280i temparature
Discussion
..although 87 sounds a bit cool TBH....The thermostat should be rated for 86 so ideally the fan should kick on at around 90-92..
Ziga
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Zig, so is the Bible wrong? It says thermostat should be 82 deg so that's what I installed. Otherwise I agree, the fan would be on all the time.
Ziga
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Zig, so is the Bible wrong? It says thermostat should be 82 deg so that's what I installed. Otherwise I agree, the fan would be on all the time.
Mine has nose fans. Changed out the otter switch for a screwed in switch. Stupidly didn't research available switches in the thread size I had and struggled to find a correct-ish (87 or 90C) switch. Works great now but the gauge still reads high.
Oh, and the cool radiator cap with a thermometer from fleabay didn't fit.
Oh, and the cool radiator cap with a thermometer from fleabay didn't fit.
With the warmer weather coming (32C today) the wedge is not keeping her cool. Temp never sits below half way (90 deg on the gauge) and pushes up to just under 3/4 in heavy traffic. rad cap is blank and header tank is 110kpa.
I'm going to check tomorrow what temp the fan cuts in at, but its seems too late, Temp is already heading towards 3/4 and the fan struggles to stabilise it.
I will also check the specs on the fan that was supplied to see how much air it moves and compare that to other aftermarket fans.
One thing that bugs me and I don't have an answer to is where all that hot air goes. Nothing comes out of the two mesh bonnet vents so it must all be going down the transmission tunnel after superheating everything under the bonnet. If you pop the bonnet loads of hot air rushes out.
Rad was reconditioned before refitting, and there a new water pump on it.
My goal is to have the car cool in 40+ deg C so there is some work to do,..
I'm going to check tomorrow what temp the fan cuts in at, but its seems too late, Temp is already heading towards 3/4 and the fan struggles to stabilise it.
I will also check the specs on the fan that was supplied to see how much air it moves and compare that to other aftermarket fans.
One thing that bugs me and I don't have an answer to is where all that hot air goes. Nothing comes out of the two mesh bonnet vents so it must all be going down the transmission tunnel after superheating everything under the bonnet. If you pop the bonnet loads of hot air rushes out.
Rad was reconditioned before refitting, and there a new water pump on it.
My goal is to have the car cool in 40+ deg C so there is some work to do,..
Hi Toby
Try a cooler thermostat and a lower pressure cap on the rad compared to the tank....By the sound of it the fan is not up to spec......as I remember it the original rad on my 280i was borderline as regards to keeping it cool...I had it recored to a 3 core and a 16" kenlowe but that was superseded to a Radtech alloy rad and an 18" turbo boost fan, although it needed extra due to the blower...
Try a cooler thermostat and a lower pressure cap on the rad compared to the tank....By the sound of it the fan is not up to spec......as I remember it the original rad on my 280i was borderline as regards to keeping it cool...I had it recored to a 3 core and a 16" kenlowe but that was superseded to a Radtech alloy rad and an 18" turbo boost fan, although it needed extra due to the blower...
440Interceptor said:
....I will also check the specs on the fan that was supplied to see how much air it moves and compare that to other aftermarket fans.........One thing that bugs me and I don't have an answer to is where all that hot air goes. Nothing comes out of the two mesh bonnet vents ....
Might be a stupid question but, which side of the rad is the fan on and is it blowing or sucking in the correct direction?If that's all OK then you need to change you otter switch for a lower temp one. If that doesn't work, try a bigger fan (or two fans) with an over-ride switch on the dash.
440Interceptor said:
With the warmer weather coming (32C today)....
Like we really want to know that with winter coming here 
Edited by v8s4me on Monday 6th November 21:14
Thanks Zig, but I'm not following your logic on lower temp thermostat. Once engine is up to temp it won't make any difference will it? And if I put a lower pressure cap on the rad the boiling temp will reduce and she'll blow easier, no?
Joe, I agree, lower temp otter switch will give the fan more time to work, finding out if that's possible today, plus whether there's a bigger more powerful fan.
