Forumite Members › General Topics › Motoring › Motoring Problems › Overheating KA
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Richard.
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July 1, 2018 at 7:38 pm #22498
My girls KA (2005 1.3z) decided it wanted to explode its expansion tank yesterday.
On further investigation the water temp warning light (doesn’t have a gauge, just a light) isn’t coming on (bulb is fine) , and the fan isn’t kicking on when needed.
Am I on the right track that it’s the temp sensor is bad? As if that worked, at least the fan or the temp light should turn on.
Had a quick look on the you tubes, and it seems a very simple and quick fix, to swap out the whole thermostat housing unit, that holds the thermostat and the temp sensor? As well as swapping a new expansion tank, which is one bolt.
I’ll pick up a new housing, and I’ll nip the scrappy for the expansion tank.
Does that sound like a plan?
I’m planing of 2 hours, so will probably take me 4…
July 1, 2018 at 11:46 pm #22515Sounds good to me Steve, but be prepared for a water pump failure, which I am told is common on the OHV Ka’s.
Bit of RAC advice here: http://tinyurl.com/ybpj77mo
Good luck!
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.July 2, 2018 at 5:02 pm #22546The expansion tank was fine, the leak was from the heater control valve, so I have one of them on order. And the thermostat housing (with temp sensor and thermostat) was a bit fidilly, but took me 2 hours including a 45min trip to buy the new housing.
First time I’ve ever worked on a car, bar one attempt at a service 7 years ago or so. I quite enjoyed it, but I can imagine if it wasn’t 20 degrees, but raining I wouldn’t of found it as fun.
The heater control valve looks very simple too, so I’ll do that tomorrow when it arrives. And I need to check the radiator fan relay and fuse. As if the sensor has been broke for a while, the fan, relay or fuse may of given up. I can test the relay and fuse if the fan doesn’t spin up.
If it doesn’t looks like a new fan too. Not looked into if that is easy on the ka. Hopefully so.
July 2, 2018 at 7:49 pm #22556Hopefully the water pump is OK: that’s a bitch on those OHV Ka’s. Wheelarch and an engine mounting have to come out.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.July 3, 2018 at 11:21 am #22579I’m assuming the pump is OK, as when I started it yesterday, seen leak, then prodded the leaky bit, the barb (don’t know the actual name) on the heater control valve just snapped (brittle plastic), it gushed out like a tap.
This morning it took me 20 mins to strip it back and get the HCV off, just waiting on Amazon to deliver the new one. It was under half the price of my local car parts shop (CES) .
A shame I didn’t notice the HCV was broke yesterday as the thermostat housing was 3x the price as I could of got it off eBay. Hope this sorts it as my girl is in my car till it’s done.
I have a feeling the relay or the fan may be broke too!
July 3, 2018 at 12:49 pm #22581@bullstuff2 given you know where the pump is on a mk1 ka, do you know where the relay is housed for the radiator fan.
I thought it would be in the fuse box, it’s not, (unless it’s above it), there is two 60amp (iirc) fuses right next to the positive terminal on the battery. I think one controls/connected to the cooling fan, (thou the diagram I’ve seen also says the 20amp fuse (number 20) also is. So I’m a bit confused. Also i cant seem to see any relays at all. I think a Haynes manual may be on the cards later.
Given I’ve spent 40 years avoiding getting oil on my hands, I’m enjoying the messing around. Probably cos, i cant really make to much damage (cost wise) to an old ka. Sun helps too.
Woke up this morning with tight hamstings lol, mustn’t of used them in a while.
July 3, 2018 at 1:22 pm #22583@bullstuff2 given you know where the pump is on a mk1 ka, do you know where the relay is housed for the radiator fan. I thought it would be in the fuse box, it’s not, (unless it’s above it), there is two 60amp (iirc) fuses right next to the positive terminal on the battery. I think one controls/connected to the cooling fan, (thou the diagram I’ve seen also says the 20amp fuse (number 20) also is. So I’m a bit confused. Also i cant seem to see any relays at all. I think a Haynes manual may be on the cards later. Given I’ve spent 40 years avoiding getting oil on my hands, I’m enjoying the messing around. Probably cos, i cant really make to much damage (cost wise) to an old ka. Sun helps too. Woke up this morning with tight hamstings lol, mustn’t of used them in a while.
Steve – it’s the green relay ( top left of the three rows of 4 above 4 above 5 relays along with 14 fuses ) in a box underneath the instument panel. I’ve got the Owner’s Guide for the wife’s KA (52 ).
I’ve got a pdf scan but can’t get it onto the forum!!
July 3, 2018 at 4:07 pm #22584Sorry to be late back Steve, not been well today and been food shopping. JayCeeDee is correct about the relay as far as I recall, but remember I have not swung a spanner in anger since about 2000. As for the water pump, this video might help:
This too: http://tinyurl.com/yd5bce2q
– which has the PDF that JayCeeDee mentions, you can download. Replacing that pump is a heck of a job Steve, access is difficult and best price I can find locally is £300 from an independent garage I trust. 2 Ford dealers want £450+. TBH, was I in your position, I would look around local independents. If there is one you can trust, ask them for a price. In my working days (with working hands and eyes) I would have done this in my old workshop, with all the tools and parts on hand, but I would not expect someone without experience to do it successfully. It could take a couple of days or more.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.July 3, 2018 at 5:53 pm #22589I fitted the new part, filled it up with Coolant, ran it for 30 mins no leaks, and no over heat (quit pleased with myself) whole job probably took an hour. Split over I’ve sitting.
