T350 Using Coolant

[rhyspw]

My T350 is using a lot of water at the moment, in a 30 min drive it will use about 3 litres and I am so paranoid that as soon as the water temp gets over 90 I have to pull over and top it up. I have had a look around and there doesn't seem to be any leaking. Could a faulty cap (I have the blue one) use this much water or is it likely to be something more sinister? Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks

[shep1001]

rhyspw said:

My T350 is using a lot of water at the moment, in a 30 min drive it will use about 3 litres and I am so paranoid that as soon as the water temp gets over 90 I have to pull over and top it up. I have had a look around and there doesn't seem to be any leaking. Could a faulty cap (I have the blue one) use this much water or is it likely to be something more sinister? Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks

You can see a faulty cap (steam and splash marks on the bonnet lid. I would check the hose clips are tight first and the bleed point on the top of the radiator if this all looks OK I would go and get a pressure test on the rad this will show where it is leaking.

The rad expands when it gets hot and is under pressure and starts to leak. When its cold the cracks close up so you may not see where the problem is. A new alloy rad was about £650 fitted from Castle TVR who did my Tam recently. Hopefully its a hose that needs tightening but thats a lot of water you are having to top up.

Edited by shep1001 on Tuesday 30th June 08:14

[BatleyBoy]

If you find you need a new radiator, then have a look at this site:

http://www.radtec.co.uk/

[Targarama]

Get it to a garage and find the leak - that is far too much water to be losing to risk cooking the engine in traffic. Probably steaming out of a joint somewhere - you'd notice if the cap was venting/leaking/losing pressure (but they are cheap to replace if you want to try - VW part).

Is there any white smoke coming out of the tailpipes when you rev it? That would be the worst case scenario here (headgasket).

[rhyspw]

There is no white smoke coming from the exhaust! Thankfully

Does anyone know the part number for the cap? I live in Germany so I could order one to be waiting for me to try it when I get home this weekend. Cheers

[BatleyBoy]

rhyspw said:

There is no white smoke coming from the exhaust! Thankfully

Does anyone know the part number for the cap? I live in Germany so I could order one to be waiting for me to try it when I get home this weekend. Cheers

The part number is on top of the cap.
The last time I needed one, the VW Dealer had one in stock.

[rhyspw]

Yes thanks for that I live in Germany and my car is in England! If someone has the part number to hand I can call and have it delivered to my home in England! Thanks

[BatleyBoy]

rhyspw said:

Yes thanks for that I live in Germany and my car is in England! If someone has the part number to hand I can call and have it delivered to my home in England! Thanks

Part number on the cap is 443121-321

[rhyspw]

Thanks

[K100]

I was looking for the same thing. Found one on Ebay for under a fiver. Type in VW radiator cap and look for GSF Parts.

[SP6 Animal]

What's normal running temp.
It's been in the high 20's for a couple of weeks now and mine runs at 100 in town and 95 on a motorway.
No loss of water or water in the oil had it for 2 months now.
I have replaced the thermistor but temp remains.
Both fans run.

[the jollyrodger]

100 and 95 on a motorway is too high.
mine had the same problem a while back.
i took mine to the local tvr mechanic and after a pressure test,which showed no leaks,he blead it at the two valves.
he told me to bleed them every month.
i would imagine this is what yours needs done

problem is,ive tried to bleed mine since but am not sure weather to do it when hot,when engine running,etc.i would imagine its the same as bleeding a radiator in the house!
can anyone tell me when to bleed them?,thanks.

[salsoul]

Bleed the car like any other car.

The most important thing is to do it on a steep sleep or jack the front end up as high as you can, otherwise you will never get the air locks out.

[the jollyrodger]

this dosnt really answer my questions im afraid,i wasnt aware other cars needed blead,just topped up!

[TVR_owner]

Depends on the car and the presence of local high points in the cooling system.

Not uncommon for TVRs...quite uncommon for most other cars.

