04 alfa romeo 156 overheating - suprise surpise

[Annabella]

Hi everyone. I was driving in bumper to bumper traffic in the cbd today and noticed the temperature gauge was over 90 (3 quarters). I then pumped the heater on and it came down to 90. When i got into the free way, it stayed between 50 and 90.

Coolant is full and red colour. Any tips of what i should check?

Thanks

[colcol]

When stopped, make sure that the electric radiator fan is switching when the temperature goes past 90c, and then switches off when the temperature drops back.
When you went on the freeway it dropped back to 50c, it should stay up at 90c.
It sounds like the old 156-147 4 cylinder thermostat problem.
Take the thermostat out and give it a 'cook' on the hotplate with some hot water and a  thermometer and see if it is opening and closing at the right temperature, see youtube for a few clues.
My JTS is on to its FOURTH thermostat after 13 years.
The 33 is on to its THIRD thermostat after 30 years.
Bloody Fiats, Colin.

[Annabella]

Hi colin. Fan wasnt running (well couldnt hear it). Wuestion, my mechanic wont have a chance to check the thermo until thursday. Is the car safe to drive to the city "bumper to bumper" with the heater pumped up or should i refrain from driving? Can it cause damage to the engine? Any idea on how much it costs roughly to change?

Thanks

[colcol]

Have a look to see if the radiator fan is running, when the engine gets hot.
Make sure the temperature doesn't go into the red danger zone.
If it starts to get hot put the heater on to pull some heat out of the cooling system.
If it goes into the red zone you can cause damage to the engine.
If it is sitting above 90c, watch to see it doesn't go into overheat zone.
It will cost???, depending on what is wrong with it.
The thermostats are expensive as they come as a complete unit in housing.
Don't cost $15 from Repco.
Have a look at JTS thermostats on Ebay.
Keep an eye on the coolant level.
If it gets too hot, stop and lift the bonnet and have it towed to the mechanic.
A tow truck is cheaper than a new engine, Colin.

[Mick A]

i would suggest if the thermo fan isn't working you should NOT drive the car. JTS engines do not handle overheating well at all.

I actually strongly suggest you do not drive it at all and ignore all previous advice and get it to the mechanic immediately before you destroy it. The heater fan does not substitute for a thermo fan on a radiator at all.

[Davidm1600]

Unlike Cols 156 experience, I have only had to replace my thermostat once since I bought my car about 7 1/2 years ago.  My car has about 136,000 on the clock. I bought it at 89,000km.

Again unlike the experience noted about, my car always ran cool, hence and on the advice of all here, I changed the thermostat over.  I bought mine from EB spares (UK).  In checking out the EB spares website, it will cost you 36 quid (approx. $72) plus postage to Aus.  Normally parts from the UK take around 4 days to arrive. 

http://www.ebspares.co.uk/alfa156/cooling_alfa156.cfm

The main thing is Choder suggests is yes get it checked out ASAP and replace asneeded.  You don't want to cook the motor afterall !

[colcol]

The first thermostat on my JTS after 7 years ran too cool.
The second one was a slow opener and closer, the temp would go past 90c and then stay open and temperature would drop down too much, to as low as 50c.
The 3rd thermostat leaked where the plastic pipe went into the alloy housing after about 6 months.
The 4th one has been in about 4 years and is currently working good.
They should have been supplied with wing nuts or velcro!, as i don't think of thermostats as consumables, Colin.

[Garibaldi]

Col, maybe its a JTS thing. I have never had a problem with my Twin Spark, same thermostat after 168,000 klms.

[colcol]

The JTS has a different thermostat to a twin spark and a slightly different cooling system, twin spark owners are lucky they miss out on a cheap and nasty plastic water manifold that pipes coolant to the head on the JTS.
Always watching my temperature in preparation for another failed thermostat, look at it at certain place on the freeway in the morning to make sure its 90c and not too hot when stuck on Eastlink rat run traffic, Colin.

[Kulwinder]

Colin I also started forum before having same problem. But I took twice to Alfa Machanic, he checked and said that gauge is showing little higher. Fan is coming on 97c and drops temperature to 90c. And on freeway it stays under 90c. He said it's ok to drive. I asked him if I need to change coolant or thermostat or any thing. He said no need. But every time I look at gauge in traffic. I worry. It goes far way from 90 and drops back to 90 without turning heater on.


Kulwinder Singh

[Mick A]

Colin I also started forum before having same problem. But I took twice to Alfa Machanic, he checked and said that gauge is showing little higher. Fan is coming on 97c and drops temperature to 90c. And on freeway it stays under 90c. He said it's ok to drive. I asked him if I need to change coolant or thermostat or any thing. He said no need. But every time I look at gauge in traffic. I worry. It goes far way from 90 and drops back to 90 without turning heater on.


Kulwinder Singh

I don't like the sound of what you have described there! A second opinion on that one might be a good idea!

[Mick A]

Also, just a quick thing...

Turning the heater on is NOT a solution to overheating problems.

The core simply isn't big enough to cool a big enough volume of water to make any difference to the operating temperature.

[Kulwinder]

I don't understand. What should I do. Matt at Alfa men checked it and found no problem. He said its ok. I took new coolant and flusher to change coolant, but he said coolant is ok. I don't want to take it to any other Machanic who is not Alfa specialist.


Kulwinder Singh

[colcol]

Work out if it is actually overheating, ie the temperature gauge going into the red danger zone or if it is going past 95 or so.
If you think its overheating then keep an eye on the coolant level, if it is getting too hot it will be chucking out its coolant and the coolant tank will be low.
On another point, i changed the battery in the 156 and with the battery removed, got to see the thermostat from side on from the nearside of the car, didn't like what i saw, a few pink traces of coolant from the thermostat, where the plastic crap hose fitting is pressed into the alloy housing.
Will wait a short time to when the thermostat fails and the car over/under heats, then i will buy a new thermostat, maybe a blister pack, so i can have a few spares, Colin.

[Kulwinder]

You must have lot of experience with thermostats. Colin![emoji5]️


Kulwinder Singh