Quick Question for a Mechanic! * Updated, disgusted with garage*

jtr2803

Never used this part of MSE before but thought someone may be able to answer a quick question for me (more like confirm what I already think!).

I've been having problems with my 01 Fiesta Zetec S overheating, my mechanic has just taken out the thermostat and we think the garage fitted it the wrong way round!!! :mad:

Could anyone confirm that the spring end of the thermostat should face into the engine block? The one fitted on my car had the spring facing outward................

s_b

these normally overheat if you put a copy heater control valve on them
have you done this recently?
certainly worth checking that you have through flow even if pipes to heater are turned off
correct new ones are now cheap from ford
no idea which way thermostat fits

jtr2803

Hi s b!

It has had two HCVs since I owned it, the over heating has only happened since a local garage replaced the thermostat housing after it leaked and I lost all my water. The rad is hot all over, no air locks and pipes are as they should be. From what I have found on the net it sounds like the thermostat spring should be facing the block, well mine wasn't so I assume that's either the main cause or a huge part of the issue!

vax2002

The correct one only fits one way round...

jtr2803

That's interesting Vax.......I would have assumed the same but I've just found a few threads on ford forums where people have either put theirs in the wrong way round or have found some that have been put in the wrong way round?!?!

red_eye

jtr2803 wrote: »

Never used this part of MSE before but thought someone may be able to answer a quick question for me (more like confirm what I already think!).

I've been having problems with my 01 Fiesta Zetec S overheating, my mechanic has just taken out the thermostat and we think the garage fitted it the wrong way round!!! :mad:

Could anyone confirm that the spring end of the thermostat should face into the engine block? The one fitted on my car had the spring facing outward................

remove it all together and see if it overheats if it does there is another problem

jtr2803

I thought I would come back and update....

Car is now fixed and runs like a dream, no overheating even with the air conditioning on. The thermostat had been fitted back to front (We can only assume that when the garage replaced the thermostat housing they dropped the 'stat and put it back in the wrong way round - apparently my car is one of the very few cars it is possible to do this on!).

I am absolutely fuming with the garage, I took it to another garage and they suggested a new radiator at a cost of £200 but I stuck to my guns because I didn't think it was the rad so declined. I could have spent an absolute fortune trying to get the problem fixed as generally speaking, you wouldn't even consider that a) the stat could be fitted the wrong way round or b) that they would manage to do that, you would just assume it was right.

I will be writing a really strong letter to their customer service department (it's a national chain...they used to be very good with me as I knew the regional manager), they also fitted a new abs sensor almost two years ago and since then the abs has been activating when I turned left when braking at junctions etc. It went back to them another two times and they charged me over £200 saying it was perished brake lines. When that didn't cure the problem they just told me it wasn't mechanical so I should see an auto electrician. It turns out that they fitted the new sensor so far back in it's cradle that it couldn't pick up the signal form the wheel accurately so it would think the wheel was locked up and the abs would activate (as I suspected), all my new mechanic did was clean out the cradle and refit the sensor and it cured it!

Quite shocking really......

gilbert_and_sullivan

jtr2803 wrote: »

(it's a national chain...
.

That's told us all we needed to know, you can't beat the genuine indy.

Thanks for the update, glad it's cured.