1 Owner Fsh 205 Gr With Electrical Gremlins

[coombsfh 2]

Dear All,

 

I have used this forum in the past and then drifted away from 205 ownership. I have now come full circle and was lucky enough to be GIVEN a 1988 205 GR just like my first car with a totally comprehensive history. Even more alarmingly it passed an MOT the other day!

 

However, I have a problem and it has a few branches of enquiry which I would like some help with if possible.

 

1) It has just ahd a new battery.

 

2) It has been starting fine since saturday, went to have it washed today and between stopping and starting it again it died. A bump start worked.

 

3) The negative terminal (screw type) on the battery is lose. Could this have anything to do with charging problems?

 

4) the fan is very eager to come on and stays on for a long time after stopping, despite not overheating.

 

5) there has been an oil leak from the rocker cover gasket above the alternator. I have replaced the gasket but could the oil have ruined the alternator?

 

Knowing what I know now, where would you all start and why?

 

Thanks. Glad to be back,

 

Fred.

[Anthony 1,000]

A loose battery terminal won't help anything - fixing that first would be a good port of call for electrical woes.

 

Checking that the alternator is charging would be a sensible next step after sorting the loose battery terminal. On a multimeter you should see around 12.7v at the battery with the engine off which rises to around 14-14.5v with the engine running and alternator charging.

 

Oh and yes, oil and similar leaks into the alternator can kill them.

[coombsfh 2]

A loose battery terminal won't help anything - fixing that first would be a good port of call for electrical woes.

 

Checking that the alternator is charging would be a sensible next step after sorting the loose battery terminal. On a multimeter you should see around 12.7v at the battery with the engine off which rises to around 14-14.5v with the engine running and alternator charging.

 

Oh and yes, oil and similar leaks into the alternator can kill them.

 

Hello Anthony, I remember you. Live in Swindon still?

 

My searching has taken a diversion. I think it is a coolant fault somewhere. I have taken the header bottle off and drained the system down.

 

The header had a big load of sludge in (solidified at the bottom as rust cake. However, the coolant that came out was bright pink despite the header tank coolant being bright orange.

 

Could this be a radiator blockage, a bust thermostat or a stuffed water pump?

 

Thanks,

 

Fred.

 

PS any tips on removing and reusing the bottom metal zip tie thing on the rad hose. it looks odd and like ti will break if not handled correctly. Drained coolant by removing hose at other (engine block) end and holding it close to ground.

 

When charging , the battery reads 13.95v so I reckon it must be the fan staying on due to uneven water temps, funked relay or temp sender.

 

Does this logic compute?

[coombsfh 2]

A loose battery terminal won't help anything - fixing that first would be a good port of call for electrical woes.

 

Checking that the alternator is charging would be a sensible next step after sorting the loose battery terminal. On a multimeter you should see around 12.7v at the battery with the engine off which rises to around 14-14.5v with the engine running and alternator charging.

 

Oh and yes, oil and similar leaks into the alternator can kill them.

 

SOME of the chunks of rust cake from the header tank

 

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Clean up your battery earths and give that system a very good flush, id be tempted to remove the radiator and throughly flush it through. Good old iron blocks!

[trogboy 17]

Remember that the header tank on a TU engined 205 is a dead end - there is only one entry/exit point connected to the upper O/S end of the rad by quite a narrow pipe. As a result there's very little coolant exchange between the header tank and the rest of the system in normal operation, probably just that caused by the expansion and contraction of the coolant.. Crap tends to settle out there in the absence of any flow.

[coombsfh 2]

Remember that the header tank on a TU engined 205 is a dead end - there is only one entry/exit point connected to the upper O/S end of the rad by quite a narrow pipe. As a result there's very little coolant exchange between the header tank and the rest of the system in normal operation, probably just that caused by the expansion and contraction of the coolant.. Crap tends to settle out there in the absence of any flow.

 

Took off header tank and filled with dishwasher tablets, vinegar, stones and water. Plugged end with blutac and shook vogorously. It now looks new.

 

It was extremely sludged up.

 

Clean up your battery earths and give that system a very good flush, id be tempted to remove the radiator and throughly flush it through. Good old iron blocks!

I took your advice and took the radiator off. I connected it to the outside tap and blasted. Not all holes were flowing. A hearty prod with a piece of straightened coat hanger and some ominous chunks flowed out. They had a texture a little like oily compost and left the ever-hated 'road rainbow' indicating a mix of oil and water. Piss.

 

Fixed battery terminal and this is where things got really odd. I connected it all back up, filled with water to flush and absolutely not a sausage. Not even a light on the dash. Jumped it and it was fine. Left it, turned it off before coolant had a chance to circulate. Went back now expecting dead battery and it sprang into life???

 

I realise there are two problems here. One cooling and one battery but I believe the two may be linked. A neighbour said the fan was on all night really loudly. Could it have been a dodgy sensor or a sensor that recieved no rad flow tripping the fan?

 

Head gasket needs doing now anyway as oil is pissing out at the alternator end between block and head...

 

Lots of looking and thinking done but a few mysteries thrown up as well.

 

Have just been back through the totally comprehensive history and there have been new batteries and alternators all over the place so I wonder if these vehicles are just prone...

Edited November 10, 2015 by coombsfh

[coombsfh 2]

Clean up your battery earths and give that system a very good flush, id be tempted to remove the radiator and throughly flush it through. Good old iron blocks!

 

Where are the earths on this puppy. Have only seen bloody hanging connectors.

[RossD 43]

1988 205 GR should have an alloy block...

 

Those deposits don't look like iron oxide (rust) deposits, they look too crystalline for that. They look more like coolant that has got old, solidified and fallen out of suspension. Remember, if this is an alloy blocked 205 (Which it should be given the year unless its had an engine swap at some point) there is no where for "rust" to come from.

[Dizzee stuff 33 1 Cars]

The stuff from the header tank looks more like some kind of rad weld or K seal type gunk.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Are you 100% sure? If its a TU not the earlier engine it should be iron block.

1988 205 GR should have an alloy block...

 

Those deposits don't look like iron oxide (rust) deposits, they look too crystalline for that. They look more like coolant that has got old, solidified and fallen out of suspension. Remember, if this is an alloy blocked 205 (Which it should be given the year unless its had an engine swap at some point) there is no where for "rust" to come from.

[RossD 43]

Yes, I'm sure! The Tu was introduced for the 1988 model year, in 1.0, 1.1 and 1.4 litre forms. All with an alloy engine block.

 

In about 1991 / 1992, the 1.4 changed over to a cast iron engine block. However, they still produced both an iron and alloy engine block version of the 1.4 in the later 1990's and early 2000's.

 

The 1.1 always had an alloy block, as did the 1.0.

 

The 1.6 (Not fitted to the 205) was always iron blocked.

Edited November 24, 2015 by RossD