Heats up

[rastiazul]

Hi
My car has been heating up, even when stopped. It doesn't use much water. How do I know if the water pump is bad?
Thank you

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi

My first port of call in such a scenario would be to check the thermostat and the radiator switch. These are the most likely culprits (and cheapest and easiest to eliminate from enquiries).

 

[rastiazul]

You mean to check if the fan is turning on? The fan is always on

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi

If the fan is turning on at the correct intervals then you can assume it is not the radiator switch (this is if you have 4gtl 956cc/1108cc). If you have a 747cc/845cc engine, the advice does not apply as the fan rotates with the water pump.

 

[rastiazul]

I have a 845cc
So... How do I check if the pump is working?
There is no thermostat by the way

 

[jcarruthers2]

Hi

There should be a thermostat. If the pump is worn, generally there will be play in the bearing or the bearing will be noisy. Grab the pulley and try and rock it to and fro, if there is movement it is an indication of wear. At the bottom end of the pump, there is a small hole on the underside, if coolant is leaking from this hole. It is also a sign of water pump wear.With a healthy pump, hot coolant should be flowing in and out of the pump when the engine has reached temperature. All the hoses should be hot to the touch.

 

[JdeW]

Sería prudente que @rastiazul se contactara con algún club R4 en Colombia, eso haría mucho más fácil hablar.
Renault tiene una fábrica en Colombia, allí se producía el R4 y era llamado "El Amigo Fiel".
Hay muchos clubes R4 en Colombia y se pueden encontrar en Facebook, etc.

 

[edwin]

That’s impressive !

 

[rastiazul]

Hi

There should be a thermostat. If the pump is worn, generally there will be play in the bearing or the bearing will be noisy. Grab the pulley and try and rock it to and fro, if there is movement it is an indication of wear. At the bottom end of the pump, there is a small hole on the underside, if coolant is leaking from this hole. It is also a sign of water pump wear.With a healthy pump, hot coolant should be flowing in and out of the pump when the engine has reached temperature. All the hoses should be hot to the touch.

Hi, it doesn't have a thermostat.
All the hoses get hot, but wouldn't they get hot with either way with all the heat around it?
It's not leaking and it doesn't even spend any water

 

[jcarruthers2]

In terms of hot, I mean can you detect hot water flowing through the hoses without any air locks. Have you tried bleeding the cooling system to see if there is any air in the system? This is a common issue with Renault 4s.

 

[jcarruthers2]

What is indicating to you that the car is overheating if you are not losing any coolant? Is the warning light coming on? Is there water in the engine oil leaving a creamy residue under the oil cap or in the rocker cover? Is the coolant boiling up in the expansion bottle?

 

[Andy McGhee]

Is the water pump drive belt tension correct?
Also, what colour is the coolant in the expansion bottle? If there's a layer of muddy sludge at the bottom of it (often the case), the radiator and the rest of the cooling system might need a flush. If you're taking the radiator out anyway, it'd be a good idea to change the water pump. I don't know if you've done it before, but it's a straightforward job as long as you take your time. The bolts that hold it in place can be fragile!