Wagon R Radiator Issues Hi Guys,
I recently completed Chennai -> Salem -> Chennai trip (overall 1202 kms including a lot of local travel in Salem) in my trusty 9 yr old WagonR. The vehicle had completed 124K on the odo.
I faced the following problem:
On my way into salem from chennai past Dharmapuri, my car engine started heating up( the heat indicator in the dash started climbing to High). I thought that as I was doing 100+ for about 4.5 hrs the engine could have heated up and relaxed and brought the vehicle to about 60 kmph for some time. The problem eased up. But when I started to speed up the engine again started to heat up. So I completed my journey in 60s. After this I did a trip to local place ( about 40 kms from Salem)and again the engine started heating up. I checked if the coolant level is low. It was proper. Also the car did not heat up when idling. So I concluded that there should not be a problem with the coolant or radiator. So I thought that there must be some other serious problem. I showed the car to a mechanic in Salem. He diagnosed the problem as a blown fuse that controls the fan for cooling. He swapped a spare fuse. After that I could not check this and started by return journey to chennai. However i do a lot of incity trips and things are ok
Until I cross about 100 Kms there was no issues. But after that engine started heating up again. I stop at krishnagiri and check with the local maruti service station. They say that since I'd driven for some time with heated engine, the gaskets in the engine would have become weak and hence the engine is not getting cooled sufficiently. The solution proposed is that I leave the car with them and they take apart the engine and fix new gaskets. Time quoted is half a day. I ask if I can continue driving below 60kmph. They say yes. I however decide to come back to Salem. So I come back driving below 60kmph and the heat indicator shows normal through out.
On reaching Salem, I give the car back to the mechanic who fixed the fan fuse. He digs in and finds that my radiator is blocked and hence the problem. he cleans the radiator, takes the car on test drive to yercaud and there is no problem. The same night I bring the car and my family back to chennai. I touched 125 kmph on a few sections and the car behaved superbly. No issues.
Now I have a few open questions:
1. i've been servicing my car regularly and have had no issues with heating so far. How come this issue did not come up during regular servicing. I did even a service a week before the travel.
2. What is the best way to take care of radiator?
3. Is it ok to drive a car whose engine is getting heated up at a slower speed?
4. Given my case what other checks or maintenance work that I should be doing to comfort myself that the car is safe and some other part has not been damaged because of engine overheating.
Regards,
lsjey
Last edited by lsjey : 29th October 2009 at 11:53.
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