Overheat

mine boiled over the first time the other day...

was very hot down here in cornwall, and I was on a long uphill climb stuck behind a caravan doing between 15mph (shallow corners) up to 25mph on the straights for some reason... :S
kept having to change between 2nd and 3rd, and even with the rad fan on, and the heater on maximum with the blower on max, and the windows open, it got to almost the max on the temp gauge.

when I stopped there was a little bubbling, and a little amount of coolant on the floor...
it came from the rad cap under the front panel (bonnet?)
and a little steam from the engine bay (passenger side) when I lifted the seat...

I know some came from the overflow/expansion bottle...
but I think a little came from the back of the engine (nearest the back door)

is it normal?

it stayed cool on the way home (temp never really went about 1/2)

and as for using the heater as a second rad, is there a particular position on the heat direction thats best?
my temp slider was maxed into the red
the blower was on max
the fresh air/recirculate air slider was set to suck air in from outside
the direction slider was set to windscreen...

is it better to set it too the vents?


will check the system and perhaps put some new coolant in it
and will make sure all connections, caps, etc are correctly fitted.
and if need be, put some K Seal in the system to stop any leaks...

I would say the rad cap needs replacing and the leak at the back is either a core plug or the stat housing more likely the later as for the steam in the engine bay it does happen but it can suggest the cooling system had air in it if the rad cap is leaking then that could be all it is.

I had a look, and I think its the little plug at the bottom of the rad thats dripping occasionally...

as for steam in the engine bay, I hadnt noticed, but the expansion bottle was over full, so when it got really warm, it pushed water out of it...

everything is fine now...

must put some coolant in the system though...
it obviously hasnt got any (cooling system water is clear)

mine is still trying to over heat!
as soon as it gets over half way i have to put the blowers on and flick the fan switch on.

mine hasnt done it since

I think it was just an off day for the van, it was very hot and long uphill section

I have had the temperature just under the white section on the gauge, but I just flick the heater fan to max and it cools down again

I hope you find the problem with yours :S
If you think you have a damaged head gasket, I would really recommend trying some K Seal in the system...

On a side note, I only realised the other day, my cooling system has no coolant in it :S
its just water...

will try and change it as some stage...
might keep it a little cooler...

i did Kseal it the other week.