FIAT PUNTO GAUGE SHOWS OVERHEATING?

Vehicle is a fiat palio active (2009 model).
I am now driving the car for 12 days after collecting it from garage - As mentioned before, I replaced (head gasket, thermostat, temp switch, water bottle, water bottle pressure cap - Palio's dont have a radiator cap), also had engineering works skim cylinder head, plus they tested the valves and confirmed cylinder head is ok.

When starting car in morning (engine cold), the car stuttered in 1st gear on day 3 to day 9, thereafter its gone (no more stuttering when cold). Only issue I still have is that when I fill water bottle from 2cm below min. to max in morning, I need to refill it next morning. Took car to radiator shop, they pressure tested the cooling sytem - no leaks. They then did a combustion test (the liquid turned yellow - meaning that there is gas (CO2) in the cooling system (so head gasket is leaking exhaust gas).

How can head gasket be blown again ?

cylinderhead
November 2012

Vehicle is a fiat palio active (2009 model).
I am now driving the car for 12 days after collecting it from garage - As mentioned before, I replaced (head gasket, thermostat, temp switch, water bottle, water bottle pressure cap - Palio's dont have a radiator cap), also had engineering works skim cylinder head, plus they tested the valves and confirmed cylinder head is ok.

When starting car in morning (engine cold), the car stuttered in 1st gear on day 3 to day 9, thereafter its gone (no more stuttering when cold). Only issue I still have is that when I fill water bottle from 2cm below min. to max in morning, I need to refill it next morning. Took car to radiator shop, they pressure tested the cooling sytem - no leaks. They then did a combustion test (the liquid turned yellow - meaning that there is gas (CO2) in the cooling system (so head gasket is leaking exhaust gas).

How can head gasket be blown again ?

cylinderhead
November 2012

Had head gasket, thermostat, temp switch and water bottle replaced. after driving about 30 km I stopped and checked water resevoir / bottle. Found foam and bubbling in water resevoir / bottle, can see a little water has leaked out water resevoir / bottle cap. Any suggestions as to what the cause could be ?

Overheating on Fiat Palio
October 2012

Rediator fan goes on, in fiat punto when i start the engine. And engine measurement light is showing. What and why is that happening?

Yunus
May 2012

Hi
I have a fiat punto go 2002 and the temp gage on it has started to go to hot i have replaced the thermostat and had the head gasket changed i have also checked all the pipes in the engine and every thing seems to working fine inclucing the fan could you help me please.

sarah
September 2010

dimebar: thanks for the detailed instructions, just saved my fiancees car on the day her sister needed taking to the hospital to deliver her baby! =)

On our '53 Punto, we had to fill the radiator through the water resevoir / bottle (no separate filler cap) and the bleed valve was on the top/right (facing the car from the front) near the hose from the engine block (not sure if original part tho')

We did the whole procedure several times, with a drive round the block in-between each go, to try to dislodge any remaining air pockets. It also helped to 'pump' the hose at the top of the radiator (connected to the engine block, so care! HOT) and then top-up & bleed repeatedly, while ever squashing the hose made a hollow sloshing sound (it makes a swooshing sound when full instead) and air still came out of the bleed valve!

Nevyn, fiancee, sister & bump!
August 2010

Thanks Richard, this advice just saved me from being fleeced by the garage : )

Dan Harvey
February 2010

mine was doing same i did the raidiator bleed thing and now it ok (touch wood) although mine dose not have raidiator cap only resovior

dimebar 0
July 2009

If you take it to a garage they will probably tell you it's the thermostat, the water pump or the head gasket and it could be but check the easiest thing first. Puntos can get air in the cooling system and if they do it doesn't come out by itself. If there is air in the system the engine heats up and the temp gauge eventually goes right up into the red but usually you can put your hand on the radiator and it is only warm - also the heater blows warm and not hot and the radiator fan doesn't come on. All of those symptoms are because an air pocket is stopping the water from circulating round the system - so the water doesn't go thru the thermostat, radiator or the heater. Sometimes while you are driving, the temperature gauge will go into the red then suddenly drop to normal (which is about halfway up the gauge). If all the above is what you are seeing, here's what to do. Let the engine cool down, luke warm is OK. On the left side of the radiator (as seen from the front) you will find a small plastic plug near the top, which is a bleed vent - it's hard to see but you can find it by feeling it with your hand. Unscrew it but don't lose the plug. Remove the radiator cap and top up the radiator with water until it flows out of the bleed vent. Replace the bleed plug then top up the radiator again and fit the radiator cap. Remove the cap off the radiator reservoir (the white plastic bottle thing on the right of the radiator as seen from the front) and fill with enough water so that you can see the water surface, but not too full because it will fill up as the water gets hotter and expands. Leave the cap off this bottle so that you can observe the water surface. On the right side if the engine at the top you may see a couple of water hoses and one of them may have an air bleed valve fitted. If so it can be opened and closed with a screwdriver - try opening and closing so that you know how it works and leave it closed. Now turn the heater on, start the engine and let it heat up. As it is heating up check the water in the bottle - you will probably see bubbles of air rising to the top. Every now and then open the bleed screw on the rubber hose with a screwdriver until air stops coming out then tighten again. Do the same with the vent plug on the radiator - screw it out till you can hear air coming out but don't remove it completely because it is very hard to get back in. Be careful as the water gets hotter and don't scald yourself - wear gloves and safety glasses just in case. Feel the temperature of the radiator to see if it is getting hot - you will know you are getting somewhere if it is hot and if the fan starts - keep your hands away from the fan as it can start anytime. If the temperature gauge goes right up and refuses to come down or the water in the bottle looks as though it is going to flow over, stop the engine and let it settle a while before starting again. If you don't succeed on the first try stop the engine, let it cool and try again. If you don't fix it after the third attempt you may need to look at another cause. The end result you are looking for is as follows: car starts from cold, temperature gauge gradually rises to halfway and stays there, radiator fan starts automatically after sitting at running temp for a while and the heater runs hot. When driving the temp gauge should be about halfway and the fan should come on if you stop for a while at the traffic lights or in slow moving traffic. If this fixes the problem you should then look for what caused it to get air in the system in the first place otherwise it will happen again. The way to do this is to monitor the level in the water bottle every day while cold - suggest you use a dipstick. If it is staying at the same level all is well but if it goes down you need to find out where it is leaking.

Paul J
September 2008

HI head gasket should have been replaced during the engine rebuild.
The overheating and white smoke straight away say head gasket,however the overheating could have been caused by some thing else causing damage to the head/gasket.
The punto,s are very very well known for over heating and after they have done this your pretty much guaranteed to need the head gasket replaced,and the head skimmed.
Hope this helps.
Richard
rbtrans@hotmail.com

Richard
September 2008