The fan still never span up, so I took it to my mechanic. I decided to do the replacing of the two part myself as I know my mechanic is in ozzy atm with his heart, and my girl really needs her car, as she is a carer for oaps and goes house to house.
I let her use mine yesterday, she was off today. So hopped it would be fixed for tomorrow.
I colled my mech and he said to drop it off and he is hoping to escape ozzy and be back in work Friday. Monday at the latest.
So she is stuck driving my car. There is one issue, I can’t put her on the insurance. So we are really riding our luck.
So hopefully he escapes and fixes it Friday!
If she had a normal job, in one location, I’d drop her and collect her. But I can’t be her taxi all day. So we are stuck riding out luck.
I told her not to drive it the way she drives hers, she has a black box and drives eveywhere at 20mph to keep her ‘score’ good, if you drop below a certain score your monthly premiums go up. I said if she drives mine at 20mph everywhere, she’ll get pulled for suspicion of drink driving. Not an issue in her car, as she is insured, is an issue in mine.
Also the power of mine terrifies her. Hers is about 49bhp (10 years ago), mine is almost 200bhp, and an auto, so a wiggle of the toe, and you hit 60 without noticing.
If anyone read this far, thanks for the input. But dad has done about all he can. And my figurenails (what there is of them) are rotton!
July 3, 2018 at 6:28 pm #22594Steve, stop now, you both risk your license at worse along with a huge fine if something goes wrong, I wish you had not added that final bit. Gambling using the car as it is would be minor in comparison. Also tomorrow you might both become uninsurable for a long time if things go badly wrong. Buying a cheap car would work out cheaper, I kid you not.
July 3, 2018 at 7:50 pm #22604If I could buy her a new car before 6am tomorrow I would. Given it’s her first week on her job without shadowing (ie he first proper week, her not going is a NO.
I know the risk, so does she, at this point it’s unavoidable. But thankyou for your input. We tried to put her on the MiLs KAmk2 insurance, (temp cover) but her insurer woundnt allow it, due to her being a new driver. The MiL would need to take out a new policy, costing almost 2k (what my girl pays atm).
So the system has backed her into a corner. She can’t get insured even if she wanted to, and she can’t have a day or 3 off, as the carer set up uses an agency. If she misses a day, she doesnt get offered more work.
Thank you for your concern. I share the same concerns.
July 3, 2018 at 10:48 pm #22617You are in an impossible situation Steve, I feel for both you and daughter. Living in Sheltered Accommodation, I see Carers come and go to different friends and neighbours and I know how valuable their work is, to the people they care for. Three of my five nieces were in the same line of work, most are retired now, but the one who was left had enough of the poor wages, went on IT courses and is now a lecturer at Nottingham Uni on big bucks. I know the high opinion my neighbours have of Carers and one of them is a close friend of my daughter, a lovely lass.
In your position, I cannot see how I would act differently: you always have to look after your own kids the best way you can. The people who run these low paid jobs know that they have dedicated workers and others who will take their place, they don’t give a damn as long as the profit comes in. At this moment, life has given you no choice, IMO. I hope you get through it all OK.
It’s the system that is at fault.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.July 4, 2018 at 7:17 am #22625Car hire for the day? Better than the risk of losing your car if she gets stopped!
July 4, 2018 at 8:40 am #22630Thanks Bob. The money isnt great, 10.50ph, but it’s the best paid job she can get that will work for her when she goes back to college. They will give her full time hours in the hols, and in term time give her a few hours in the week and full sat and Sun. One thing we have in our area is OAPs. Prestatyn is a retirement home, for all the OAPs from the Northwest, (Liverpool and Manchester areas), that holidayed here year on year, then move to one of our many one bed bungalows on the coast once they retire.
Not a job I’d be able to do, but she doesn’t mind it, and tells some funny tales. Last week Thursday an old gent had her searching for 90mins to find his lucky England top. She was shadowing last week, this week is her first let loose on her own.
Ed I never even considered hire. I’ll ring around today. We have an enterprise close. But I don’t think they will hire to 19 with 2 months on her licence. I recall when I.was younger finding it impossible to hire a car.
I will try today.
July 4, 2018 at 8:40 am #22631Ed, I agree, buy one, rent one, ask a friend, even borrow something have to be the front runners.
This is not in anyway to down play the value of domiciliary care workers. I know it can be a challenging task with tiny slots of time distributed all over the glob limited travel time and cut to the bone allowances, yet the fee paid by users is in no way related to the earnings of those employed. I have seen the effects on both sides, my father needed help before he went into a home – even more so when mother was still there though that was a total failure. Her dementia made that a nightmare so a very trying situation. Father paid something like 3xplus where x was the rate the worker got. The admin of the company was well up to the standard of Carillon which was not fair on the staff.
