Team-BHP > Technical Stuff


Closed Thread
  Search this Thread
30,024 views
Old 29th January 2010, 21:26   #1
Senior - BHPian
 
tsk13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 1,256
Thanked: 361 Times
i20 Overheats | Engine Knocks | Coolant Boils and Flows Out

The car in concern is i20 Asta, 6 months old and has covered 6500 Kilometers till date.

The car was stuck in slow moving traffic for about a Kilometre and when it was stationary after travelling about 800 meters, the engine started knocking and simultaneously the temperature reached the maximum level. Upon checking the coolant box after travelling further 200 meters, Coolant was boiling & flowing out of the box. AC was not is use during the entire journey of about 25 Kilometers.

Sometime back while using AC, we switched between Hot mode and Cold mode (I can't remember exactly whether it was Hot to Cold or Vice-Versa), the temperature suddenly rose and upon switching off the AC, the temperature was Normal. I also remember the car had driven over a big hump or a big Pothole during this or prior to this event.

Please suggest what could be the possible cause, the car is being taken to the Service Center tomorrow but I wish to have some knowledge before I handover the car to the Service Center.

Thanks in Advance!
Tanveer Singh

PS: I checked the existing related threads but almost all of them had AC in use.

Last edited by tsk13 : 29th January 2010 at 21:27.
tsk13 is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 21:35   #2
jav
BHPian
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 224
Thanked: 66 Times

Do the Fans turn on when the temp is high? Both the radiator and condenser fans should turn on during ac and/or if the temp is high
jav is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 21:37   #3
BHPian
 
live2drive's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 525
Thanked: 27 Times

Could be the Radiator Fan. Either the relay gone bust or fan damaged due to the pothole/hump.
live2drive is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 21:53   #4
Team-BHP Support
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 14,841
Thanked: 27,790 Times

If okay when crusing at 40km/h - radiator fan

If overheating all the time - bad thermostat or water pump. My bet it is the thermostat
ajmat is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 21:59   #5
Senior - BHPian
 
Mpower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 10,409
Thanked: 1,729 Times

did you check the coolant level after the engine cooled.

hopefully your head gasket isnot busted.
Mpower is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 22:59   #6
Senior - BHPian
 
tsk13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 1,256
Thanked: 361 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by jav View Post
Do the Fans turn on when the temp is high? Both the radiator and condenser fans should turn on during ac and/or if the temp is high
Jav, the AC wasn't used during the entire journey. No idea about the fans.

Quote:
Originally Posted by live2drive View Post
Could be the Radiator Fan. Either the relay gone bust or fan damaged due to the pothole/hump.
Live2Drive, thanks for the input. The Pothole/ Hump incident transpired about a month back or so and barring today's incident, the car was running fine.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ajmat View Post
If okay when crusing at 40km/h - radiator fan

If overheating all the time - bad thermostat or water pump. My bet it is the thermostat
Ajmat, thanks a lot. The timespan between the two incidents is about a month or so, this rules out regular overheating.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mpower View Post
did you check the coolant level after the engine cooled.

hopefully your head gasket isnot busted.
Mpower, thanks for the reply. I just checked the car and the Coolant is almost empty, only traces left.

As the car will be taken to the Service Center tomorrow about 6 Kilometers away, should I try the method of Using Blower in Hot Air Mode, with Fresh Air intake as mentioned is this post by Sidindica http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post1688785 . And since the car has no Coolant, should I use cold water and another point is that Early Mornings, it takes about 1 Kilometre or so for the car to reach the optimum temperature.
tsk13 is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 23:06   #7
Senior - BHPian
 
Mpower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 10,409
Thanked: 1,729 Times

well you have a coolant leak. Either around the water pump seal or hose that is cut.

check engine oil to make sure there is no mixing oil and coolant.
Mpower is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 23:25   #8
Senior - BHPian
 
jkdas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Thiruvananthapu
Posts: 9,687
Thanked: 1,492 Times

Do fill in with water and drive; carry spare and fill up in between if needed. Don't drive without any fluid in the coolant system.
jkdas is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 23:34   #9
Senior - BHPian
 
rr_zen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Chennai, India
Posts: 1,798
Thanked: 400 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by jkdas View Post
Do fill in with water and drive; carry spare and fill up in between if needed. Don't drive without any fluid in the coolant system.
+1 to that. Also, please ensure you do not strain the engine much on your way to the service station. In other words, maintain a sedate speed and avoid high revving etc.

