Driving Ms Crazy!

[Colleen74]

So I have a 2002 March K12 - and it's been overheating. In the beginning the fan would kick on then not go off and then the overheat light would come on - I'd let her cool down, take off again and the problem might not re-occur. Usually fine for motorway driving but in traffic it would overheat again.

Local mechanic checked it out, put some copper coloured liquid through the radiator that would apparently block any holes and told me it was the head gasket and advised a new engine. I've bought one but not fitted it yet as a friend told me last night it might just be a stuck thermostat. In the past I've felt both hoses when the car was heated up and both were hot. Another friend told me if the oil is black it's probably the thermostat and if it's green probably the head gasket. It's dark brown. I've been driving it for a few weeks now - not much mileage, just locally and it hasn't overheated once although I do have to keep topping up the water /coolant in the radiator.

I'm not convinced it's a new engine I need and although I've bought one I don't want to put it in and discover I never needed it in the first place - any ideas?

P.S. Although my car is a 2002 March (engine CR12) a 2006 Micra engine (CR12) is the same right? I won't have problems fitting?

 

[Enuo]

So I have a 2002 March K12 - and it's been overheating. In the beginning the fan would kick on then not go off and then the overheat light would come on - I'd let her cool down, take off again and the problem might not re-occur. Usually fine for motorway driving but in traffic it would overheat again.

Local mechanic checked it out, put some copper coloured liquid through the radiator that would apparently block any holes and told me it was the head gasket and advised a new engine. I've bought one but not fitted it yet as a friend told me last night it might just be a stuck thermostat. In the past I've felt both hoses when the car was heated up and both were hot. Another friend told me if the oil is black it's probably the thermostat and if it's green probably the head gasket. It's dark brown. I've been driving it for a few weeks now - not much mileage, just locally and it hasn't overheated once although I do have to keep topping up the water /coolant in the radiator.

I'm not convinced it's a new engine I need and although I've bought one I don't want to put it in and discover I never needed it in the first place - any ideas?

P.S. Although my car is a 2002 March (engine CR12) a 2006 Micra engine (CR12) is the same right? I won't have problems fitting?

Head gasket needs a new engine? What a crock of sh*t, don't go back to that garage. Unless you can see water leaking from joints or pipes in the coolant system, it's probably the head gasket. Just remove the head making sure you don't rotate the cams at any point til the chain/belt goes back on, scrape the old gasket off, check head for flatness by putting a steel rule against it and check for a gap. If there is it might need skimming by a machine shop, but a lot less expensive than a new engine. Then just new gasket, torque up properley and bam, hopefully problem solved.

 

[MicraPRO]

I would also like to add that if you have yellowy coolant or cream (mayo) like substance under the oil cap its a possible sign of head gasket failure.

 

[h701micra]

Black oil is dodgy thermostat? Green oil... whats green oil. You've been given bad advice but your in safe hands now

 

[Colleen74]

Thanks everyone! The garage did give me the option of skimming the gasket but said that sometimes skimming can lead to other problems -particularly burning oil. So I decided on the new engine. So is there a chance that I just had a leak in the radiator that was repaired with the "copper coloured stuff" and maybe just have another small leak now?

 

[Colleen74]

P.S. Although my car is a 2002 March (engine CR12) a 2006 Micra engine (CR12) is the same right? I won't have problems fitting?

 

[Enuo]

P.S. Although my car is a 2002 March (engine CR12) a 2006 Micra engine (CR12) is the same right? I won't have problems fitting?

Might have to swap ancilliaries such as maf/map sensor, ecu etc but yeah otherwise should be fine

 

[frank]

a sunderland built CR engined k12 probably has some differences to a march CR12 colleen

 

[Jay101]

The creamy 'gunk' you get underneath the oil cap is condensation of water..the oil emulsifies. This is due to short journeys . On the other hand it is plausible for head gasket, but are very many more symptoms.

 

[Colleen74]

Hmmm... Sounds like a lot of investigations to find the actual problem. Maybe I should just put in the new engine & forget it! Problem is I LOVE my March - every mechanic that sees it says it must be the only one like it in the country!

 

[Guy]

I do have to keep topping up the water /coolant in the radiator.

Water pump maybe? specially as it's overheating as well.