Coolant overheat alarm
Most cars are equipped with a temperature sensor that measures the operating temperature of the engine. If the overheating alarm comes on while driving (or the temperature indicator arrow goes into the red danger zone), this means that the coolant temperature is between 120 ° C and 126 ° C. This temperature is still below the boiling point of the coolant (provided that the cooling system and the radiator pressure seal are in good working order). If the coolant overheat signal comes on, do the following:
Step 1. Switch off the interior air conditioner and switch on the interior heater. This will help remove excess heat from the engine faster. Install the fan on maximum speed rotation.
Step 2. If possible, turn off the engine and let it cool down (this may take more than an hour).
Step 3. Never try to remove the radiator pressure cap until the engine has cooled down.
Step 4. If the overheating alarm is illuminated, you must not continue driving, or the engine could be seriously damaged.
Step 5. If the engine does not burn with heat and is clearly not overheated, then it is possible that the problem is related to a malfunction of the temperature sensor or temperature indicator. Then you can continue driving, but for reassurance, you need to stop from time to time to check if there are signs of engine overheating and if there are traces of coolant leakage.
COMMON CAUSES OF ENGINE OVERHEATING
Low level coolant.
Clogged, dirty, or blocked radiator.
Faulty fan clutch or faulty electric fan.
Incorrectly set ignition timing.
Low oil level in the engine lubrication system.
Broken fan drive belt.
Defective radiator seal.
Brakes seized.
Coolant freezing (in frosty weather).
Faulty thermostat.
Defective cooling water pump
(slippage of the impeller on the inner shaft of the pump).
Experience exchange
The owner complained that the engine of his car was overheating, but this only happens when he is driving on the freeway at high speed. The car was equipped with an engine that worked flawlessly when driving in an urban cycle.
The mechanic flushed the cooling system and replaced the radiator sealed plug and water pump, believing that the cause of overheating was a decrease in coolant flow in the cooling system. In the course of further inspection, it was revealed that when the engine was cranked with the starter with the spark plugs unscrewed, coolant was sprayed out of one of the cylinders. The problem was resolved after the cylinder head gasket was replaced. Obviously, the leakage caused by a defective gasket was not large enough to cause a malfunction of the engine - as long as the speed and load on the engine did not increase so much that the increase in coolant leakage and heat generation caused by them did not lead to a rapid increase temperature.
The mechanic also replaced the oxygen (0 2) sensor, because the composition of the coolant contains organosilicon compounds and silicates, which, once on this sensor, usually poison it. Sensor degradation may have contributed to this problem.
Rice. 7.42. In the mid-1980s, many manufacturers began using V-ribbed belts (ribbed V-ribbed belts instead of transverse teeth). Older water pumps will fit the engine, but they may turn out to rotate in the opposite direction of what they should. This can lead to overheating of the motor after replacing the pump. If you install a fan of the wrong type, then the angle of attack of its blades will not correspond to the required one to create the necessary air flow through the radiator.
For proper operation of the cooling system, the condition and correct installation drive belt... The tension of the drive belt has a decisive influence not only on the operating mode of the water pump, but also on the generator alternating current, air conditioning compressor and other belt-driven units. When replacing the belt or adjusting its tension, it is imperative to measure the belt tension using a belt tension meter in order to check that it exactly matches the required one.
Overheating of a car engine is a problem that every driver can face.
In this article, we can find out:
- how to notice in time that the engine is overheated;
- why the engine heats up in general and in certain situations;
- what to do when the engine overheats.
To understand the essence of the issue, you must sequentially read all the explanations of an experienced auto mechanic.
How to tell if the engine is overheated
At first glance, it seems very simple - according to the indicators of the engine temperature device, or - the sensor. This is true, if not for one thing - novice motorists are so keen on the road situation around that they look at the dashboard only in one case - how much fuel is left. Experienced motorists, on the contrary, due to self-confidence, also do not look at the car dashboard. As a result, a situation often arises that overheating is detected when the engine temperature has long exceeded the permissible limits, and irreparable damage has been caused to the engine. It is the irreparable overheating that is one of the most difficult malfunctions, which leads to very serious consequences. But more on that later.
But there is a way that will not let you miss the moment of overheating. This is problematic in traffic, and is not always present explicitly, but you should be aware of this:
As soon as the engine temperature exceeds the permissible norm, when the gas pedal is pressed sharply, or when the car accelerates, even slightly, clearly detonation knocks are heard, which in the common people are called "knocking fingers." This is not true, but everyone knows this definition.
