Gordini Nears Meltdown

[malcolm]

Driving the Gordini home from work this evening the fanbelt snapped without me noticing. The alternator warning light didn't come on.

So I kept on going oblivious while the engine started getting hot. Didn't notice the temperature warning light because it shares it's light with the oil one and that's faulty and on all the time.

So horror - Gordini doomed to melt without me noticing.

Then guess what - just as it started to boil I ran out of fuel! Got to love being lucky Only damage is a blister from the walk home, but it could have been a lot worse. I'm planning to add some gauges very soon.

 

[jjad]

Oh no! Do you think that the overheating will have done much damage? I do hope not. Fingers crossed.

 

[malcolm]

It's fine. Got a lift back to the car and put another fan belt on and it drove back like normal. It had lost the water from the expansion bottle but the radiator was still full. I was very lucky to have caught it so early.

 

[Azazello]

Is the fan belt driven, not wiht an electric motor as the gtl one? Always on?

 

[John Doe]

I was so worried when I saw the title, nice to hear everything is ok.

 

[jjad]

Glad it's all OK (and that you keep spares!)

Just out of curiosity, why did it overheat? Does the belt drive the water pump as well?

 

[benchseat]

This from the former owner of the Gordini (bodywork only, thank goodness). The serious point is that the alternator light did not come on. If it had you'd have been instantly alerted to the problem.

Anecdote - last December I was driving back home when the fanbelt snapped. There I was, at 11 p.m. with no generator, no water pump (this on the 845cc engine) and 25 miles from home. Fortunately (i) I was on an empty country main road with no Plod, (ii) It was a clear night with a full moon, (iii) it was last December and the temperature was about minus 10 (fortunately no snow). By driving at 35 maximum with the heater matrix (not fan) "on" and only putting on the lights when another car approached, I got back on residual battery power and radiator convection alone - the moon gave enough visibility. So it can be done in an emergency - although both the engine temperature and battery warning lights on mine do work!!

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

Note to self: get Felicia's temperature light fixed ASAP!

Weirdly it worked briefly last week as I was busy replacing the horn and sidelight bulb, then stopped working again. I can't figure out what that means.

 

[mike4gtl]

Glad to hear all is ok Malcolm

 

[Bobble]

When i was a nipper and my dad had an motorcycle ( a Scott Squirrel, youngersters won't have heard of that ) and then progressed to an Austin Seven he always carrried a verity of tools and bits and pieces, so naturally i still do the same ( it's a habit now ) and thought that everyone that drives an older always carried spare fanbelt, string, piece of wire, tape, also a few nick nacks and also a few tools ?

so what happened there Malcolm ?

 

[malcolm]

Ought to carry some tools and spares really. Had a fair amount on the trip to Thenay but driving around here I don't seem to bother. Ought to organise a small tool and spare kit that can stay in each car.

Not even sure the Gordini has a wheel brace. Fortunately I drove the Clio to work today, so when I had a puncture this morning in the same village I broke down in last night I was able to change the wheel.

 

[simonandjuliet]

Spares/tools

You are right about carrying a selection of bits and bobs, but whenever I break down it is always the bit I forgot to include that lets me down !

I think it was Alan Clark MP (dec) who, when asked about the most essential tool in his toolbox replied, "my mobile phone". He probably got it right !

 

[tim1casa]

F6 Meltdown.

Same thing nearly happened to me this summer in Spain in my farm van. The rubber strap holding the expansion bottle broke without my knowledge, so I lost all my water. Engine began knocking like mad, thought it was my bigends! retrospectively though obviously pre-ignition. No warning lights, I must have bad contacts, (very dusty and not used much). Then the power began to drop, probably due to the engine about to seize. So I stopped at that point and discovered the cause. Left it a couple of hours before I filled it up again (I was out in the country, and it took me that long to get some water to fill it up). Started instantly, and has run sweet as a bird ever since, but I am now very wary and check water levels daily. Hope the Gordini is still good.