Up and running, am I paranoid

Ok so started the Landy today for first time since replacement head, water pump and timing belt after it overheated and cracked the last head (200tdi)
Runs really smooth and after 35 mins of running stationary it reached 3/4 on temp gauge , just past the white and onto the edge of the black.
Is this normal or is it still getting hot?
Also the electric fan still didn't kick in at this heat, when should the fan be coming in?

Cheers

Is the fan wired into a temp switch? If not it won't come on until you turn it on. Mine is on a an on off on switch so I can have it on through the temp switch that's positioned in the bottom hose and comes on about 80something degrees and then either constantly on or off

Plan to check through all the wiring tomorrow but from first glance a live from in the cab with a 30amp in line fuse goes to a small relay box and then to the fan and to the temp sensor in between the pipe from stat to rad

have yu got the correct sender - there are 2?

I am not sure as I didn't fit it.
It's a converted disco engine in a td car.
Temp must have been converted also as lead to believe they show red hot if not done when converted

Where did the temperature gauge sit before the overheating. I did my head gasget this year and there was no difference in the level the temperature gauge went upto before and after.

Well worth getting one of these remove all doubt as its cappiliary its right all the time

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TIM-52mm-...hash=item20fdea3f35:m:mMDByrtDiLASZGoVOXt-Hwg

My temp gauge on my 200 tdi reads just under half way and always has done. When I ran it with an electric fan , the fan was connected to a temp switch which could be adjusted. I had mine set at 90 degrees before it tripped in. If yours is running just off the white I would say you have a problem. Either the gauge reading is incorrect or the water is not circulating. When It was up to temperature did you feel the water hoses. If you can just about hold them then the temp is about correct. If you couldn't hold them then you have a circulation problem. 200 tdi's are known to normally run on the cool side. I ran mine without any fan for a while in temperatures of around 30 C here in France., The temperature gauge would still just sit at around the half way mark.

It runs half way on mine mike at 28c running up the motorway at 65. So it sounds like ours are similar.

Sounds like your now ready for another Morocco trip then Chris. I have done everything to try and increase the the temperature in an effort to improve the heaters in the winter. I tried a 88C thermostat, Tried two other thermostats. New heater Matrix, new Rad. checked nothing is blocked. Heaters still useless. The heaters in the Merc start pushing out hot air within 400 meters of setting off on a cold morning. I have given up with the heaters in the Defender and just bought myself a warm coat, scarf , hat and gloves.

Yup clothing is the answer.

It used to sit bang on half way before but haven't had it for long and only done 500 miles since doing work. Also never had it stationary but can't run it as no mot.

It is a different thermostat now though I fitted a bearmach one

Just ordered gauge from link. Is it a straight forward fit and does it fit in dash replacing original gauge

Just been thinking, I'm prob an idiot. The entire time it was running I haven't put the rad plug back it, this would explain the soft pipes. Would this affect heat as system can't pressurise properly. I'll put it back in when home and try again with listed advise

Yes. When you get a chance buy a cheap infrared thermometer from screwfix or similar and avoid all the guesswork.

ashleywood.ash said:

Just ordered gauge from link. Is it a straight forward fit and does it fit in dash replacing original gauge

Click to expand...

Should fit straight in dash.

Just remember when fitting the gauge, thread the tube through the bulkhead grommet and along the engine nice and neat, then pull any slack back into the space behind the dash this makes dash removal easier as you cant just unplug the gauge like an elec one, the adaptor suppled fitted both my def200 and disco200 engine.

Both my 200 engines have had this gauge in for at least 5 years with no issues, very very accurate,, at different times of the year I can tell you what the engine temp is going to be at certain points, I can tell you for a certainty that the heater is total pants with the coolant below 70degc.

As an example the stat opens at approx 92/3 degc then the temp drops right back to low 80s then slowly ramps back up to high 80s only time it runs over 90 is when thrashing it down the motorway in high ambient temps, this is the same on both cars.

Ok stupid again but I have just bought an infra red therm. I'll get engine running again then is the stat casing the best place to take the reading?

Ok latest news:

Car ran for an hour stationary and gets up to just under the red (in the black). It used to get half way on a run but that was on old thermostat new one is bearmach.

I have ordered a new temp gauge but not here yet.
When at this temp I can hold the top hoses just and there is little pressure in there.
The bottom hose is cooler and pressure low also.
Rad gets hot, hotter at inter cooler side.
Infrared thermometer shows head at 85 degrees and stat casing at 78.
No fiz when you open header tank.

Hopefully this means temp is ok ?

Maybe there is a stat issue?

Need to check fan as its not kicking in. It's electric fan on a temp sensor, no separate switch.

Temp sounds fine, it takes an age to get a 200 warm on the road never mind idling.
I bet the stat never opened at all in your test.
You dont want the fan to cut in until coolant temp is at the minimum 90degc 95 probably better, bet you find it rarely if ever comes on.