If you hear such a sound, there is a 99% chance that the engine is overheated, and you need to take action.
Detonation knock is a ringing metallic knock, the frequency of which coincides with the engine speed. You have probably heard such sounds when refueling with low-quality fuel. Where the concept of "knocking fingers" came from, I personally do not know. But the real reason for the occurrence of such knocks is a violation of the fuel combustion process. What you hear is nothing more than explosions of the fuel mixture. During normal engine operation, the combustion process - controlled, as soon as one of the operating parameters is violated - the process goes out of control and the combustion turns into an explosion. Hence the concept - detonation (from the word detonate - explode) knocks. When the engine overheats, this is the first sign.
Before continuing with the conversation, let's define what is normal temperature and what is overheating. There is no one-word answer, but there are general rules.
The engine temperature is within 85-95 degrees Celsius, it is working.
Engine temperatures up to 100 degrees are acceptable. This means that a short-term increase in temperature up to 100, sometimes up to 105 degrees is allowed. It is for a short time - up to 5 minutes.
Engine temperature above 105 degrees Celsius is overheating and action must be taken.
Causes that can cause overheating
1. Lack of coolant. The liquid in the engine boils, not because there is little of it, but here's why: remember the outer surface for cooling? With a lack of liquid, the contact surface of the liquid and the heated engine is insufficient, and the transfer of heat to the environment is poor. This is where overheating comes from. The engine cooling system is not tight, as many believe, and during operation, the liquid evaporates - do not forget to check its level regularly. And of course, keep an eye on the condition of the radiator and pipes - leaks are unacceptable. There are cases of internal leaks - as a result of damage to the gasket between the head and the cylinder block. Water from exhaust pipe will not run, but a constant lowering of the liquid level without visible leaks is a reason to be alert and consult a specialist. The water accumulated in the cylinders at the moment the engine is started can lead to a hydro-shock - this, in the literal sense, can destroy the piston group, and not only.
2. Condition of the radiator. The gaps between the radiator honeycombs are small enough, and can gradually become polluted by representatives of the insect world. This is no joke, there was a case when a slight contamination of the radiator (coupled with a poor condition of the engine) led to constant overheating of the car. Keep the radiator clean, and at least occasionally blow it off with compressed air.
3. Incorrectly set ignition angle. If the ignition angle is violated, the fuel combustion process is disrupted. As a result - an increase in combustion temperature, and a decrease in power. The power has dropped, but there is no need. What are we doing? That's right - we press harder on the gas pedal. It turns out that more fuel is spent on the design operating mode of the engine (at which normal cooling occurs). Hence the overheating. By the way, a problem with the ignition may arise (just spontaneously, and not after your intervention in the finely debugged engine mechanism) in the event of a stretching of the timing belt or chain. This is not the only option, but it is common - keep in mind.
4. Fuel quality. An inappropriate octane number leads to a decrease in power, and an increase in temperature regime combustion of fuel. There is only one way out - refuel in one place, so the probability of getting bad gas is lower.
5. Deposits on the walls of the engine and radiator. The reason is simple - the use of low-quality coolant, or even water at all. A little more detail. Physically speaking, the use of water is better, since water has better thermal conductivity than alcohol-containing antifreezes. But - there are salts in the water (you can observe it on the walls of the kettle) - it also happens inside the engine. As a result, water circulation is disturbed, cooling efficiency is reduced and the engine overheats. If you are already pouring water into the expansion tank, pour distilled water, it is free of salts. And it is best to use special antifreezes. Believe me - it is impossible to completely remove scale from the engine. And one more “charm of water: if, after water, for example, for winter, you fill in antifreeze - be prepared for drips (it can flow anywhere: radiator, pipes) - this is a fact. If you constantly drive "on antifreeze", nothing will happen, but after water - antifreeze will flow in 99%.
6. Engine wear. This can be attributed to many aspects, but in most cases it is wear and tear. piston group... With prolonged use of the car, piston rings, serving to seal the combustion chamber, wear out, which leads to a decrease in compression, disruption of fuel combustion, loss of power (remember the formula) and overheating of the car.
As it turned out too difficult. To put it simply, it’s like this: fuel burns better at a certain pressure, which is created in the combustion chamber. The pressure is about 12 atmospheres. If you take a pipe, plug it with potatoes and blow inward, then pressure will be created inside, which is called compression. The force you blow with will represent the expansion force of the fuel during combustion, which pushes the piston and drives the crankshaft. The rings serve for a tighter fit of the piston to the cylinder (in our case, potatoes and a tube). Now, if you put in a loose piece of potato and blow, the air will pass by the piston potato.
