Overheating Fulvia 1.3

[FulviaTom]

Hello,

My Lancia Fulvia is sometimes overheating. When I drove back from Sweden, (photo) the first leg I drove constantly for around 120/130kmh and all was fine. The last hour in Germany I drove 160km and quite soon the engine was boiling, and the next day I couldnt drive faster than 100 and it started to boil. Quite random.
Also last summer with the higher temperatures the engine boiled pretty fast on higher speeds.

What have I done:
- flushed the engine and radiator lot with water and this special can, taped it off and filled this again, several times; a lot rusty water came out (still original engine)
- replaced the thermostat

So I think the engine block has been flushed quite ok and that now all the dirt from all of those years are stuck in the radiator which results in less cooling capacity.
Any other options? So I was thinking of buying this radiator:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/261122547491 ... fresh=true
Anybody experience with this one in quality and cooling performnce? or know other suppliers of new radiators?

Or anybody other ideas which cause this problem?

Thanks for thinking along!
Best regards, Tom

[NeilS]

Hi Tom, I would be tempted to remove the radiator out of the car and get it professionally flushed and tested, it may need a new core if badly blocked. Does the heater work ok, you might have an air lock in the system. Neil

[Charles]

Hi Tom,

Are you sure it's boiling? On my Spider I had an issue that the gauge read 125 degC and when I measured the temperature sensor that was 86 degC.
If it does boil it may be either air in the system or a clogged radiator as said by Neill.

I've had a custom alumium radiator built by Hartgers Radiateuren (http://www.aluminium-radiateur.nl). Very knowledgable company and good value for money.

Cheers,

Charles

[foggy]

Have you done a pressure test? they are prone to head gaskets.

[racing]

I supposed it is the waterpump
Regards Andreas

[bart]

Tom,

'Foggy'can be right! I've had the same long time ago. It turned out the (probably original) head gasket had tiny litlle holes rusted in the pressure rings around the cylinders. After a spell at Zandvoort the car started to what seemed to be boiling. In reality it was blowing combustion gasses through the gasket.
Replacing the headgasket revealed the problem and solved it immediately.

Bart

[FulviaTom]

Thanks Bart for your reply. Did your gauge on the dashboard also indicate HI?

Last time my Fulvia was in the red area of the temp gauge the hoses did not look expanded which you would expect with what you are describing?


Best regards
Tom

[Staccatore]

Does anyone have any experience with an aluminium cross flow radiator? I saw a post almost 18 years ago on this forum from a member who had one installed, but that was a long time ago (and that member is no longer reachable).

I appreciate any feedback. Thanks, Michel