There are no silly questions, but yes, the fan is working the right way, don't ask me how I know this.
Joe, I agree, lower temp otter switch will give the fan more time to work, finding out if that's possible today, plus whether there's a bigger more powerful fan.
There are no silly questions, but yes, the fan is working the right way, don't ask me how I know this.
440Interceptor said:
Thanks Zig, but I'm not following your logic on lower temp thermostat. Once engine is up to temp it won't make any difference will it? And if I put a lower pressure cap on the rad the boiling temp will reduce and she'll blow easier, no?
I was thinking the same... lower pressure = lower boiling point. Issue with higher pressure is strain on older hoses and head gaskets though.Removing the thermostat completely should make a difference as the water flows more freely and without restriction. Also a more efficient radiator with a larger surface area, water passages and fins will also make a difference in the right direction. Using a good quality antifreeze could also help cooling and corrosion within the engine water passages. A powerful fan or a couple of fans are good, and closing off sections exposed between fan and radiator also increases air flow as the fan then draws air through the radiator more efficiently.
Tony. TCB.
Tony. TCB.
Hi Toby
If the thermostat opened earlier then the temperature would not be so high and the fan would not have to work so hard!.....However if you have an 82 degree thermostat then try setting the fan to come on a tad sooner...say 85 degrees...There should be a pressure cap on the rad but I cannot remember the pressures...
If the coolant is boiling up then there must be a leak or blockage somewhere.....also the gauge could be out ..
Is the thermostat definitely opening, I have had new one's that haven't!.....
Ziga
If the thermostat opened earlier then the temperature would not be so high and the fan would not have to work so hard!.....However if you have an 82 degree thermostat then try setting the fan to come on a tad sooner...say 85 degrees...There should be a pressure cap on the rad but I cannot remember the pressures...
If the coolant is boiling up then there must be a leak or blockage somewhere.....also the gauge could be out ..
Is the thermostat definitely opening, I have had new one's that haven't!.....
Ziga
Is the car overheating? Or is it just running hot (ie not blowing off at the rad cap?).
If it's running hot then the solution is better cooling in the form of bigger/more fans and/or a more efficient (ie) bigger rad. Also check circulation is as good as it could be.
If the car is overheating then that's a different problem and possibly due to a blockage somewhere.
When you bypassed the heater matrix could you have created an air-lock somewhere in the system?
There's lots of things I now know which I'm not prepared to owning up to how I know them.
If it's running hot then the solution is better cooling in the form of bigger/more fans and/or a more efficient (ie) bigger rad. Also check circulation is as good as it could be.
If the car is overheating then that's a different problem and possibly due to a blockage somewhere.
When you bypassed the heater matrix could you have created an air-lock somewhere in the system?
440Interceptor said:
............. the fan is working the right way, don't ask me how I know this....
There's lots of things I now know which I'm not prepared to owning up to how I know them.Sounds stupid, but did you put the thermostat in the right way round ?
Yes, it IS possible to install it backwards and everything fits.
The way the engine is designed/plumbed with bypass hose will then allow water to simply go around the engine block and not through the rad, so it will overheat.
Also, you MUST use a thermostat with the extra 'plate' at the back, to seal off the bypass when thermostat opens.
Couple of other suggestions .....
The Cologne block does build up sludge at the back, made worse when it's angled down at the back (TVR and some Cortinas) and it's tough to shift, even with a good flush. I only found this on my 280 after taking heads off as part of a rebuild, and rear core plug was rotted though after shifting a big lump (could have been "leak seal" aftermath ....
On my 280, the overflow tank was plumbed so that some of the flow went though the tank and not through the rad (pipe on bottom on tank went to 'wrong' heater hose, so was across the pump - don't know if this was original or a previous owner's mistake.
I never had an overheating problem on mine after fixing these, even when rad was about 1/3 blocked (discovered later after it sprung a leak), but I did have a single electric fan for traffic. I think possibly someone overdosed it on leak sealer ?
With an electric fan, it will push warm air out under the car when there's no bonnet vents - you can feel it !
