Something defiantely not right with my Chim!
Discussion
Following on from my last post about My Chim not being the same after a £400 6000 mile service, I am now sure that something is not right.
Since it was serviced, the engine temp has just stayed on 90, with the 2 fans on constantly it seems, and when I accelerate, I get a spray of water (from rad or expansion tank!!) come from the front drivers side bonnet onto my windscreen!
When I posted last week, I thought that it was just the very hot weather, and brushed it off.
However, I went out in the Chim again last night, which was a LOT cooler, and the same thing happened again!!! Engine staying on 90 deg, fans going all the time, and water on my bonnet and windscreen again!!!
As I know there was nothing at all wrong with the car's cooling before the service, have I every right to take it back and ask for the garage to look at the problem for me?
It seems like the coolant is just staying where it is and boiling away!!!!
Since it was serviced, the engine temp has just stayed on 90, with the 2 fans on constantly it seems, and when I accelerate, I get a spray of water (from rad or expansion tank!!) come from the front drivers side bonnet onto my windscreen!
When I posted last week, I thought that it was just the very hot weather, and brushed it off.
However, I went out in the Chim again last night, which was a LOT cooler, and the same thing happened again!!! Engine staying on 90 deg, fans going all the time, and water on my bonnet and windscreen again!!!
As I know there was nothing at all wrong with the car's cooling before the service, have I every right to take it back and ask for the garage to look at the problem for me?
It seems like the coolant is just staying where it is and boiling away!!!!
oh dear...have u checked the expansion and swirl tank? is the expansion tank too full? is your blue plastic cap from the expansion tank seen better days? i believe that if it vents then the seal will not be as effective as before and it would be worth changing it, a couple of quid at the VW parts counter.
it is quite simple to bleed the rad yourself, but i agree with the above, if you explain to the dealer the symptoms you have experienced which were not there before, then they should look at it, on a goodwill gesture at least.
although the gauges are not accurate, i have had virtually no coolant loss (and certainly no violent spray that would reach the windscreen) even though my temp reaches around 100 degrees in London summer traffic.
hope it gets sorted, let us know how you get on!
it is quite simple to bleed the rad yourself, but i agree with the above, if you explain to the dealer the symptoms you have experienced which were not there before, then they should look at it, on a goodwill gesture at least.
although the gauges are not accurate, i have had virtually no coolant loss (and certainly no violent spray that would reach the windscreen) even though my temp reaches around 100 degrees in London summer traffic.
hope it gets sorted, let us know how you get on!
Thanks tamango, I will indeed let you know how I get on.
I have checked the expansion tank, a few times in fact, and the level looks normal!, and have had no apparent coolent loss over the past 3 weeks since the service (apart from what leaked onto my windscreen!!)
I didn't worry too much as the engine appears not to be going over 90, but the fans are on virtually all the time, even last night, when it was very cool outside!
I have checked the expansion tank, a few times in fact, and the level looks normal!, and have had no apparent coolent loss over the past 3 weeks since the service (apart from what leaked onto my windscreen!!)
I didn't worry too much as the engine appears not to be going over 90, but the fans are on virtually all the time, even last night, when it was very cool outside!
Just rang the garage where I had it seviced, explained the problem,, but it did seem like I was putting them out a bit!!!, saying,'well it has been almost a month since it was serviced'!! I got the distinct impression that I was just being an annoyance!!
After spending almost £500 in the space of 2 weeks at the same garage, I can really do withought the snide remarks, purely and simply, my car hasn't been working right since it was serviced, period!
Anyway, it's booked in for Thursday, so I'll let you know how I get on, already I have a nasty taste left in my mouth from this garage, and thats after singing their praises a few weeks ago!
After spending almost £500 in the space of 2 weeks at the same garage, I can really do withought the snide remarks, purely and simply, my car hasn't been working right since it was serviced, period!
Anyway, it's booked in for Thursday, so I'll let you know how I get on, already I have a nasty taste left in my mouth from this garage, and thats after singing their praises a few weeks ago!
Thanks for the replies, and putting up with that attrocious spelling, (just looked, even got 'definately' wrong!!!!
When you say heater knob, do you mean the heater dial on the fascia?, as I haven't touched that at all since!
I will let you know how I get on, and I hope sincerely it isn't the water pump!!, but, as I said, all was fine up until the service, am beginning to wish I hadn't had it serviced now, and I shouldn't be thinking that after spending £400, should I?
On a seperate note, am trying to convince my fiancee that the new 'spider wheels and brake package' is a very good idea for our Chim, as, after much soul searching, and despite some dodgy garages, we love the Chim, (especially the unique noise) too much to change to anything else!
