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CHIPZX81

New Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2003
Messages
2
Location
Manchester
Car
c180
I was stuck on the M1 following an accident last night, didn't do more than 5mph for an hour. Temperature gauge hit 120 so I turned the engine off - all of a sudden steam poured out from under the bonet. I think the thermostat must have got stuck!

Can someone tell me if this is an expensive repair and how much should it cost? - don't want to get ripped off. Is it something that can only be fixed by the MB dealership?

Chip
C180 (95)
 
The thermostat you can do yourself, all that is requires is an 10mm spanner, a new thermostat and an "O" ring. But I just wonder? is your fan working?? Price for a thremostat............gotta be able to get change out of £15.
 
This happened to me not long ago. Get into a small traffic jam or even queueing up for mac donalds the engine would over heat.The steam was probably coming out of the radiator cap nothing too serious there.If the engine temp goes down to normal running temp when driving in normal conditions it could be the viscous fan that given up the ghost,it cost me £126 OEM fan including labour.
 
Check through some of the earlier postings regards overheating and how to check if your fan is working, with a carrot.
NOT ELECTRIC FANS

Stat purchased week ago 17.50 inc vat
 
chipzx81,

The engine boiling-up after you switch off is perfectly normal!

It's caused by the same anmount of heat being present, but with no water circulation.

Your real problem is the one that caused the engine to get to 120C in the first place.

As other posters have suggested, check whatever fan you have, it's unlikely to be the thermostat.
 
Originally posted by CHIPZX81
I was stuck on the M1 following an accident last night, didn't do more than 5mph for an hour. Temperature gauge hit 120 so I turned the engine off - all of a sudden steam poured out from under the bonet. I think the thermostat must have got stuck!

Chip
C180 (95)

In future don't turn the engine off, when it is overheating.:eek:
When stuck in traffic and the temp guage rises then put the drive in neutral and rev the engine to about 2000rpm to get the fan running and cool the engine down.:cool: :cool:
 
And switch on the cabin heater to full on.
 
Thermostat are made to 'fail open' not 'fail shut'.
Therefore the symptom would be a slow warm up.
Over heating must be a fan or water circulation problem.
 
Originally posted by PJH
Thermostat are made to 'fail open' not 'fail shut'.
Therefore the symptom would be a slow warm up.
Over heating must be a fan or water circulation problem.

Design and real life are two different things. I've seen stats jammed shut!

The fault does sound like a fan issue as the car doesn't boil when moving forwards, only when the re is no cooling air when stationary.
 

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