Yes, it IS possible to install it backwards and everything fits.
The way the engine is designed/plumbed with bypass hose will then allow water to simply go around the engine block and not through the rad, so it will overheat.
Also, you MUST use a thermostat with the extra 'plate' at the back, to seal off the bypass when thermostat opens.
Couple of other suggestions .....
The Cologne block does build up sludge at the back, made worse when it's angled down at the back (TVR and some Cortinas) and it's tough to shift, even with a good flush. I only found this on my 280 after taking heads off as part of a rebuild, and rear core plug was rotted though after shifting a big lump (could have been "leak seal" aftermath ....
On my 280, the overflow tank was plumbed so that some of the flow went though the tank and not through the rad (pipe on bottom on tank went to 'wrong' heater hose, so was across the pump - don't know if this was original or a previous owner's mistake.
I never had an overheating problem on mine after fixing these, even when rad was about 1/3 blocked (discovered later after it sprung a leak), but I did have a single electric fan for traffic. I think possibly someone overdosed it on leak sealer ?
With an electric fan, it will push warm air out under the car when there's no bonnet vents - you can feel it !
Great comments thanks guys.
Car doesn't boil just gets hot. Andy I was careful with the thermostat orientation but I guess I can't be 100%. Only way to know for sure is to drain the coolant and remove the bottom hose I guess. I got it from Burton Power for the Cologne motor but I don't know about the bypass issue you mention.
looks like it's rad out and some aluminium fabrication are in order. Concern I have is there's very little space between the back of the electric motor and the front of the old viscous fan mount/pulley. If I put a shroud on it I need some clearance for airflow across the back of the rad.
Still need to confirm the opening temp of the otter switch too as that is an easier fix. Its not adjustable so it will need swapping out.
Car doesn't boil just gets hot. Andy I was careful with the thermostat orientation but I guess I can't be 100%. Only way to know for sure is to drain the coolant and remove the bottom hose I guess. I got it from Burton Power for the Cologne motor but I don't know about the bypass issue you mention.
looks like it's rad out and some aluminium fabrication are in order. Concern I have is there's very little space between the back of the electric motor and the front of the old viscous fan mount/pulley. If I put a shroud on it I need some clearance for airflow across the back of the rad.
Still need to confirm the opening temp of the otter switch too as that is an easier fix. Its not adjustable so it will need swapping out.
Bypass is the rubber pipe that sits behind the thermostat housing, and goes up to side of inlet mfold.
I knew someone who actually did put the thermostat in backwards !!
Also someone else who used the wrong thermostat, without the blocking plate.
Neither are very likely I agree, but just in case...
Why Ford couldn't put the thermostat in the top like everybody else.....
I knew someone who actually did put the thermostat in backwards !!
Also someone else who used the wrong thermostat, without the blocking plate.
Neither are very likely I agree, but just in case...
Why Ford couldn't put the thermostat in the top like everybody else.....
If it runs warm while driving , it's not the fan, is it? It took me several years of pulling the rad and taking it to rediator shops on top of trying different caps and thermostats before it worked right. The original set up is fine for hot days in traffic as long as the rad is clean. It's the rad. Thanks.
Actually you can get the rad "rodded out" which is to use a long rod (metal or plastic) down the full length of each core tube.
This does require one (or both) tanks to be removed, but if you have a leak anyway, it's worth considering, and cheaper than a new core.
Had that done here in NZ, the rad guy rang me up to tell me that about 1/2 of my rad was blocked up.
Even then it didn't overheat when cruising, just got hot fairly quickly in traffic, and electric fan was enough.
After cleaning though, stayed 'normal' for a lot longer....
This does require one (or both) tanks to be removed, but if you have a leak anyway, it's worth considering, and cheaper than a new core.
Had that done here in NZ, the rad guy rang me up to tell me that about 1/2 of my rad was blocked up.
Even then it didn't overheat when cruising, just got hot fairly quickly in traffic, and electric fan was enough.
After cleaning though, stayed 'normal' for a lot longer....
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