>> Edited by chris watton on Tuesday 22 July 10:11
>> Edited by chris watton on Tuesday 22 July 11:40
When you say heater knob, do you mean the heater dial on the fascia?, as I haven't touched that at all since!
I will let you know how I get on, and I hope sincerely it isn't the water pump!!, but, as I said, all was fine up until the service, am beginning to wish I hadn't had it serviced now, and I shouldn't be thinking that after spending £400, should I?
On a seperate note, am trying to convince my fiancee that the new 'spider wheels and brake package' is a very good idea for our Chim, as, after much soul searching, and despite some dodgy garages, we love the Chim, (especially the unique noise) too much to change to anything else!
>> Edited by chris watton on Tuesday 22 July 10:11
>> Edited by chris watton on Tuesday 22 July 11:40
Yeah the heater wheel needs to set on hot to blled the cooling sysstem properly or you can get airlocks. let's hope it's not the water pump but at least they are fairly cheap!
Spiders? aren't they all 5 stud? Mine are on the Tuscan and 4 stud on the Chimp (although I suppose the brake upgrade could sort this out).
Spiders? aren't they all 5 stud? Mine are on the Tuscan and 4 stud on the Chimp (although I suppose the brake upgrade could sort this out).
The main issue here isn't bleeding the system it's the fact that there appears to be a leak somewhere! If you are getting water coming out of the bonnet I'd say you've got a fairly significant leak and you should get it sorted asap.
You won't know if the system needs bleeding until it's all nice and watertight and can operate as it was intended.
Get the car up to temperature, pop the bonnet and have a good look around. If nothing is immediately obvious, give the engine a bit of a rev and see if anything manifests itself. Either they've left something loose (filler cap, hose etc) or there has been a failure of some kind. It could be they've damaged something, like the filler cap seal, when they removed it.
Is the car running well apart from this? Sometimes you get higher running temperatures when the cars been in for a service and the mechanic has blindly set the timing to what it says in the 'book' without taking into consideration fuel quality, ambient temperature and state of the engine.
You won't know if the system needs bleeding until it's all nice and watertight and can operate as it was intended.
Get the car up to temperature, pop the bonnet and have a good look around. If nothing is immediately obvious, give the engine a bit of a rev and see if anything manifests itself. Either they've left something loose (filler cap, hose etc) or there has been a failure of some kind. It could be they've damaged something, like the filler cap seal, when they removed it.
Is the car running well apart from this? Sometimes you get higher running temperatures when the cars been in for a service and the mechanic has blindly set the timing to what it says in the 'book' without taking into consideration fuel quality, ambient temperature and state of the engine.
The coolant reservoir is on the driver side, right infront of windscreen. (plastic blue filler cap on top ) Have a check round there. Also the rad bleed screw thing is on that side ( fat screwtop thing, top of radiator ), might be a good idea to check them and hose connections to them. Also, check the coolant level ( take blue cap thing off when car is cold ) and see if its below normal level.
Occasional blast of coolant, it sounds like some airlock. Do you get gurgling sound in passenger footwell? Heater pipes are routed through there and
will 'gurgle' when there's air in the system.
Chim's fan cut in quite late anyway, So in hot weather they can appear to be on more than normal.
Hope this helps.
Occasional blast of coolant, it sounds like some airlock. Do you get gurgling sound in passenger footwell? Heater pipes are routed through there and
will 'gurgle' when there's air in the system.
Chim's fan cut in quite late anyway, So in hot weather they can appear to be on more than normal.
Hope this helps.
Again, many thanks for the replies.
I have kept a constant eye on the coolent levels, and they don't appear to have dropped. I too thought it may be the expansion tank, but, being no expert, and, having paid £400 for the peice of mind of getting my car serviced for another 6K of trouble free motoring by a 'competant' specialist garage, I feel I should not have to sort the prob out myself.
My initial thoughts were coolent leak, but the bay where the radiator occupies is bone dry, and no leaks on the ground.
I have checked all I can,(caps etc) but again, I'm not that mechanically minded to delve deeper!
I am taking the car back tomorrow, and I hope they don't fob me off, or want anymore money from me if it turns out to be anything other than mechanical!!
I have kept a constant eye on the coolent levels, and they don't appear to have dropped. I too thought it may be the expansion tank, but, being no expert, and, having paid £400 for the peice of mind of getting my car serviced for another 6K of trouble free motoring by a 'competant' specialist garage, I feel I should not have to sort the prob out myself.
My initial thoughts were coolent leak, but the bay where the radiator occupies is bone dry, and no leaks on the ground.
I have checked all I can,(caps etc) but again, I'm not that mechanically minded to delve deeper!
I am taking the car back tomorrow, and I hope they don't fob me off, or want anymore money from me if it turns out to be anything other than mechanical!!
Bit of an odd thought, but you're seeing a noticable amount of water on the windscreen, on the drivers side, on a number of occasions, but no noticable coolant loss, after a service, right?
Couldn't be coming from the windscreen washers could it? They do tend to dribble when you're going enthusiastically sometimes, the filler is on the drivers side and they should have filled it right up during the service. The airstream might pull excess or leaks up onto the windscreen.
Just a though. Once all other choices are discounted, what remains is worth looking into...
Cheers,
Andy
Couldn't be coming from the windscreen washers could it? They do tend to dribble when you're going enthusiastically sometimes, the filler is on the drivers side and they should have filled it right up during the service. The airstream might pull excess or leaks up onto the windscreen.
Just a though. Once all other choices are discounted, what remains is worth looking into...
Cheers,
Andy
crimsonchim said:
Bit of an odd thought, but you're seeing a noticable amount of water on the windscreen, on the drivers side, on a number of occasions, but no noticable coolant loss, after a service, right?
Couldn't be coming from the windscreen washers could it? They do tend to dribble when you're going enthusiastically sometimes, the filler is on the drivers side and they should have filled it right up during the service. The airstream might pull excess or leaks up onto the windscreen.
Just a though. Once all other choices are discounted, what remains is worth looking into...
Cheers,
Andy
Might be worth a look however it does`nt explain the fans/temp?
T88CAN said:
Bit of an odd thought, but you're seeing a noticable amount of water on the windscreen, on the drivers side, on a number of occasions, but no noticable coolant loss, after a service, right?
Couldn't be coming from the windscreen washers could it? They do tend to dribble when you're going enthusiastically sometimes, the filler is on the drivers side and they should have filled it right up during the service. The airstream might pull excess or leaks up onto the windscreen.
Just a though. Once all other choices are discounted, what remains is worth looking into...
Cheers,
Andy
Might be worth a look however it does`nt explain the fans/temp?
No, maybe a different problem though.
Nothing particularly wrong with the car runing at 90' (though my gauge fluctuates from 70-90 depending on weather/traffic), but could be a duff switch for the fans. Normally that would fail "off", but anything's possible in the wonderful world of TVR ownership!
I take it the fans aren't on literaly all the time?
Good suggestions again guys, and I thank you for them. One of my first thoughts was that is was the Screen washer fluid, after reading a similar experience from someone elso on here, but, it definately isn't that.
The fans arn't on all the time, but a lot more frequent than usual. it may be my imagination, but the fans seem to be cutting in at 90, when it use to be 80!!!
I did try to brush the higher temps off, as the engine hasn't gone much above 90,and it does sound fine, at idle and acceleration, but when I had the spray of coolant hit my screen again Saturday night, when the weather was cool, in the evening and just cruising on a straight stretch of road,(albeit under heavy acceleration, but it is a TVR!!! right??) I knew for sure that something isn't right and has been the same since it's service, with that in mind, I can only assume that the garage have cocked up my cooling settings!!, or something else that's been fiddled with!
PS, before the service, my car fluctuated between 70 and 90 also, only reaching 90 in heavy traffic on a very hot day, now, when it reaches 90, it stays at 90, no matter what,, I'm no expert, but that isn't right!
Chris
>> Edited by chris watton on Wednesday 23 July 17:23
The fans arn't on all the time, but a lot more frequent than usual. it may be my imagination, but the fans seem to be cutting in at 90, when it use to be 80!!!
I did try to brush the higher temps off, as the engine hasn't gone much above 90,and it does sound fine, at idle and acceleration, but when I had the spray of coolant hit my screen again Saturday night, when the weather was cool, in the evening and just cruising on a straight stretch of road,(albeit under heavy acceleration, but it is a TVR!!! right??) I knew for sure that something isn't right and has been the same since it's service, with that in mind, I can only assume that the garage have cocked up my cooling settings!!, or something else that's been fiddled with!
PS, before the service, my car fluctuated between 70 and 90 also, only reaching 90 in heavy traffic on a very hot day, now, when it reaches 90, it stays at 90, no matter what,, I'm no expert, but that isn't right!
Chris
>> Edited by chris watton on Wednesday 23 July 17:23
Unless your car has been modified, the fans should only cut in when the temperature gets over 90.
Heavy acceleration shouldn't make any difference to the pressure of the cooling system, but high revs will. You should be able to repeat the problem with the car stationary by letting it idle for five minutes to get the temp up, then reving it hard. Most likely cause of the cooling system pressure going through the roof would be air in the system.
Heavy acceleration shouldn't make any difference to the pressure of the cooling system, but high revs will. You should be able to repeat the problem with the car stationary by letting it idle for five minutes to get the temp up, then reving it hard. Most likely cause of the cooling system pressure going through the roof would be air in the system.
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