July 4, 2018 at 9:02 am #22632I don’t think you have read my first post re the insurance. There is not borrowing, as her predicament won’t let her insure on any car, without the owner taking out a brand new new driver policy. That cost on excess of 2k. Actually it would be more as the owner of this borrowed car would have to sign up for a black box policy, if you wanted insurance under 2k. With an upfront payment of £350 for the box and 2 months worth of dd upfront, so best part of £700.
Her own policy, unlock ours, doesn’t cover you d drivers to drive a 3rd part car, with 3rd party fire and theft. Now you need to be 25years old, to be able to drive a borrowed car legally.
I know you mean well, but trust me, if there was another way I’d of taken it. I’m not to fond of her driving my £26k car uninsured.its not something I condone, or planned. She is in a shitty position, and atm, there isn’t a good answer. The system is shit for kids.
Going to look down the renting route later, but I’m not holding my breath as I know in 1998 Ish, i found it possible to hire a car in the uk, (abroad was fine). So 20 years of legislation, and insurance companies finding more was to rip kids off, I doubt I’ll be able to rent her a car. Even buying her one, any shit box will Cost say £200, is £700 upfront for insurance, then anther 50 to 100 next week to cancel the policy.
I’m not paying that out, I literally just done that 2 months ago. And she can’t afford that, she is actully working to pay for her car. So she can’t afford a second.
Its a good old catch 50 50. Sometimes you just have to ride your luck. As I said last night when I replied to you I share your concerns. I trully do. I don’t want my car damaged, and more than that, I don’t want my girl to loose her licence, but she is stuck atm.
Just a few years ago, you could put younguns on your policy for a month, as temp cover. You could only do it for a max of 3 times on a year, and it was cheap, about £15 for a ka in 2000/2. I know this as my mum had a ka and when my escort chocked a rod, mum put me on her insurance for a month. To put me on or a year as a teen, back then, it was £1400. that’s why I had an escort van, vans are cheaper than cars to insure by about about 35%. And you can sleep in them (so good boys days out back then) .
July 4, 2018 at 9:04 am #22633Took me a whole 30 seconds to find enterprise doesn’t touch under 25s!
July 4, 2018 at 10:06 am #22635I’m certain that I am preaching to the converted but No Insurance is an ‘absolute offence’ for the average motorist and allowing / permitting no insurance is exactly the same. If caught her chances of getting car insurance after conviction would be low and V V V V V expensive.
The best, safest and wisest option is for her to be driven by someone who is insured to drive that car. God forbid that she was ever involved in an accident (blameworthy or not) and if someone was to be killed – the ‘pooh would hit the fan’ at supersonic rate.
The more you meet people the more you understand why Noah took animals instead of humans
July 4, 2018 at 10:34 am #22636I totlay hear you. However like I said above, if her jon was a normal job, I’d of dropped her and collected her. Her job isn’t, she spend 30 mins to 90mins, at each house, them moves on to the next. Today was 6.45 her first call, and her last finishes at 10pm
I don’t know anyone that can taxi her around all day. As I’ve said, we (she) are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I try to live my life, fully legal and follow laws, and try to preach this to my children. This time dad simply cant find a solution. As her not going into work isn’t an option, and getting her insurance, or a rental, isn’t an option either, by no fault of hers.
It’s a shitty system. Both on the insurance scam side, and on the agency side. I hate agencies, I can see why a select few may like the freedom of an agency, (usually semi retired), but on the whole its a device used to get around all types of employment laws,and keep business costs to a minimum, by taking advantage of people.
If you’re an employer and need to hire 10s or 100s (even 1) employee on full time basis, you should not be allowed to use an agency.
Millions of people are taken advantage of in this way, and it has a detrimental effect on the economy on a macro level, as that’s millions of people on zero hour contracts, that can’t get mortgages or loans. Personally not a fan of finance, but a our economy is based on the principle of finance.
Tottlay off topic, but if she fails to turn up to appointments that she has been given, last Friday, she was give a 7 day rota (he car was fine then), she won’t be given any more hours, as she will be seen as unreliable. It’s not like she can call a boss, and explain her situation, as there is some other schmuck waiting to fill her shoes.
Mix the agency with the fact, I’ve found it impossible to insure her, due to age and length of licence, she is left in a dodgy situation.
I’m not going to try and explain of justify this anymore.i feel I’ve now written the same thing, 10 different ernt ways, and I’ve said I totlay understand the risks and share your concerns. Truly I do.
We can also add in, my mech is selfish and decided to have a mini heart attack (Jk), so can’t help untill he escapes ozzy, and the other two garages (which I don’t like), can’t fit the car in to late next week.
Hopefully it will be over by Friday night. If not Monday night.
July 4, 2018 at 8:23 pm #22650Good luck to you both Steve. I think we all on here feel the same, but also Forumites are genuinely looking to help with solutions that are not possible.
Best of luck, let us know how it pans out later, much later after it’s all over.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
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