Water temp issues
Discussion
Those of you who have had the revised expansion tank fitted, can you tell me what led to this being needed?
My car has started giving high readings on the water temp gauge. Normal running when moving above 30mph the temp is 89/90 like normal. Within a few seconds of coming to a halt the temp creeps to 95-98 deg, the fans come on etc. If I keep going slow, or stop with the engine running the water temp goes to 100 then up to 104, 106, 108 within a minute or two. This is not what used to happen - even in the worst traffic jams in the heat of Italy it rarely went above 98/99. Also, it seems to be spitting out the expansion tank's water quite quickly (not a spout of water, but from the usual halfway to near the bottom of the expansion chamber on a journey). It never did this before.
Oil pressure/temperature are completely normal. Both fans are working as they should, no obvious leaks. Car seems to run just fine. When the water temp rises above 100 it does seem to tick over slightly higher which I assume is the ECU doing something normal.
No oil apparent in the water, nor water in the oil. Tailpipes no cleaner/dirtier than usual, no deposits on garage floor before/after a journey. Like I said, it seems to run just fine until I come to a halt in traffic once it's fully warmed up.
Once I move off and get above 5 mph the temp creeps down quickly, above 30mph it goes to 89/90 like normal quite quickly.
So IMO it's either:
- Dodgy water temp sender
- Really nasty airlock (but probably not as it would give random temperatures at any time).
- Dodgy water pump which needs some revs to pump the water
- Dodgy thermostat
- The expansion chamber problem. Hence my asking.
I'm about to book the 12k service so I'll get the dealer to investigate, but thought the PH Massive might have some ideas.
P.S. Yes, I did think about the headgasket. I suppose it could be this, seems to run OK otherwise though. Glad I've got a warranty if so.
My car has started giving high readings on the water temp gauge. Normal running when moving above 30mph the temp is 89/90 like normal. Within a few seconds of coming to a halt the temp creeps to 95-98 deg, the fans come on etc. If I keep going slow, or stop with the engine running the water temp goes to 100 then up to 104, 106, 108 within a minute or two. This is not what used to happen - even in the worst traffic jams in the heat of Italy it rarely went above 98/99. Also, it seems to be spitting out the expansion tank's water quite quickly (not a spout of water, but from the usual halfway to near the bottom of the expansion chamber on a journey). It never did this before.
Oil pressure/temperature are completely normal. Both fans are working as they should, no obvious leaks. Car seems to run just fine. When the water temp rises above 100 it does seem to tick over slightly higher which I assume is the ECU doing something normal.
No oil apparent in the water, nor water in the oil. Tailpipes no cleaner/dirtier than usual, no deposits on garage floor before/after a journey. Like I said, it seems to run just fine until I come to a halt in traffic once it's fully warmed up.
Once I move off and get above 5 mph the temp creeps down quickly, above 30mph it goes to 89/90 like normal quite quickly.
So IMO it's either:
- Dodgy water temp sender
- Really nasty airlock (but probably not as it would give random temperatures at any time).
- Dodgy water pump which needs some revs to pump the water
- Dodgy thermostat
- The expansion chamber problem. Hence my asking.
I'm about to book the 12k service so I'll get the dealer to investigate, but thought the PH Massive might have some ideas.
P.S. Yes, I did think about the headgasket. I suppose it could be this, seems to run OK otherwise though. Glad I've got a warranty if so.
Mine has been doing the same thing, Its been fine for ages then suddenly reading into the high 90's even into the hundreds even when crusing on the motorway. Being it Italy, Gatwick TVR have helping me through thing and testing a load of new parts. but nothing has changed it still does the same. In the end, I borrowed a temperature mesuring tool, which works bu touch, and the highest readings i got were around 85 deg on the swirl pot which seems fine.
Gatwick tvr have advised me that the most probable thing it could be is that there is a bad earth. So next plan of action is to take out the battery, and were the earth is bolted through the fibreglass, take it all appart and put crickle washers so as to make sure all the earths to the dash etc connect well.
good luck.
Sacha
www.t350.net
Gatwick tvr have advised me that the most probable thing it could be is that there is a bad earth. So next plan of action is to take out the battery, and were the earth is bolted through the fibreglass, take it all appart and put crickle washers so as to make sure all the earths to the dash etc connect well.
good luck.
Sacha
www.t350.net
Thanks for the feedback.
Hmmm, might be a good idea to get one of those thermo magic laser temperature readers. I guess the swirl pot temp should be close to the reading on the dash.
Mine is fine when moving though, only goes up when stopped. Might be earth/electrical related I guess.
It would be good to know it isn't really cooking though...
Hope you solve yours too Sacha.
Hmmm, might be a good idea to get one of those thermo magic laser temperature readers. I guess the swirl pot temp should be close to the reading on the dash.
