had no offers we agreed on £600 without me seeing it and he transported it to Lymington Ferry too.
I went over on the Ferry, paid the £600 and drove on and off the ferry and trailered it to my Garage.

I checked the water level on the engine filler cap to find it out of site --- but the radiator cap rubber seal had gone rock hard and looked and felt like a fibre washer and was in 5 or 6 pieces so took the Radiator cap off and that was in three pieces and no rubber seal at all --- just the brass base.!!!

So two new filler caps later, a fill up with water and a pressurised heater bleed and started it up. The Gorgeous bright blue LED temp gauge callibrated in tenths of a degree too steadily climbed to 85.5c and the fan cut inand temp dropped to 83 then back up to 85.5 then down to 82. 6 and up and down like a yo-yo for over 45 mins till I got bored with watching it. It obviously has an 84c Thermostat in there which works perfectly. 

Talk about a result. Love it !!!

At the same time, go and thrash the pants off it for an hour and see if it purges any water into the header tank!!

Sounds like a good buy to me.

And oh so typical of the workmanship you find on them, and the owners who have given up.

Very quiet round here at the moment...

Is this the calm before the storm where we get 5 people turning up with over heaters???

I hope not Matt !!! It's always poor old you that gets lumbered though.

How about asking LP if she can add an extra sub-heading just dealing with the over-heating problems where all the posts you and others have done could all be put together for all the newbies and other members to use as a reference work instead of you having to answer the same old questions time and time again. 

I guess it would take quite a bit of work collating all the various posts but it wouldn't half be a great help to all but most of all your very valuable time in the long run. 

Do you think that is viable or possible Matt ??

It is possible, but as you say labour intensive.

I did once ask here:- https://hijet.forumotion.com/t997-2nd-admin#8305

If I could be made some form of admin/moderator,

Then I would have taken on such tasks as sub dividing the "workshop" section into:-

Electrical,
overheating,
bodywork,
Mechanical

Then moved all the posts around, and move new posts into the right areas.



That aside:-

I have a guy who keeps ringing me at the moment, bought a non runner, got a replacement engine and fitted it which was scrap, then got another engine and fitted it and is having installation issues.

It's like me taking on trying to cook Christmas dinner for ten, when I can barely cook spag-boll. But its OK, because I am blissfully unaware of the giant fuck up I'm am about to create. The best Christmas ever - NOT!!!

I did try and say to him, after I sensed his lack of experience, that for a very small price I would resolve all the issues he is having with his Hijet - but he wanted to cut costs and DIY. Now I think he's getting to the point where he hates the van.

I said to him earlier - "its not the vans fault"    

Yep, need to run it, few overheat ticking over for some reason.
I am investigating a wee theory about overheating at present.

One thing I have discovered as you rightly say Logi is that on tickover 
some do over heat particularly in traffic. 
 What I discovered with watching this digital gauge if you raise the engine speed to about 1500 rpm the temperature drops back down as the water
is getting better circulation.
Above that speed the temperature starts to rise.
Also very clearly by putting the heater on the temperature drops by six
  degrees each time. Its a damn handy little gadget this gauge and fan switch. I will put some details of it and a picture tonight.

In my 33 years of trading Matt I have learned many things and one of them 
I am very sorry to have to say it is that the worst customer's in many cases
are the penny less know it all Paupers as many of them expect a Rolls Royce for sixpence.

They have always got money for fags and booze but not for their vehicle's .

Before some of you start screaming at me---- I know what its like to be skint but some people will just not help themselves--- they expect you too do it for nowt. I HATE laziness and its them I am talking about.
I am generous to the extreme if people genuinely need help as I realize you are too Matt.

I agree with you Woody!

One of the 1st things I did was check the engine all over - and fitted 2 new caps!

They were shot to bits............

I get all the vital bits done as soon as I can - new belts incl timing belt (one just does not know when the belts were fitted - so I do the timing belt on every car I get). Oil change and all filters. Do brakes - and re-new fluid. Check all joints and bushes replace at the slightest sign of knackeredness.

The list is long, but required if you want to run the thing with any sort of trust and reliability!

Too many people think cars just magically work and curse them when they don't!

Preventative maintenance........!

Logi wrote:I am investigating a wee theory about overheating at present.

Any teasers for us?

HighlyJetted wrote:
Any teasers for us?

Mal....

woody wrote:In my 33 years of trading Matt I have learned many things and one of them 
I am very sorry to have to say it is that the worst customer's in many cases
are the penny less know it all Paupers as many of them expect a Rolls Royce for sixpence.

They have always got money for fags and booze but not for their vehicle's .

Before some of you start screaming at me---- I know what its like to be skint but some people will just not help themselves--- they expect you too do it for nowt. I HATE laziness and its them I am talking about.
I am generous to the extreme if people genuinely need help as I realize you are too Matt.

Hi Woody, that could have been me you were talking about till I wised up and realized that it was cheaper, and safer,in the long run to pay a professional. The only problem then was to find a professional and not a bullshitter. By and large most of the people I have found/used were what you might call a back street or one man band guy.

Well that just sums me up to a Tee waz. One man band backstreet Jack of all trades -- but master of some anyway. 
Will never be rich, but as long as I can't make people happy and pay the bills I am happy. 
But my biggest failing I am ashamed to admit- I don't suffer fools or lazy 
people gladly. But bit too set in my ways to change that now so its take me as you find me .

The chap I use has an old shed as a workshop, his drying heater for when he sprays a motor is two oil drums, 1 the firebox and the top one an expansion tank. He diagnoses faults by listening and experience and I would not hesitate to recommend him.

You are right waz. There are very few substitutes for experience . The many many  years I   ran and worked on Fords I got to know them inside out and as you say could diagnose a  fault  by listening, adjust the timing by ear , play around with the Carbs just by listening to the engine or exhaust note.

Whole different ball game now though. You need to keep spending out on new gear if you are to stay ahead of the game. 
If I can't suss it I take it to one of two garages that can while I earn money doing other things I can do.

woody wrote:
Whole different ball game now though. You need to keep spending out on new gear if you are to stay ahead of the game. 
If I can't suss it I take it to one of two garages that can while I earn money doing other things I can do.

My mechanics mate had to have the latest and best of equipment, now 65 and over £50000 in debt and no work, because he is to dear, to pay it off.

What a dreadful situation to be in waz. If he owns his house he really is in the cacky then. Could lose that very easily.
I am glad I am long out of the repair game now . Some of the idiots you met were unbelievable. " You put a set of spark plugs in my engine and now the back axle is making an awful noise. It must be your fault --- it wasn't' doing it before ".

I will stick to selling parts and Handyman work. Much more satisfying. 

He thought he was being clever putting everything in his wifes name even when his solicitor told him there is a 7 year rule.

Been a while, sounds like a barjin.