idling cured nice one

[JJpp]

just a thankyou to POD and chim 666. my idling problem is now cured, the engine is still overheating quite badly even with the fans kicking in and the coolant levels are spot on but ive got a weekend off to sort it. does anyone know of any decent tvr garages in the lancaster area as my service is coming up, cheers

[tahiti450]

JJpp said:

the engine is still overheating quite badly even with the fans kicking in and the coolant levels are spot

If it really is overheating still (i.e the coolant temp is getting to or over 100C)that suggets that there is a flow problem (or the temp sender / gauge is suspect). Culprits for the former are:
1) blocked radiator core (not easy to definitively diagnose but if the external state of the fins and tubes is pretty mothy then this is a possibility, oh and of course feeling the rad from the front once the engine is warm and seeing if the whole rad is evenly hot, if there are cold patches then there is blockage).
2) failed thermostat, not opening easy to replace but ensure you get the correct spec replacement.
3) AFAIK the RV8 water pumps have metal impellers but I had the same problem with our old 328i when I removed the pump I found that the impeller (plastic in this case) had disintegrated so no circulation other than by convection!
As regards the latter if you've got a suitable thermometer / pyrometer check the temp of the top hose, inlet manifold adjacent to the temp sender to verify the readings.
I bought myself one of those digital instant reading infrared pyrometers a few years ago (saw them recently on the shelf in Maplins). It has got to be one of the most useful tools I own, from deep freeze temps, tyre temps, skin temp, oil temps, engine temp, manifold temps - anything in fact and ridiculously simple to use, one of the best £80 I've ever spent.

[JJpp]

nice one mate i've got a full day tomorrow to tinker with it thanks for the advice...

[parrot of doom]

JJpp, how do you know the engine is overheating? Are the fans coming on while you're in motion, or is it just that the temp gauge seems high to you?

[sparkythecat]

Jjp.
You might like to have a look at this thread I posted a few months ago www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=174641

PS YHM

[JJpp]

pod; the temp was rising from 70 upto 90. luckily enough it was just home when it hit 90, going off what ive been told thats hot for normal running, the fans are kicking in at 70ish. but when at 90 i could literally hear the water inside the engine bubbling. thought it was best to seek advice.

[JJpp]

nice one for that sparky, i'll give them a bell tomorrow, i'm at bolton-le-sands just outside lancaster so it sounds good. cheers!!

[Flintstone]

JJpp said:

pod; the temp was rising from 70 upto 90. luckily enough it was just home when it hit 90, going off what ive been told thats hot for normal running,

You sure? I've seen 90+ on a warm day with some enthusiastic driving, soon cools off once I slow down a bit.

[dnb]

90C is about right. A little warm, but not too bad. Most cars tend to run at 85C to 90C and Griff/Chim's engine is still a normal 4 stroke v8 after all

>> Edited by dnb on Thursday 22 September 11:25

[mattrosersv]

My 500 runs at 90 ish roundabout traffic jams in town. When it is hot (35 degrees ish) I have seen up to 110 on the guage. How accurate this is I don't know.

As has been said, best to check the actual temp of the engine rather than rely soley on gauge.

With regard to bubbling noise, I had a bubbling/squirting noise which was air in the heater system. This obviously gets worse when it is hot.

[parrot of doom]

Mine stays at 90 all the time, perhaps 85 when on a cold day. In traffic it will rise to over 100 before the fans come on.

Never really had any concerns about it, I just presume that all temp gauges are slightly different in their operation. My last 2 cars, both Audis, ran at 90.

[ads]

On a hot day mine will run at 90, with fans comming on at about 75. seems "they all do that sir" mine seems fine.

[chim666]

JJpp said:

just a thankyou to POD and chim 666. my idling problem is now cured,

Glad the idle is ok now JJpp.
Mine's sitting in the garage at the mo' waiting for my son to give me a hand to re-fit the radiator - it decided to leak rather a lot over the weekend !

[JJpp]

just spent the day takin the water pump (checking impellor) thermostat and other bits and bats to bits. found a leaking hose but the everything else was ok. put new coolant in and low and behold its running like a dream. i guess it was just "new owner nerves". but thanks for all your advice and i know the cooling system inside out now, nice one!!!!

[parrot of doom]

Water wetter is supposed to be very good