Mine is fine when moving though, only goes up when stopped. Might be earth/electrical related I guess.
It would be good to know it isn't really cooking though...
Hope you solve yours too Sacha.
targarama said:
Thanks for the feedback.
Hmmm, might be a good idea to get one of those thermo magic laser temperature readers. I guess the swirl pot temp should be close to the reading on the dash.
Mine is fine when moving though, only goes up when stopped. Might be earth/electrical related I guess.
It would be good to know it isn't really cooking though...
Hope you solve yours too Sacha.
My car indicates about 8 degrees higher than the 'real' temperature, so it could just be an inaccurate sensor.
I had the expansion kit fitted (at the factory) and it hasn't made too much of a difference (probably 3-4 degrees lower now).
The most I ever see is about 100' (so 92 actual temperate) which could seem to be about average...
OK, this afternoon I managed to prove to myself it is definitely no more than either air pockets/needs more coolant or at worst a coolant sensor/fan relay.
I managed to squeeze a litre of coolant in somehow and took it for a drive, got it nice and warm. Parked up down a side road and waited for it to cook itself. It didn’t. Drove some more, parked up, temp went into mid 90s when parked (5 minutes or so). As soon as I drove off – within 100m the coolant temp was back to 89/90. Hmm.
Drove back towards home with some large potatoes on the way, parked up with the engine running again. Temp didn’t go above 97/98. I did notice only one fan was running - then the second one turned on – must be ECU controlled to switch separately (a question for the PH massive???).
Then drove home, temp dropped back to 89/90 again within 100m. (Maybe I should have tried reving the engine while stationery to see if it dropped in the same way). Coolant temp now 97/98 sat on the driveway ticking over, one fan on, then two for a bit. Seems to settle in mid to high 90s. A bit higher than in the past but seems OK.
I think I somehow let the coolant get a bit low which mean’t it ran a bit warm when not moving. You guys know how much of a pain it is to check (I use the wooden spoon technique). I think I might have a few air pockets in the system too as I was watching the temp gauge like a hawk while parked up and once it went 94/95/94/93/95/102/94/93/94. The service should sort that as they replace every liquid in the car (apart from the petrol).
Phew.
>> Edited by targarama on Sunday 24th July 17:39
I managed to squeeze a litre of coolant in somehow and took it for a drive, got it nice and warm. Parked up down a side road and waited for it to cook itself. It didn’t. Drove some more, parked up, temp went into mid 90s when parked (5 minutes or so). As soon as I drove off – within 100m the coolant temp was back to 89/90. Hmm.
Drove back towards home with some large potatoes on the way, parked up with the engine running again. Temp didn’t go above 97/98. I did notice only one fan was running - then the second one turned on – must be ECU controlled to switch separately (a question for the PH massive???).
Then drove home, temp dropped back to 89/90 again within 100m. (Maybe I should have tried reving the engine while stationery to see if it dropped in the same way). Coolant temp now 97/98 sat on the driveway ticking over, one fan on, then two for a bit. Seems to settle in mid to high 90s. A bit higher than in the past but seems OK.
I think I somehow let the coolant get a bit low which mean’t it ran a bit warm when not moving. You guys know how much of a pain it is to check (I use the wooden spoon technique). I think I might have a few air pockets in the system too as I was watching the temp gauge like a hawk while parked up and once it went 94/95/94/93/95/102/94/93/94. The service should sort that as they replace every liquid in the car (apart from the petrol).
Phew.
>> Edited by targarama on Sunday 24th July 17:39
Phew, its always a releif to find that its no more than a 'usual' TVR glitch. I have come to learn to ignor any type of disply warning/glitch, and trust my senses to hear/smell/feel any changes to the noises, and it works! lol
Having said that, its still heart in mouth time when we get spurious reading from the display!
Having said that, its still heart in mouth time when we get spurious reading from the display!
hwassall said:
I have been told that the first fan turns on at 92 and the second at 96.
That sounds about right, The fans are ecu controlled and I forgot to mention there are 2 sensors, one for the dash and one for the ECU. If your 2 fans are not always on, either the temp on the dash is wrong or the connections are faulty. best check once in a while by following the wires from the fan to the plug, unconnecting them then reconnecting them seems to make them work.
Good luck, hope all is soughted.
Sacha
www.t350.net
targarama said:
...and the car is due a 12k service.
Thanks for the info on the fans, at least I know they are supposed to come on separately.
My temps went made a while back. Added 1.5l of water and hey presto, normal temps. I've had to add a little more since but now it's OK.
(note to self: check fluid levels more often!!)
The car was back to the garage for other stuff and they pressure tested the cooling and found some minor leaks coming from the hose connections so it might be worthwhile having the same done.
Paul
>> Edited by fairclp on Tuesday 26th July 10:30
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