Since yours is a new car having barely done 6.5K, I dont think it could be a case of blown head gasket.

Last edited by rr_zen : 29th January 2010 at 23:36.
rr_zen is offline  
Old 29th January 2010, 23:49   #10
Senior - BHPian
 
tsk13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 1,256
Thanked: 361 Times

Thanks a lot Mpower, jkdas and rr_zen.

Regarding Water Pump Seal, we manufacture them.

Last edited by tsk13 : 29th January 2010 at 23:54.
tsk13 is offline  
Old 30th January 2010, 05:42   #11
BHPian
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 81
Thanked: 7 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsk13 View Post
Thanks a lot Mpower, jkdas and rr_zen.

Regarding Water Pump Seal, we manufacture them.
Well looks like you have only yourself to blame then!!!
Mubeen is offline  
Old 30th January 2010, 16:20   #12
GTO
Team-BHP Support
 
GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 70,335
Thanked: 298,726 Times

I have the strongest feeling that it's your cooling fan that has malfunctioned. An overheating engine is akin to cancer. If I were you, I wouldn't even drive the car for a km. Have it towed to the authorised service station.

Unfortunate that this had to happen to a new car. Guess it hits even the best of 'em.
GTO is offline  
Old 31st January 2010, 11:43   #13
Senior - BHPian
 
sumeethaldankar's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 3,928
Thanked: 3,302 Times

Do let us know the outcome of your issue after you take it for a checkup,i am having a coolant boiling issue with my old car myslef.

Last edited by sumeethaldankar : 31st January 2010 at 11:44.
sumeethaldankar is offline  
Old 31st January 2010, 18:01   #14
Senior - BHPian
 
tsk13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 1,256
Thanked: 361 Times

Thanks everyone for the help. The Earthing wire was loose because of which Radiator Fan was malfunctioning. The most probable reason behind a loose Earthing wire is the guy who fixed the new Horns. i20 comes with Single Horn and some re-modification was carried out for the Double Horns.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
I have the strongest feeling that it's your cooling fan that has malfunctioned. An overheating engine is akin to cancer. If I were you, I wouldn't even drive the car for a km. Have it towed to the authorised service station.

Unfortunate that this had to happen to a new car. Guess it hits even the best of 'em.
Thanks GTO. When the temperature shot up the car was in a slow moving one lane traffic, and home was about 200 meters away so the car was driven uptill there. Parking is impossible to find within that distance as I put up in a Semi-Commercial locality, known for Car Accessories shops and stopping the car mid-way would have meant a long trickle down effect.

Moreover, the deliberate attempt to drive 6 Kilometers to the Service Center with a malfunction is surely not good for the car.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar View Post
Do let us know the outcome of your issue after you take it for a checkup,i am having a coolant boiling issue with my old car myslef.
Hope my case is able to solve the problem with the car.
tsk13 is offline  
Old 1st February 2010, 12:58   #15
GTO
Team-BHP Support
 
GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 70,335
Thanked: 298,726 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsk13 View Post
Thanks everyone for the help. The Earthing wire was loose because of which Radiator Fan was malfunctioning.
Bingo! I just knew it had to be the cooling fan.

Quote:
The most probable reason behind a loose Earthing wire is the guy who fixed the new Horns. i20 comes with Single Horn and some re-modification was carried out for the Double Horns.
While I'm glad your new i20 didn't have a manufacturing defect, I am equally appalled at the labour quality of after-market shops. One "pappu" fitting expert can ruin all the reliability that was built into the car by the manufacturer who spent 1000 crore rupees into the R&D, and ensuring vendor quality.
GTO is offline  
Closed Thread

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks