300td temp gauge reading hotter

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ONE LIFE LIVE IT. D90

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Hi there

Did a 250 mile round trip a couple of days ago in my 300tdi 90. Doing some green lanes along with a lot of country roads.

On the return home, i noticed the temperature gauge was reading 2/3rds or allmost 3/4 into the hot red zone. This is abnormal for the land rover, it normally sits half way. There was nothing blocking the radiator, and everything looked okay under the bonnet. This was country roads around Welshpool, about an hour from home. Im aware that the land rover gauge is very vague, however that concerned me more.

I let the engine cool down for 20 mins, had a look under the bonnet - all was well. Compared it to another 300tdi and the hoses were pressured exactly the same, accept mine being slightly hotter. I then continued my journey home. The gauge stuck at 2/3rds all the way home with no issues at all.

(A few months ago it had coolant, stat and rad flushed, and been fine on similar journeys....Intercooler flush, valve clearances last week, and FIP a very minor tweek)

Can anyone help or most of all put my mind at rest. Thanks in advance
 
Gauge is never that accurate but you'd hope it was consistant.

If running hotter than normal I'd check bleed valve at thermo housing to see if there's air in the system, check for cold spots on the rad, check viscous fan is working properly.

Might be thermostat failing to open fully or pump impeller breaking up though I dont think thats often an issue with 300s.

Was there an issue that led to flushing in the first place?
 
Gauge is never that accurate but you'd hope it was consistant.

If running hotter than normal I'd check bleed valve at thermo housing to see if there's air in the system, check for cold spots on the rad, check viscous fan is working properly.

Might be thermostat failing to open fully or pump impeller breaking up though I dont think thats often an issue with 300s.

Was there an issue that led to flushing in the first place?


Thanks for the reply. Its never had any cooling issues really, even though i was concerned some time ago. But that was my own paranoia.

It was a new genuine land rover stat about 2 months ago but i spose that could still happen.

How do i check the viscous fan is working properly?
 
Thanks for the reply. Its never had any cooling issues really, even though i was concerned some time ago. But that was my own paranoia.

It was a new genuine land rover stat about 2 months ago but i spose that could still happen.

How do i check the viscous fan is working properly?

With the engine cold you should be able to stop the fan with a rolled up newspaper, when it's warmed up you shouldn't
 
Fitted a genuine thermo to my 300 last year it lasted only 3 months ... Got another under warranty
Worth a look, try a test in some boiling water
I added a bleed to my heater pipe to aid bleeding the system after filling rad to plug opening and then thermo housing plug
A quick blow over the filler on the expansion tank purged the air out through my new bleed point
 
With the engine cold you should be able to stop the fan with a rolled up newspaper, when it's warmed up you shouldn't


Ive just checked the viscous fan. Used a rolled up cereal cardboard packet, and it was able to stop the fan both cold and warm. It shredded the cardboard when it was warm. But it stopped.

Is this the problem?
 
check rad gets hot all over , and system is full by removing thermostat housing bung, it should over flow, fan should be solidly driven when engines hot but the fact it stiffened shows its working to some extent ,but fans not needed under normal driving as air speed is enough
 
check rad gets hot all over , and system is full by removing thermostat housing bung, it should over flow, fan should be solidly driven when engines hot but the fact it stiffened shows its working to some extent ,but fans not needed under normal driving as air speed is enough


Thanks James, I'll check that on the text outing then.

I wouldnt say there was a lot of difference between the fan resistance either hot or cold. Ive only just removed the viscous fan, could i have damaged it?

Ive fitted brass plugs to the thermostat and rad. Can the O rings be swapped over from the plastic plugs? One of the o rings has ripped on the brass plugs
 
Don't know about damage but it does sound like fan is knackered. Shouldn't cause overheating unless worked very hard but the engine will run warmer so it could be it's the issue.

Our rings should be the same size or pop into a plumbers merchant and pick up another for a few pence.
 
Just done a timing belt on a 200 Tdi and whilst in there noticed the viscous for the fan was poor, it was leaking too
Checked with owner who said his temp always remained at half , he asked me to get a new one but I fitted the old one back until it arrived
Could stop it hot or cold easily
Reckon your prob won't just be the fan
Defo check for air locks in system, make sure rad full to max as well, the header tank is not exactly very high on the 300 and air locks are too easy
 
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Is this the same Landy that was down on power?
We mentioned a compression check
Slight overheating
I'm wondering about the head gasket
:-/
 
Is this the same Landy that was down on power?
We mentioned a compression check
Slight overheating
I'm wondering about the head gasket
:-/


It is mate yes. Same vehicle!

The coolant isnt pressurising any more that a friends 300tdi on the same journey. No mix coolant and oil.

I find it strange it only got to 2/3rds to the hot part of the gauge, and didnt get any further.

Did a fairly short journey today, enough to get it warm and it stuck to half way.

Confused now
 
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