This is what happens in the engine when the piston group is worn out (wear of rings and wear of the cylinder walls). As a result, part of the expansion energy of the fuel during combustion passes by the piston (between the piston and the cylinder), and also the compression (optimal pressure in the combustion chamber) decreases, which degrades the quality of combustion. And again - power loss and overheating. There is only one way out - to contact a specialist.
7. Radiator fan. In some (old) car models, this reason was absent, since the fan was driven directly from the crankshaft through the belt. Now, the fans are electric, and they turn on when the temperature sensor is triggered. The sensor may not work and the fan may not turn on. This is a fairly common reason. You just have to go out and see - oxidation of the motor connection contacts is possible.
8. Air congestion formed when filling the liquid. By the way, in this case, the temperature sensor may not show an increase in temperature. How to get rid of traffic jams is a topic for a separate article. On my own I will add - when pouring liquid into the cooling system, the car must stand horizontally.
9. Thermostat. The thermostat divides the cooling system into two circuits - small and large. The small one is used to warm up the car (the amount of liquid is reduced, the radiator is turned off), when a certain temperature is reached, a large circle is connected (the radiator is connected) If the thermostat is jammed, then only a small circle is used: the amount of liquid is not enough, the radiator is off - the car overheats. You can determine by feeling the lower pipes that fit the radiator: if they are cold, and the car is overheated, change the thermostat.
10. Pump. A pump is a pump that forcibly displaces water to improve circulation. By and large, two troubles can happen to the pump: it will simply flow - you will see, and the second, which is more difficult to determine - is the wear of the pump impeller. When the impeller is worn out, the pump slowly pumps liquid, as a result, the liquid in the engine heats up faster than in the radiator (water circulation worsens) It can be determined by uneven heating - the radiator is cold, and the engine is boiling. Attention - the same symptoms and with a malfunction of the thermostat, and the presence of an air lock.
There may also be other reasons - one of which is from the category “you can't think of it on purpose”. For example - not completely weakened parking brake, which leads to car slowdown, increased engine load, and overheating. The handbrake cable can jam - there was such a case. The car slows down slightly, but this is enough in the heat.
And some more sin on the included air conditioner. By and large, this is more of a far-fetched reason. Of course, the air conditioner creates an additional load on the engine, but this was taken into account during the development. If the engine is really bad - complete wear and tear, then this can happen. What to do - turn off the miracle of the modern automotive industry.
Perhaps we will stop at this. The only thing we'll talk about at the end is overheating in a traffic jam. Nobody is immune from this.
What to do if the car is overheated in a traffic jam
When driving a car for a long time in a low gear, the engine works with increased power, which in itself leads to overheating. Add to that the lack of counter-flow of air required to cool the radiator.
What to do?
The main thing is not to panic. Short-term overheating is not terrible, but if you see that the car is not cooling down, it's time to act.
Important - do not turn off the engine unless absolutely necessary. Exactly - without extreme. A muffled, overheated engine is an almost 100% repair guarantee. Describing what is happening in the engine in this case is quite long (turning the liners together with the crankshaft, with the next engine start - the least of the possible troubles), just take it on faith.
It is important - do not try to pour water on the engine, or pour cold water into the radiator. The result is only one - repair. Moreover, you can try so hard that you cannot do without replacing the block and cylinder head. Another "beauty" of cold water is microcracks inside the block. Finding and fixing will be very, very difficult, if not impossible.
The car is overheated - try to pull over. If it doesn't work - don't panic, and don't pay attention to those around you - it's important for you to save the engine.
Stopped at Idling, turned on the heating stove to full, and wait. If after 5-10 minutes the situation does not improve, turn off the engine.
It will not be superfluous to open the hood, the main thing in a panic is not to forget to set the car on the parking brake.
The only reason to turn off the engine right away is if there is a puff of steam from under the hood. Most likely, the cooling pipe has burst, and further engine operation will only worsen the situation.
This is how it is, engine overheating, if you look closely. Now you know why the engine heats up and how to cope with it.
Each car owner was faced with the fact that the 16-valve VAZ-2112 engine began to warm up. If you look at the indicator dashboard, then the arrow tends to the red zone, and in expansion tank the liquid boils - this means that there is a malfunction in the cooling system.
The arrow of the temperature indicator has entered the red zone, which means that the engine is in a state of overheating.
Many motorists remember the reasons for the effect on old Zhiguli cars. On 16-valve engines, the reasons for this effect are almost the same. Consider what reasons may be the reason that the main power unit begins to overheat:
- Clogged system.
