Hit by the dreaded hijet problems

Ok guys needing some help here.

Went to get my tracking done yesterday and didn't really work as still pulls to the left.
Not too worried about that but on the way home I pulled over and the dreaded temp gauge went up to high in about a minute of sitting stationary. Soon as I pulled away and started driving the gauge came straight back down to the middle of gauge.
Check the coolant tank and was full? Oil is also a good colour.
The fan didn't cut in either? Seen a few people mention putting a separate switch in.

Head gasket on its way? Sticking thermostats? Possibly a pipe has been knocked and sucking in air?

Was going to change coolant anyway so maybe this is a good excuse to do so.
Only thing I need to ask is how to remove the front panel to get to radiator?

Also while doing tracking checked the pads and there getting low and the pins are rusted in!
Any tips on getting them out or is it going to be a calliper replacement?

Sorry for the long post just panicing I've got a duff van!

Was the header tank full to the line or full to the brim?
Check the level under the seat cap.
Was the heater blowing cold?
What van is yours, later ones feel under the grille, at the top of the mesh, 2 wee finger holes, pull out & down.

The header tank was full to the brim!
There was a bit of of air in the top cap the first time and then managed to put more in it later on.
Heater was hot.

It's a 2001 1.3 petrol

Hmm thinking about it I may have filled it right up when I first got the van. Wasn't aware there was a line

You may have a leak, similar happened to mine. Check the hoseclip springyness, theyre shit & best replaced anyway with good Jubilee clips.
FFS dont use any radweld......

Lol brought some clips so will change them. Really don't want to get the head gasket done as its money I don't have right now especially after buying some alloys and wobble nuts!

We sell a product called K-Seal by the tone! The trade seem to think its the dogs bollox and it doesn't block the chambers etc. Been reading a few reviews on it and thinking it might be worth a try. Anyone used it on the hijets?

Just been out to the van and noticed one of the large tubes has partially collapsed. When I undone the cap it seemed to have a vacuum? Any ideas? Don't want to start throwing money away if its something simple

I used Steel Seal on my 1998 993 EFI last January and it's been fine since. If you do use it you must follow the instructions to the letter.

Seems I've been panicing ver nothing! Fan cuts in and out fine! Lol

We have used Kseal with no problems and a lot cheaper than Steel Seal

I also have had kseal in ours but not with much luck for it sealing had to do the head gasket as for the collapsed pipe check the return valve in the engine cap if it is applicable for drawing water back in someone will know I have the 993cc which is a different kettle of wet slippy things.

I tried steel seal on my 1300 efi last November. It didnt work even though I follow the instructions to the letter, it even made the engine overheat even quicker. The only cure was to get the tools out and do the head gasket. when I had it striped down all the water jacket was full of the steel seal and took alot of cleaning out so I had to back flush the radiator as well which was also full on the steel seal that had gone into a clean sludge. I wouldnt recommend using this product it caused me a lot more work when I did the only real cure which is to change the head gasket and have the head skimmed.

Double post, stupid WiFi in French hotel!

If these magic products were so great they would put them in cars when build, and add them into antifreeze products.

I have used one with success to stop a radiator losing water on a car with a few months mot left before scrap, and it did work perfectly but the side effects I never had to deal with.

The side effects of these products are.... blocked radiator cap return valve, sticking thermostats, accelerated corrosion of coolant system components, blocked up idle up control valve, clogged radiators, scum build ups in dead areas of the coolant jacket in the block, worn waterpump bearings, and a bunged up small pipes that allow air to rise to the topon the hijet coolant system.


Now to be constructive!

My white hijet over heater twice when I first got it. The gauge went shooting up etc. I solved that one with a new thermostat. These were the symptoms = when over heating the radiator and bottom pipes were cold and the fan did not kick in.

If the thermostat sticks closed, water stops going round the engine / radiator / waterpump system. The fan kick in sensor is in the bottom water pipe, if this water isn't' hot then no fan! Not that the fan would help because the radiator will be nice and cool. Unlike your cylinder head /block water, as the gauge is telling you, its hot as he'll, boiling actually, and when it the water boils it expands blowing past the rad cap and into the header tank.

Do this one too many times and the head gasket will be blown and maybe warped head.

Fix it quickly, don't drive it hot, you may get a quick cheap repair.

No fan over ride will ever help anything, its a bodge by someone who doesn't understand the true fault.

Think i was just panicking over nothing as the gauge didnt go right into the red.
Tested it out at home leaving it running for half hour or so and it kept cutting in and out ok.

Yeah they tend to tick over fine, trouble always comes when your least expect it.

Id agree with HJ on the k seal, if you have an issue make sure it's fixed properly first, when I took mine apart previous additions of k seal and the like had caused blockages in the smaller pipes the rad and the water jacket, Once I had cleaned everything out and done the head gasket I found the rad had sprung a small leak (probably the harpic lime scale remover I used to clear the blockage!) I made sure it all worked properly then ran the system with k seal in until the rad stopped leaking then flushed the crap out, I'm sure if I'd left it in it would have gunked up the bottom of the rad again (the coolant does just sit around in the rad and bottom pipes until the thermostat opens and I do a lot of short journeys)
And just a warning, mine could have sat all day on tickover running fine, or done straight runs fine, it was the driving round town stopping and starting when it over heated, the hg was shot!
Good luck on yours, hopefully you've noticed the problem before it needs major surgery!