[smithyl23]

the jollyrodger said:

100 and 95 on a motorway is too high.
mine had the same problem a while back.
i took mine to the local tvr mechanic and after a pressure test,which showed no leaks,he blead it at the two valves.
he told me to bleed them every month.
i would imagine this is what yours needs done

problem is,ive tried to bleed mine since but am not sure weather to do it when hot,when engine running,etc.i would imagine its the same as bleeding a radiator in the house!
can anyone tell me when to bleed them?,thanks.

I get 95 degrees all the time on the motorway.
I have a new water pump with a new uprated alloy radiator as well as the expansion tank mod. In cooler temps i normally see about 88-92 normal driving but on the motorway 85+ mph i regularily see 92-98 degrees.

[TVR_owner]

smithyl23 said:

I get 95 degrees all the time on the motorway.
I have a new water pump with a new uprated alloy radiator as well as the expansion tank mod. In cooler temps i normally see about 88-92 normal driving but on the motorway 85+ mph i regularily see 92-98 degrees.

Something is not working as it should. 72-75 degrees is what you should be seeing on motorways at 70-75 mph (even with current temps) with a standard rad!.

Edited by TVR_owner on Thursday 2nd July 12:03

[Targarama]

TVR_owner said:

smithyl23 said:

I get 95 degrees all the time on the motorway.
I have a new water pump with a new uprated alloy radiator as well as the expansion tank mod. In cooler temps i normally see about 88-92 normal driving but on the motorway 85+ mph i regularily see 92-98 degrees.

Something is not working as it should. 72-75 degrees is what you should be seeing on motorways at 70-75 mph (even with current temps) with a standard rad!.

Edited by TVR_owner on Thursday 2nd July 12:03

Surely that means the thermostat isn't working (closing in this case). Mine ran in the mid 80s at cruise altitude in hot weather. I understand that 'somewhere around 90' is the ideal operating temperature for most internal combustion engines?

[TVR_owner]

Targarama said:

TVR_owner said:

smithyl23 said:

I get 95 degrees all the time on the motorway.
I have a new water pump with a new uprated alloy radiator as well as the expansion tank mod. In cooler temps i normally see about 88-92 normal driving but on the motorway 85+ mph i regularily see 92-98 degrees.

Something is not working as it should. 72-75 degrees is what you should be seeing on motorways at 70-75 mph (even with current temps) with a standard rad!.

Edited by TVR_owner on Thursday 2nd July 12:03

Surely that means the thermostat isn't working (closing in this case). Mine ran in the mid 80s at cruise altitude in hot weather. I understand that 'somewhere around 90' is the ideal operating temperature for most internal combustion engines?

Depends Targ,
Maybe I should have said IMHO.

Some engines run better cooler than 90 and too cold is as bad as too hot as temperature sensors (on these modern contraptions) will allow a cold engine to be overfuelled. A car that runs 4 or 5 degrees to hot all its lfe can have its engine life shortened by some way. All depends on what altitude you cruise at.

I would rather see my temp gauge showing 75 degrees as 95 degrees lets just say. Co-incidently, thats what my Sag and T350 ran at, and what Lindas Tam runs at - all with only factory kit fitted.

Good guide is the stat opening temperature. If you are running much over that, all is not well (even if sometimes by design error....)

Edited by TVR_owner on Thursday 2nd July 13:32

[smithyl23]

TVR_owner said:

smithyl23 said:

I get 95 degrees all the time on the motorway.
I have a new water pump with a new uprated alloy radiator as well as the expansion tank mod. In cooler temps i normally see about 88-92 normal driving but on the motorway 85+ mph i regularily see 92-98 degrees.

Something is not working as it should. 72-75 degrees is what you should be seeing on motorways at 70-75 mph (even with current temps) with a standard rad!.

Edited by TVR_owner on Thursday 2nd July 12:03

All the work including a rebuilt 4ltr was carried out by Jason @ STR8Six in April, he's confirmed these temps were completely fine. The only time i get running temps 70-80 is in the winter months of the year.