The devil's in the diesel

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damlimey

New Member
Posts
96
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Beautiful Dorset Nr Blandford Forum
Hi Guys,

A few months ago now, the radiator in my 2.5 dse cracked and was replaced. Soon afterwards, the water pump went. However, there still seemed to be an overheating issue so after finding the viscous fan was iffy, I replaced that.

Still overheating when standing in traffic, the thermo was replaced so that now, there was nothing in the system that wasn't new or under three months old (even the heater matrix was replaced after it started leaking).

I've had sniffer tests to check for head gasket leaks and even had a month or so where there was no issue...

Last week, climbing a steep hill I saw the gauge start to climb well above normal and then next day, sitting in traffic, up it went again.

Now replaced the only original remaining item; the engine temp sender.

Will test it on the steep hill again today but my question is this, unless the problem is an intermittent one (in which case, pass the gun) what the f@*cks going on!

Anything you guys might know, short of suggesting the head comes off, that isn't in my logic path?

I look forward to your comments...

Kind regards,

Frustrated of Dorset.
 
damlimey said:
Hi Guys,

A few months ago now, the radiator in my 2.5 dse cracked and was replaced. Soon afterwards, the water pump went. However, there still seemed to be an overheating issue so after finding the viscous fan was iffy, I replaced that.

Still overheating when standing in traffic, the thermo was replaced so that now, there was nothing in the system that wasn't new or under three months old (even the heater matrix was replaced after it started leaking).

I've had sniffer tests to check for head gasket leaks and even had a month or so where there was no issue...

Last week, climbing a steep hill I saw the gauge start to climb well above normal and then next day, sitting in traffic, up it went again.

Now replaced the only original remaining item; the engine temp sender.

Will test it on the steep hill again today but my question is this, unless the problem is an intermittent one (in which case, pass the gun) what the f@*cks going on!

Anything you guys might know, short of suggesting the head comes off, that isn't in my logic path?

I look forward to your comments...

Kind regards,

Frustrated of Dorset.
Click to expand...

Does your new rad have a baffle in the top?
 
Not a reference to that. One with cooler in bottom is for a manual gearbox one without is for an auto box.

Baffle is in centre of rad to make it work correctly as both the entry an exit point of th rad are at fhe same level. Otherwise coolant flows In and out without flowing correctly through the core.
 
Best way to check is to drop in a marble, turn the rad upside down and tilt so the marble slides along. If the baffle is in place it'll get stuck half way, if it isn't, it'll pop out of the other side.

Do not put all of your faith in the sniff test either. The ol' Hilux Surf (Rest in hell you hellspawn piece of crap) was suffering random overheating, did a sniff test and it came back fine. Pulled the head and not only was the HG toast, the head had cracked in 5 places and not tiny little cracks you can only feel, you could visibly see them all.
 
Correct. If you look at the rad from front of car. Hot coolant enters at right side top and flows down that side then up the left side and out back from the top to the engine. There is a baffle in the header tank that causes this flow. If it is not there or has failed hot coolant just flows across the top of the rad without going through the matrix. That could give you your problem. Unless you have an endoscope or some kind of flexible probe rolling a marble across the rad would tell you if it goes across one side to the other without being stopped. But of course rad would need to be out for that check.
 
Thanks for this so far chaps. Am I being silly but if the baffle was not there, wouldn't the problem be permanent? I've just taken it out and up a killer hill where the fun started and she romped up as good as gold.

I'm putting off having the head removed and examined, she's got 120,000 on her and HG isn't unlikely but again, that wouldn't be intermittent, although I am guessing here a bit.

Sticky thermostat seems back in the frame but re electric fan conversion; does that do away with the stat then? It would certainly remove the viscous fan which I have never had faith in where ever it's found (my Audi has one too).

Flipping 'eck, it's so much easier when something just drops off or goes pop!

D
 
damlimey said:
Thanks for this so far chaps. Am I being silly but if the baffle was not there, wouldn't the problem be permanent? I've just taken it out and up a killer hill where the fun started and she romped up as good as gold.

I'm putting off having the head removed and examined, she's got 120,000 on her and HG isn't unlikely but again, that wouldn't be intermittent, although I am guessing here a bit.

Sticky thermostat seems back in the frame but re electric fan conversion; does that do away with the stat then? It would certainly remove the viscous fan which I have never had faith in where ever it's found (my Audi has one too).

Flipping 'eck, it's so much easier when something just drops off or goes pop!

D
Click to expand...

No just aids or replaces the viscous. Sticky stat does sound to be a goer though. Always test new stats by hanging in a pan of water on a heat source to check them. When i had my garage i had a little camping stove and a pan for this purpose. At one time stats were pretty bullet proof, these days they are all over the place depending on who makes them.
 
Stats are one of the few things I'd always buy genuine, but even that doesn't guarantee they work out of the box. It helps if you have a probe to monitor the temp of the water too. I believe you want it to open at around 85-90C. Can't remember the exact temp LR wanted it to open, but somewhere in that window.
 
Bix said:
Stats are one of the few things I'd always buy genuine, but even that doesn't guarantee they work out of the box. It helps if you have a probe to monitor the temp of the water too. I believe you want it to open at around 85-90C. Can't remember the exact temp LR wanted it to open, but somewhere in that window.
Click to expand...

Most these days seem to be 89 degrees. Bit different from the old standard of yesteryear of 74 degrees summer and 84 winter.
 
wammers said:
Most these days seem to be 89 degrees. Bit different from the old standard of yesteryear of 74 degrees summer and 84 winter.
Click to expand...

Back in those days you could change a stat in about 5 minutes though and the cooling systems were pap, so needed the headstart in the summer.

It was a right ballache when I had to change it on my RR though. Could you imagine RR turning to the new owners of a L405 and saying "it currently has the winter stat fitted, here is the summer one, you will want to change them over when it gets to about 15C outside."
 
Bix said:
Back in those days you could change a stat in about 5 minutes though and the cooling systems were pap, so needed the headstart in the summer.

It was a right ballache when I had to change it on my RR though. Could you imagine RR turning to the new owners of a L405 and saying "it currently has the winter stat fitted, here is the summer one, you will want to change them over when it gets to about 15C outside."
Click to expand...

Times change, we used to have an influx of vehicles just before winter to have anti freeze done and 84 degree stat fitted. Then around end of March they came back for 74 degree stat. I can see it would be a rare problem if it was still the same today.:D:D:D
 
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