Hi - seems like my "overheating" 300TDi was a dodgy temperature sender, apparently...
He took the landy out, saw the gauge right in the red, but when he opened the bonnet, he was pretty certain it wasn't actually overheating. IR thermometer read about 91degC, hoses could be touched without taking the skin off your hand etc.
He fixed me a new temperature sender, and the gauge is behaving as it should now. He replaced the one that was in there that had a GREEN ring, with one that has a BLACK ring. Question: which one is right for a '96 300TDi?
I sort of trust my local mechanic, but I'm still a bit uncertain as to whether he hasn't just put a less sensitive sender in there, and the engine is still a little on the hot side, but that message isn't now getting through to the gauge. ie - while he might have liked the £500 for a new head gasket, he may not have liked the amount of hassle involved.
One reason for this - once it's up to temperature in the middle of the gauge, at tickover, the oil warning light comes on.... I know that could be other things, and like the Haynes manual says: "Low oil pressure in a high mileage engine @ tickover is not necessarily a cause for concern... Check the gauge or warning light sender before condemning the engine" But it's only started doing this since this "overheating" issue. It's got 96k on the clock.
Any views? Cheers, Matt
He took the landy out, saw the gauge right in the red, but when he opened the bonnet, he was pretty certain it wasn't actually overheating. IR thermometer read about 91degC, hoses could be touched without taking the skin off your hand etc.
He fixed me a new temperature sender, and the gauge is behaving as it should now. He replaced the one that was in there that had a GREEN ring, with one that has a BLACK ring. Question: which one is right for a '96 300TDi?
I sort of trust my local mechanic, but I'm still a bit uncertain as to whether he hasn't just put a less sensitive sender in there, and the engine is still a little on the hot side, but that message isn't now getting through to the gauge. ie - while he might have liked the £500 for a new head gasket, he may not have liked the amount of hassle involved.
One reason for this - once it's up to temperature in the middle of the gauge, at tickover, the oil warning light comes on.... I know that could be other things, and like the Haynes manual says: "Low oil pressure in a high mileage engine @ tickover is not necessarily a cause for concern... Check the gauge or warning light sender before condemning the engine" But it's only started doing this since this "overheating" issue. It's got 96k on the clock.
Any views? Cheers, Matt
