Mondeo Tdci Overheating

[Neil26111]

Hi guys new here and need help/advice. I have a 53 reg zetec s tdci 130 that started to overheat a few weeks ago. I thought the water pump had gone again but it was only changed 2 months ago, anyway I checked water level and that was bang on not used a drop in the 2 months since I changed the pump, checked pump and that's working so I changed the stat but that didn't help. If I leave it running on the drive it gets to half way on the temp gauge in about 10 mins and just sits there, as soon as I drive it the temp gauge shoots off into the red and I lose power, I am not getting any warm air through the blowers in the car either, when it overheats the fan cuts in and the stat is open as the pipe after the stat is warm but the header tank only gets Luke warm. I have found a water pipe coming out the bulk head just where the cat is and that's stone cold so I'm wondering if the heater matrix is blocked? Also the rad doesn't get warm but I have checked flow through it and that's ok as well, one person has said the head gaskets gone but there are no signs, no water in oil or oil in water. Also if the head gasket had gone I would have thought I would still get warm air through the vents in the car?

Has anyone got any ideas as what to do next? I have just got some wynns coolant system flush to see if that clears anything if not I'm stuck.

Please help

Thanks

[mick85]

I say ur heater matrix is blocked ur spot on now i say at some stage someone put rad weld in

[Neil26111]

Trying it today so hopefully will sort it. If not how hard are they to change?

Will let you know what happens

Thanks

[FOCA]

The heater matrix is a pain to change

1st thing you should know is the temprature sensor for the ECU and the temp gauge is on the metal of the head, it reads the head temp even if the water runs dry

2nd thing is that if the heater matrix gets blocked the water can still circulate round the system when the main thermostat opens - it is an alternative route

Double check the system is bled and has no air locks, it is difficult to bleed and the correct procedure must be used (i forget what it is exactly but its a lot of hassle )

Did you fit a brand new waterpump? was the gasket between the pump and plock put in the right way? the pump is driven from a pully off the camshaft through the power steering pump - were the splines ok on that?

As a temporary measure - take the main thermostat out and run the car, see what happens

the main thermostat is at the end of the head, near the battery, its housing is held on by 3 bolts,there is another, smaller thermostat for the oil cooler coming off the waterpump housing

[Neil26111]

I took the main stat out to run it without it in but water just ran out quickly, I have tested that stat and it's fine. If there was an air lock surely the problem would have appeared before and not after 2 months and a thousand miles?

I did fit a brand new water pump but the gasket to the head was torn so I used some gasket seal as well. There are no leaks around it.

I have removed the bleed screw on the pump and water rises out of that so presume it's working, I haven't check the shaft/blades yet as it's a pain to remove them but that might be where to go next?

[FOCA]

I took the main stat out to run it without it in but water just ran out quickly, I have tested that stat and it's fine. If there was an air lock surely the problem would have appeared before and not after 2 months and a thousand miles?

I did fit a brand new water pump but the gasket to the head was torn so I used some gasket seal as well. There are no leaks around it.

I have removed the bleed screw on the pump and water rises out of that so presume it's working, I haven't check the shaft/blades yet as it's a pain to remove them but that might be where to go next?

it depends - if its lower than the resovoir it may syphon out even if the pump is kaput

An option is to leave the waterpump on, with its shaft/ blades mounted, and just remove the plastic side cover

Alternatively, you could somehow check that the water is circulating,

[JonFinn]

I took the main stat out to run it without it in but water just ran out quickly, I have tested that stat and it's fine. If there was an air lock surely the problem would have appeared before and not after 2 months and a thousand miles?

I did fit a brand new water pump but the gasket to the head was torn so I used some gasket seal as well. There are no leaks around it.

I have removed the bleed screw on the pump and water rises out of that so presume it's working, I haven't check the shaft/blades yet as it's a pain to remove them but that might be where to go next?

Did you ever find the cause of this problem ?

Struggling with the same issues myself

/Jon

[Neil26111]

Did you ever find the cause of this problem ?

Struggling with the same issues myself

/Jon

Yes mate it was the water pump again

Cheap and nasty unioart one. Got it replaced under warranty cos I moaned like !Removed! as it was well under a year old

Ran sweet after that

What's your symptoms?

Sold mine now and have an ST TDCi

Let me know and I'm sure I can help having done the job 4 times as my dads had same problem so we changed his and it was only a split pipe

[JonFinn]

Yes mate it was the water pump again

Cheap and nasty unioart one. Got it replaced under warranty cos I moaned like !Removed! as it was well under a year old

Ran sweet after that

What's your symptoms?

Sold mine now and have an ST TDCi

Let me know and I'm sure I can help having done the job 4 times as my dads had same problem so we changed his and it was only a split pipe

Many thanks for your quick reply.

My symptoms are almost identical to yours, except that i do get a little bit of hot air from the vents, and it will not go into red until i reach around 100-110 km/h. It makes sense that a near failed water pump might be the cause of this problem. I will definitely check this out. Now i can only blame myself for not changing that pump as i replaced the steering pump this summer :S

Cheers

Jon.

(Slightly tuned and modified TDDI)

[Neil26111]

Many thanks for your quick reply.

My symptoms are almost identical to yours, except that i do get a little bit of hot air from the vents, and it will not go into red until i reach around 100-110 km/h. It makes sense that a near failed water pump might be the cause of this problem. I will definitely check this out. Now i can only blame myself for not changing that pump as i replaced the steering pump this summer :S

Cheers

Jon.

(Slightly tuned and modified TDDI)

Mine would over heat after only a few miles and the rad would stay cold even though the water was boiling. I would take my header tank cap off if I had to drive any further. I take it you have checked for oil in water etc as it could be the head gasket on its way out.

Are you losing any water?

[JonFinn]

Mine would over heat after only a few miles and the rad would stay cold even though the water was boiling. I would take my header tank cap off if I had to drive any further. I take it you have checked for oil in water etc as it could be the head gasket on its way out.

Are you losing any water?

No oil or exhaust traces in coolant, no withe exhaust or contaminated oil, so i take it the head gasket is fine. Anyway, I pulled out the water pump yesterday, and it seems you were spot on. The impeller had a small crack near the base where it's fixed to he metal shaft, and I could quite easily spin the impeller without the moving the shaft. Ordered a new water pump and oil cooler stat today. I'll give you an update of the end result :)

Cheers

Jon

[JonFinn]

Final result: Success!

If anyone experience similar problems, remove the water pump and check the impeller for cracks around the shaft. If present, replace pump.

As an additional bonus, replace the oil cooler stat while you're at it.

Cheers

Jon