Punto Problems

R

Rob Spec C

Octane Boostaholics
No surprises for people here I imagine..

Punto started acting up recently, the heating stopped working when the car is warm and then began overheating occasionally... So I thought it might be air locked so tried bleeding it, got plenty of air bubbles out but the problem still persists... It can be totally random... The temp needle can go from normal to highest possible temp in half a second or it can rise slowly or can go go up and fall back to normal very fast... Its completely random as far as i can tell, it can read a high temp while the car is moving but then suddenly go back to normal again...

The fan's are working, top and bottom rad hoses are hot... Coolant level is fine... hose from engine to heater matrix is hot but hose from matrix back to engine is only luke warm at best... No mayonaisse to tell if the headgasket is on the way either...

Anyone have any ideas? Heater matrix blocked? Head gasket on its way but hasn't gone yet completely? Its wreckin the head on the cold mornings now :wall:
 
Does sound like an air lock Robbie... temp gauge shooting up and down like that sounds like air lock!


Did header tank drop low at any point... coz it'll suck air into system which could be difficult to get out.
 
Well man it could be either of the taught you had because the head gasket on them gave alot of trouble but the fact you have only luke warm pipe one side of the heater matrix would suggest a blockage take off both hoses at the heater and blow through with an air line if ya can and see if it helps just be sure to bleed it when toppin it up if that doesnt work have you tried the thermostat could be sticking
 
Hot top and bottom rad pipe would rule out thermostate though Dec.... :dontknow:

If the water is brown as crap Robbie in rad... there could be a load of gunge in heater matrix...? Water pump could be blocked too, only working intermittently too and causing prob.

:ponder2:
 
Jamie - The level of the header tank was up at maximum, its on the left of the rad as you look in the engine bay... When i tried to bleed it a couple of days ago, I got loads of air bubbles coming up through but not really getting anything now..

Dec - The gasket was done a couple of years ago by the previous owner and I haven't had a problem since... Would a blockage in the heater matrix cause this problem? Or is it more likely a dicky stat?


How would i go about flushing any gunge out of the system?
 
Is there a bleed valve on heater matrix...?

You can get a rad flush in motor factors... but not sure how effective it is on unblocking serious gunge that may accumulate in matrix/pump etc.
 
Don't know if this will help but worked for me in the past.

Sister has a Punto, something similar happened with her car.

Have a large compressor at home, so luckly enough we drained the system and blew

alot of gunk, then refilled. Car went grand for 6 months till the headgasket(but thats a

common fault on Fiats so i'm told)
 
If there is a blockage in heater matrix and water isn't passing through and helping to cool engine... you can damage head gasket. Happened on fathers Saab....so worth checking this in case it makes matters worse.
 
[quote author=JAMIE-TYPERV6 link=topic=26244.msg308174#msg308174 date=1283415664]
Is there a bleed valve on heater matrix...?
[/quote]

No idea, its between the dash and firewall so no way to get to it that i know of without stripping the dash :dontknow:

There is a bleed valve on the rad that i used to let air escape..

[quote author=Murto link=topic=26244.msg308182#msg308182 date=1283416895]
Sister has a Punto, something similar happened with her car. Have a large compressor at home, so luckly enough we drained the system and blew a lot of gunk, then refilled. Car went grand for 6 months till the headgasket(but thats a common fault on Fiats so i'm told)
[/quote]

Cheers Murto, don't have a compressor but may try stick the power hose up the heater matrix hole :icon_grin:


Whats the correct procedure for refilling the system with coolant?
 
Just wanted to also say, we didn't remove the heater matrix hear can be a lot of

knuckle scraping fun. Just took off the bleed valve and blew the water/gunk

out of the whole system. Then refilled using a fresh coolant/water mix. The mixture

is wrote on the bottles. I also have a little tool that tells you if you have the mix right

(can't think of the name of it :wall:) cost about €5.

If you can't find it in the motorfactors you can have it. :thumbsup:
 
[quote author=Sweetcakes link=topic=26244.msg308172#msg308172 date=1283414367]
Jamie - The level of the header tank was up at maximum, its on the left of the rad as you look in the engine bay... When i tried to bleed it a couple of days ago, I got loads of air bubbles coming up through but not really getting anything now..

Dec - The gasket was done a couple of years ago by the previous owner and I haven't had a problem since... Would a blockage in the heater matrix cause this problem? Or is it more likely a dicky stat?


How would i go about flushing any gunge out of the system?
[/quote]a thermostat can stick alright they are only filled with a kind of wax which can give trouble causing problems also though it would be worth removing the stat and fill the system with just water and a bottle of flush let it run for a while and then drain refill with coolant /water mix and fit new stat bleed system and see how it goes
 
[quote author=Murto link=topic=26244.msg308196#msg308196 date=1283418486]
Just wanted to also say, we didn't remove the heater matrix hear can be a lot of knuckle scraping fun. Just took off the bleed valve and blew the water/gunk out of the whole system.
[/quote]

So there is a bleed valve you can get to on the heater matrix? Where is it located?

[quote author=wagon dec link=topic=26244.msg308198#msg308198 date=1283418631]
a thermostat can stick alright they are only filled with a kind of wax which can give trouble causing problems also though it would be worth removing the stat and fill the system with just water and a bottle of flush let it run for a while and then drain refill with coolant /water mix and fit new stat bleed system and see how it goes
[/quote]

Where is the stat located and do you need any special tools to remove it?


I have to do this myself cause if i took it to a garage, they'd charge more than the car is worth :doh:
 
It is under the coil pack as far as I remember no special tools needed just a set of sockets simple enough to do
 
Only 20 quid for a new one or less, might as well swop it out :icon_grin:
 
Will try to flush it later when i get home, and get a stat over the weekend... Can you get them in motorfactors or will i have to try and find a fiat stealer?
 
Problem sorted, I now have heat again so won't be freezing the balls off myself anymore :dance:

Thanks to all involved, karma on the way :thumbsup:

I rebled the system this time being able to bleed the heater matrix also and she spot on.. Low on coolant and airlocked in the matrix... Thankfully didnt cost me a penny :icon_pray:
 
dont speak too soon robbie!!!
seen millions of them before doing same as above and will need a head gasket eventually.if you check the rad water level,the water will normally be at the correct level but down at the bleed screw at the bulkhead the pipe will be dry thus giving no warm air inside.
 
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