- Thermostat jammed.
- Damage to the pump. Replace pump. ...
- Radiator.
- Cooling sensor malfunction.
- Cooling fan failure (see ")".
All these problems can cause engine overheating.
Elimination methods
To eliminate the causes of engine heating, it is necessary to establish the epicenter of the effect. To do this, it is worth checking each node sequentially. After identifying the problem, it is worth finding the exact cause and fixing it. So, consider the sequence of actions.
Engine cooling system diagram
Radiator and pipes
One of the reasons for engine overheating can be the clogging of the radiator and pipes, which affects the circulation of fluid in the system, and can also lead to cracks in the pipes and a breakdown of the radiator, which will lead to the leakage of coolant.
With an insufficient amount of coolant in the system, the power unit will heat up faster and cool down for a long time, and the cooling fan will run almost continuously.
Radiator and cooling pipes
The method for solving the problem is quite simple - dismantling the radiator from the system and cleaning it both outside and inside.
The second step will be to inspect the pipes for leaks and replace worn out products. As practice shows, many motorists install Kit-kits (tuning versions) of the radiator and pipes to extend the service life of the cooling system.
Pump (water pump)
One of the main causes of overheating is that it appears water pump play ... It is quite easy to determine this malfunction, because a corresponding howl appears in the pump area. Also, a sign of a malfunction may be that liquid will flow from the pump shaft. The malfunction is eliminated quite easily - by replacing the water pump.
Water pump mounted on the engine
Thermostat
The thermostat is the first place to look for a malfunction.
So, for jamming of the thermostat on a small circle, the engine heats up more often usually, even when driving on the highway, where there is enough oncoming air flow for the system to have time to cool itself.
Thermostat removed from the motor
There is one caveat when the thermostat should not be changed - if it fails in winter. Then, additional cooling is provided by sub-zero temperatures. Of course, if the thermostat fails in the summer, then to prevent overheating of the motor, it must be replaced as soon as possible.
Cooling sensor
The cooling temperature sensor is a harmless breakdown that can lead to the fact that the indicator on the instrument panel will show incorrect data, so the driver will not even know that the engine has overheated until it boils on the way.
Usually, this malfunction is accompanied by many accompanying factors, so it is quite difficult to miss it. There is only one solution to the problem - replacing the cooling system sensor and resetting errors that arose in the ECU.
Cooling sensor
Fan
The last reason for overheating, especially in the summer, is the cooling fan.
The fan under the hood is indicated by an arrow
So, a breakdown of this unit can lead to the fact that the engine overheats, as well.
In this case, the consequences can be very diverse, well, what needs to be checked for serviceability of the fan, as well as the sensor for turning it on - that's for sure. This part fails quite rarely, and therefore an elementary fuse or wiring malfunction, which can be easily eliminated, can become the cause of failure.
Consequences of untimely elimination of defects
Not all drivers are aware of the consequences of overheating the engine and continue to drive with a constantly running fan or frequent overheating.
So, the consequences of strong engine heating are divided into 3 stages, which should be considered separately.
Weak overheating
If the engine overheats for up to 10 minutes, the consequences may be negligible. So, cracks will appear in the pipes of the cooling system, the valve seals will melt and camshaft... Also, the valves will burn out, and oil will enter the combustion chambers, which will be marked by the release of black smoke from the exhaust system.
Consequences of weak overheating, namely burnout of valves
Significant overheating
With significant overheating, deformation occurs, or rather deflection of the cylinder head. To eliminate these consequences, you will have to dismantle the cylinder head and give it to the surface groove. Thus, it turns out that the head of the block is subject to overhaul.
Severe overheating
With strong overheating, the walls of the cylinder block are deformed and burned out, while the piston group melts, the connecting rods are deformed, or even the crankshaft breaks. Thus, the engine cannot be repaired, since the walls are usually power unit crumbling, and their restoration is impossible.
conclusions
Causes of heating and overheating 16 valve engine methods of elimination are established and considered. So, untimely repair of this unit can lead to the fact that the engine will finally fail and will need to be replaced. Therefore, if the first signs appear that the cooling system has failed, it is necessary to find and eliminate the cause, since the replacement will come out, much more expensive.
If you have owned your car for a long time, then most likely you have had problems related to engine overheating. On the VAZ 2110-2112, such problems are no exception. Of course, when the car is fresh enough, then such problems are rare, but when years and high mileage take their toll, then you have to solve the problems that have arisen, that is, eliminate the malfunction.
The cooling system of VAZ 2110 and 2112 cars is practically no different from most models of domestic production, so the problems are often very similar, and the methods for solving them are also.
Insufficient coolant level
In the expansion tank of your machine, the coolant level should be almost half the size of the tank. If you look at the mark, then this turns out to be the top risk on the body of the tank with the MAX mark... If there is no such mark, then most likely it will be located along the upper edge of the clamp.
If necessary, add antifreeze or antifreeze to the desired mark. It is worth noting one more fact that in winter, if its level is insufficient, the stove may work ineffectively, that is, the air will not blow as hot as during normal operation of the heater.
Failure of the thermostat
If the thermostat valve gets stuck in the closed position, the coolant will circulate in a small circle, thereby the engine will overheat very quickly. To solve this problem, it is necessary to replace the thermostat with a new one.
If suddenly this problem becomes clear on the way, and you need to go quite far to the place of repair, then you can try to knock on the thermostat body, perhaps this will lead to its normal, albeit temporary, functioning.
Malfunction of the temperature sensor and radiator cooling fan
Another reason why the VAZ 2110-2112 engine can get very hot is the failure of the cooling fan or sensor, which is again responsible for its operation.
Let's consider both of these cases in more detail.
- If the temperature sensor is faulty, then when the temperature threshold for turning on the fan is reached, it simply will not work, and at this moment the engine temperature will start to rapidly creep up. This usually happens in traffic jams, and it is not possible to quickly reset T to normal. And in this case, antifreeze or antifreeze may even boil, and the motor will be overheated, which should not be allowed. Try to get into a more or less clear section of the road to pick up speed, and then you need to apply engine braking to quickly reduce the temperature.
- As for the malfunction of the fan itself, in principle, all the symptoms described will be here, but it will cost a little more to solve the problem, since the cost of a new fan motor is at least 600 rubles without a case.
If you own a VAZ 2110 or a similar car of domestic production, then you can unsubscribe in the comments below about the problems that you encountered, and perhaps this will help to more fully answer the question: "Why is the VAZ 2110 warming up?"
He laid the foundation for a whole family of cars. Some of them are still in production today. This lineup high reliability and relative simplicity of execution are inherent, which is one of the main reasons for the high popularity of the car. At the same time, the conditionally long-term operation revealed a number of significant shortcomings. One of them is the cooling system.
It works great on a relatively new car, however, as soon as the service life exceeds 10 years, it malfunctions. They manifest themselves in the end in the same way. The arrow of the device indicating the temperature invariably creeps up. There may be several reasons why the VAZ 2110 engine heats up, and this problem requires detailed consideration.
Vehicle cooling system
The cooling system is made according to the classic scheme. The circulation of the coolant is carried out in large and small circles. Its transition from one circle to another is carried out automatically using a thermostat. Cooling of antifreeze occurs in a radiator, which is made of aluminum for better heat transfer.
To prevent overheating of the engine during long-term operation on low gears the car has a fan that turns on automatically when the temperature reaches a certain value. The main causes of a VAZ 2110 car malfunction:
- breakdown of the thermostat;
- the fan does not work;
- airlock;
- low coolant level;
- dirty engine surface.
Any of these reasons may cause the engine to get very hot. As a result, the car will lose a significant part of its power.
Faulty thermostat and fan
A symptom of a malfunctioning thermostat is a sudden rise in temperature for no apparent reason. That is, the car engine worked in normal mode, there was no long standing in traffic jams and movement in first gear, and the arrow of the device is close to the critical mark. Why is this happening? The fact is that, as a rule, the thermostat wedges in the closed position.
In this case, the liquid continues to circulate bypassing the radiator, which is not enough to cool the engine. Determining whether the thermostat is really to blame is very simple. It is necessary to warm up the engine to a temperature of 90 ° C. Now you should evaluate the temperature of the pipe that goes to the radiator. If it is cold, the thermostat must be replaced.
Unlike the previous case, engine overheating is preceded by prolonged operation in low gears. In this mode, the VAZ 2110 radiator does not have sufficient airflow and when the temperature reaches 95 ° C, a sensor is triggered, which turns on the fan. If this does not happen, overheating of the engine is inevitable. Such damage is complicated by the fact that malfunctions, other than the fan itself, can occur in its power supply circuit.
As a special case, a blown fuse should be mentioned. 
If, when the contacts are closed, the fan motor starts to rotate, the sensor is faulty. If not, then the reason may be in the fuse, and you need to check it. If it is working properly, further repairs require skills and a special device, so it is better to contact a specialist.
