Just bought a 3.3l grand voyager limited, 2002, UK

The climate control works very well if you want it cold. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to get hot at all - absolutely frozen after tonight's drive home. I read something about needing more than a quarter of a tank of fuel - is that right? If not what do I need to look at?

The second issue is a little steam or smoke coming from the bonnet. The temp gage doesn't ever go over half way and there are no signs of overheating. Standing still in park, nothing, but tickover in drive (say at the traffic lights) and there is sometimes steam - not loads, but steam all the same. Anything to worry about and what should I be checking?

Many thanks

 

Pressure check your cooling system. Sounds like a pin-hole leak.

 

The steam or the heating (or both)? Why do I only get the steam in drive not park?

 

Could be a number of reasons why you're seeing what you are seeing, but the first order of business is to locate the leak. If the system is not leaking, the only two other atmosphere escape points are the radiator cap and downstream the overflow canister.


Pressure test is always the first order of business, so start there and let me know what you discover.


Oh, and someone told you that it might have something to do with your tank being below 1/4 full? What tank is s/he referring? Certainly has nothing to do with the fuel tank ... or any other tank that I might think of.


Bob

 

The fuel thing was in relation to the heating not working - I searched the forum and found someone else who also had no heating, they were told the heating only worked when there was over a quarter of a tank of fuel. Interestingly they tried it and it solved the problem!

As for the steam - I am wondering if this is a gearbox / clutch issue as it only happens when the auto box is in drive, never when its in park and there is a distinct "hot" or even burning smell (burning may be a little extreme, but you get what I mean).

Pressure testing if I need to do that will need a trip to my local garage

 

HiYa RCSnyder,

No one told ricesnaps any such thing. We were clearly discussing in that old thread the Webasto Thermo Top Axillary heater. ricesnaps posted an out of context [of the thread] question in an old redundant thread dated 11-26-2013, 08:58 PM and got it all wrong. The O/P in that thread [TimmyTim] had his issue correctly diagnosed in November last year when he was told that the Webasto only operates when the vehicle has more than a 1/4 tank of diesel and that the Webasto will automatically refuse to switch on if there is less than a 1/4 tank.

I hope this explanation helps clear up any misunderstanding for ricesnaps, AlanC and myself intervened to correct ricesnaps in that previously redundant thread. Best of luck RCSnyder.

 

QuiteQ,


I figure out the diesel aux heater thing. Understand that there is no diesel offered on this side of the pond, and all I saw was a leap in that direction that seriously stretched my imagination. Makes sense that the heater is set up as to not be the source of an empty fuel tank.


Not sure if it's my "Junior Member" status, but every other group to which I belong using this forum template allow for every contributor profile to appear with posts. Because I see no profiles, I have no way of knowing where from the post came or what vehicle might be the subject of the discussion, and it does appear that many posting here are on European owners. That does present a bit of a challenge, as you might imagine.


TTFN

 

Right....

I've been to my local garage and they filled up the cooling water (which was nearly empty). At that point the heater started working! They then pressure tested and said that it needs a head gasket �� they also said it wasn't something they could do....

It sounds expensive so just looking to get some reassurance that the diagnosis sounds correct and some ideas on how to not spend a fortune getting it fixed.

The car isn't currently overheating and running with no obvious problems

 

100% agree with your observation on the 5W's [who what when where why] many of us put our details in our bottom tag line so that responders and readers all know country fuel type and year etc were are asking about. In short people could help themselves by stating the 5W's in their tag line. Take care RCSnyder.

 

Sorry for you if it is a gasket, block or cylinder head. Have a look with a torch in the dark with a hot engine see if you can see a pin hole or a pin leak from anywhere before you commit to a very expensive repair. A garage doing the same compression test with some additional combustion leak tester fluid [changes colour] would conform that there are exhaust gases in the water. You can buy a crappy version of a tester that will give about 10 tests for £20. Check it every trip and keep a spare couple of gallon in the car at all times.