P38A 2.5 Operating Temp

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GavinDavis

GavinDavis

Member
Posts
40
Hi Guys,

After all the faff of getting my DSE back on the road after a number of years, she's finally MOT'd and rolling around on Britain's roads once again :).

My question for now is relating to the operating temp, and more precisely the time that it takes to get to it's operating temp, as I feel I may have an issue? From cold, I can drive around a mile or so and the water temperature is pretty much already at its operating temp. The temp isn't increasing any further from this point, however after a 12 mile journey to work, the engine bay does appear to be flipping scorching! I checked all my fluid levels again after around 90 mins, and it was still very hot!

Does anyone know what the average time to achieve its optimal operating temp should be, under normal driving from cold?
 
GavinDavis said:
Hi Guys,

After all the faff of getting my DSE back on the road after a number of years, she's finally MOT'd and rolling around on Britain's roads once again :).

My question for now is relating to the operating temp, and more precisely the time that it takes to get to it's operating temp, as I feel I may have an issue? From cold, I can drive around a mile or so and the water temperature is pretty much already at its operating temp. The temp isn't increasing any further from this point, however after a 12 mile journey to work, the engine bay does appear to be flipping scorching! I checked all my fluid levels again after around 90 mins, and it was still very hot!

Does anyone know what the average time to achieve its optimal operating temp should be, under normal driving from cold?
Click to expand...
Sounds like the viscous fan is knackered, Do the rolled up newspaper test. With the viscous working mine took a hill and 5 kilometres to get out of the blue. I run with no viscous and use the aircon fans for cooling, now it's up to temperature in a couple of kilometres
The viscous fan is a common failure item.
 
Do you mean to give it poke with a rolled up newspaper? :)

I've had it off recently while replacing the injection pump....so maybe I've killed it?
 
GavinDavis said:
Do you mean to give it poke with a rolled up newspaper? :)

I've had it off recently while replacing the injection pump....so maybe I've killed it?
Click to expand...
Yes, engine up to temperature, shove a tightly rolled up newspaper into the blades, minding you fingers, if it stops or slows it's fecked.
They die regularly without any help:rolleyes:
 
It should turn by hand with some resistance..

And yes, you bunch up a newspaper and shoke it in there with the engine running, it should shred it, if the fan stops it is knackered.
 
GavinDavis said:
Hi Guys,

After all the faff of getting my DSE back on the road after a number of years, she's finally MOT'd and rolling around on Britain's roads once again :).

My question for now is relating to the operating temp, and more precisely the time that it takes to get to it's operating temp, as I feel I may have an issue? From cold, I can drive around a mile or so and the water temperature is pretty much already at its operating temp. The temp isn't increasing any further from this point, however after a 12 mile journey to work, the engine bay does appear to be flipping scorching! I checked all my fluid levels again after around 90 mins, and it was still very hot!

Does anyone know what the average time to achieve its optimal operating temp should be, under normal driving from cold?
Click to expand...

If it isn't overheating at low speeds then it is probably OK but newspaper test will help.
 
I had the fan off my V8 a day or two back to replace a grumbling idler pulley. I thought I’d check the coupling, so I held the nut in one hand and turned the fan with the other, mentally noting the torque needed. I then heated the bimetal strip with a heat gun and although the “spring” moved, the torque required to turn the fan in my hand was the same as when cold. So I cooled off the “spring” again and the torque still remained the same. New coupling on the way.
 
Marshall8hp said:
I had the fan off my V8 a day or two back to replace a grumbling idler pulley. I thought I’d check the coupling, so I held the nut in one hand and turned the fan with the other, mentally noting the torque needed. I then heated the bimetal strip with a heat gun and although the “spring” moved, the torque required to turn the fan in my hand was the same as when cold. So I cooled off the “spring” again and the torque still remained the same. New coupling on the way.
Click to expand...

The fluid is circulated by centrifugal force you cannot test one turning by hand. The hub needs to be spun at speed.
 
All sorted thanks Gents - everything was fine after all, it was just me being overly cautious :).

A number of years ago I suffered a cracked cylinder head, so after that I always find myself looking at the temp gauge nervously haha.

Viscous fan working as it should, shredding newspaper nicely. Left the cap of the header for a while just in case of air pockets in the system. The only thing it's due in reality is a coolant change, so ill make sure I do that soon.

It's nice driving her around again! :)
 
Viscous on its way out you will typically see the gauge go up and up quite alarmingly if you stop in traffic after a long run. Gauge should stay pretty much at 12oclock when warmed, sometimes the gauge sender sensor can play up at age but usually when something is wrong it will be very apparent
 
RangeRoller dt said:
Viscous on its way out you will typically see the gauge go up and up quite alarmingly if you stop in traffic after a long run. Gauge should stay pretty much at 12oclock when warmed, sometimes the gauge sender sensor can play up at age but usually when something is wrong it will be very apparent
Click to expand...
You could always fit my aircon fans mod even if only as back up.:)
 
I have no 3rd head sensor and my AC fans don’t work
I don’t overheat anyway somehow swapping the VFC over, cleaning it up and reinstalling made it work again. Wonder if there are ventricles inside the fluid chamber and I sort of unsettled something in there.

the FIP needs little sit down and cool off on some journeys :oops: I should fit a fan to that
 
RangeRoller dt said:
I have no 3rd head sensor and my AC fans don’t work
I don’t overheat anyway somehow swapping the VFC over, cleaning it up and reinstalling made it work again. Wonder if there are ventricles inside the fluid chamber and I sort of unsettled something in there.

the FIP needs little sit down and cool off on some journeys :oops: I should fit a fan to that
Click to expand...
The third sensor is nothing to do with my aircon fans mod, even if the aircon doesn't work the fans can be used.
 
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