I am new to the Forum and would like to see if anybody has got a similar problem or some advice.

I have got a 57 plate Fiesta 'Silver' with 90 K on the clock. Never had any problems but had cam belt, alternator belt and water pump changed a couple of weeks ago. (Cam belt due to mileage, water pump was done at the same time as routine plus alternator belt was found to show signs of age (cracking) and was changed too.

All was well for around two weeks, (car is used daily) when today all of a sudden in stop and go traffic the engine overheated, with white smoke coming from under the bonnet.

I pulled over and let it cool down, when I opened the bonnet the water reservoir was all but empty.

I called Green Flag out, but the guy said he couldn't fix it by the side of the road and recovered the car back to my home address (all garages are closed today).

He said not to simply fill the reservoir back up with water but to have the problem properly diagnosed and not to drive the car until then. 

When he unloaded it from the breakdown truck he turned the engine over and it was running fine, he parked the car up and turned the engine back off.

He thought it could be the thermostat or a problem with the fan, as the water pump had only recently been changed, but said he couldn't be entirely sure as there could be a number of possibilities, but these were the most likely ones

I will call the mechanic who changed the belts and pump after the Easter bank holiday break, but in the meantime has anybody had a similar problem and could give some advice or potential cost for repair ? I paid just under £300 two weeks ago to have the water pump and belts done, so bit worried what this is going to cost now...

 

It could be as simple as a cracked coolant reservoir or weak cap, very common on these and only around £20 to replace.

Could also be something much more expensive.  We can't really say without a bit more info.

If you want to wait for the mechanics diagnosis that's fine.  But if you'd like to try and find the fault yourself you could fill up the res and run the engine for a while at home.  Check for drips or steam around coolant pipes, radiator, reservoir and waterpump.  Keep an eye on the temp guage and switch it off if the temp gets too high.  You should also see/hear the radiator fan kick in around 95c.

when you had the water pump changed was it a cheap one or a proper ford one. I understand the reason why people change the water pump when the cam belt is done so as to avoid all that work again at a later date. But some people then use a cheap quality pump which might fail earlier than the original may have done if left on there. Anyway I do remember on this forum someone replaced the water pump but then had problems because the impeller broke off the shaft.

Actually I can't see what engine you have (size/fuel)

Allway check the simple hing first as said by TomsFocus, also it could have been an airlock in the cooling system, they often take time to move, was your heater working? If it wasnt it points to an airlock more often than not.

Just a quick update.

I have a 1.3 l engine.

The garage checked the car over and couldn't find anything wrong, which was a bit annoying. I hoped for a diagnosis and resolution. They said they found some air in the cooling system which could have been there from when the water pump was changed. I don't know what pump was put in, but at £70 it probably wasn't a FORD one ?

Anyway, they said they bled the air out of the system and thought that was all that needed doing. They didn't charge me for that.

That was a couple of weeks ago and the car has been running fine until tonight, when I got home and noticed the coolant boiling over in the reservoir. No steam coming from the engine this time but a very hot and boiling coolant in the reservoir. There is pink staining on parts that surround the reservoir, probably where the coolant has spilled onto them and then evaporated leaving pink staining. There is only a little loss of coolant in the reservoir, since the garage visit it was always halfway between min and max (I checked daily) and has now sunk to just above min after tonight's episode.

Interestingly the temperature gauge always stays at 80 degrees. It never indicates the engine is overheating. Just the coolant is boiling. It is very odd

 

14 hours ago, Nicole99 said:

Just a quick update.

I have a 1.3 l engine.

The garage checked the car over and couldn't find anything wrong, which was a bit annoying. I hoped for a diagnosis and resolution. They said they found some air in the cooling system which could have been there from when the water pump was changed. I don't know what pump was put in, but at £70 it probably wasn't a FORD one ?

Anyway, they said they bled the air out of the system and thought that was all that needed doing. They didn't charge me for that.

That was a couple of weeks ago and the car has been running fine until tonight, when I got home and noticed the coolant boiling over in the reservoir. No steam coming from the engine this time but a very hot and boiling coolant in the reservoir. There is pink staining on parts that surround the reservoir, probably where the coolant has spilled onto them and then evaporated leaving pink staining. There is only a little loss of coolant in the reservoir, since the garage visit it was always halfway between min and max (I checked daily) and has now sunk to just above min after tonight's episode.

Interestingly the temperature gauge always stays at 80 degrees. It never indicates the engine is overheating. Just the coolant is boiling. It is very odd

 

First and foremost, turn your engine on and let it idle (with plenty coolant in your tank) watch your coolant tank and your fan, you Should see/hear your fan kick in after a while, if it doesnt and you see steam from your coolant tank then thats your problem, this could mean your fan is broke or it could be that your cars computer is not reading the correct temperature and doesnt know to switch your fan on.

With it happening in stop/start traffic the most obvious cause is your fan not working (as i have experienced this very same problem)

I have also experienced a faulty thermostat but with that issue you loose coolant wherever you are and it is very rapid.

With the staining on your tank you are obviously overflowing from it.

MIGHT be a head gasket issue.

Have since been told to change the expansion tank cap, just in case it is that.

Got a new one for £7.60 from my local Ford dealership. Car been running OK since then, but noted today whilst driving that although my heater setting is on half / half between blue and red and I haven't changed that hot air came out of the vents, as if the heater was on full. I thought...here we go again. Overheating. But no. Engine temperature normal and no change with the coolant. No boiling , bubbling or anything. Just red hot air coming out of the vents.

Wondering whether it can be the heater control valve and whether I just get that changed next to see if that is the cause of it all. Been told they are known to fail as well.