Chimaera running temperature
Discussion
Hi All,
This is an informative post about my journey with my running temperature on my 400 in my first year of ownership.
The car has always run at 92 never any lower, this has been confirmed by temperature gun and rovergauge. Which in itself is not much of a problem, but doesn't give me much room when I hit traffic on a hot day and the gauge creeps up to 100. Never overheated though.
After replacing water pump, rad, thermostat, coolant flush, and fans...... all of which were under par. I now ran at 82 degrees, but if I ever hit traffic the car went up to 92 and then onto 100 and never came back down below 92 on the move...... strange.
The answer.......... the grill. Whilst looking about I found a second hand chimaera grill, which looked the same but had many more holes in it. My grill being black it never stood out before how few holes it had. Replaced with a mesh and a years worth of stress has been lifted. Steady at 82
I think this is a rare problem, but for unsuspecting newbies that don't know any different just check the grill before you go mad.
Frostie
This is an informative post about my journey with my running temperature on my 400 in my first year of ownership.
The car has always run at 92 never any lower, this has been confirmed by temperature gun and rovergauge. Which in itself is not much of a problem, but doesn't give me much room when I hit traffic on a hot day and the gauge creeps up to 100. Never overheated though.
After replacing water pump, rad, thermostat, coolant flush, and fans...... all of which were under par. I now ran at 82 degrees, but if I ever hit traffic the car went up to 92 and then onto 100 and never came back down below 92 on the move...... strange.
The answer.......... the grill. Whilst looking about I found a second hand chimaera grill, which looked the same but had many more holes in it. My grill being black it never stood out before how few holes it had. Replaced with a mesh and a years worth of stress has been lifted. Steady at 82
I think this is a rare problem, but for unsuspecting newbies that don't know any different just check the grill before you go mad.
Frostie
Some very informative and well evidenced Rover V8 coolant temp info here:
http://www.vintagemodelairplane.com/pages/Snippets...
The article ends by saying Rover intended the RV8 engine fueled with Efi to be run between 90 & 95*c.
On a hot day like today my Chimaera will run at speed with my Canems software showing a the temp number flickering between 87/88*c, on a colder day it runs at 84/85*c
At idle my fans kick in at exactly at 90*c, for about 8 seconds the coolant temp continues to rise peaking at 92*c before the fans start to take effect and the figure on my laptop begins to fall.
After 30 seconds or so at idle the fans have reduced the coolant temp down to exactly 85*c where they are configured to switch off, from there the cycle starts all over again but the coolant never ever exceeds that absolute peak of 92*c and it's only ever at 92*c for a second or so anyway.
Once the engine is fully warmed my lowest summer coolant temp figure is 85*, the peak figure is 92*c and the average figure over a period of mixed driving in the summer typically calculates out at 89*c.
Thermostats
I run an 88*c thermostat just like Rover & Range Rover specified, I've never had any overheating (or under cooling issues), many Chim & Griff owners run a cooler thermostat on their TVR which is almost completely pointless when you consider a thermostat is really just designed to help the car warm up quicker. A coolant system that's designed to run at a maximum of 95*c is carefully specified to do just that and not my virtue of it's thermostat value but is dictated by the coolant jacket volume, the capacity and surface are of the radiator and the volume of coolant the water pump can shift.
A car with a coolant system designed to run the engine at around 90-95*c fitted with a 73*c thermostat will still run at 90-95*c at idle when cars tend overheat if something is wrong, the same car fitted with an 88*c thermostat will still run at the exact same 90-95*c at idle it's just the 73*c thermostat would have been fully open at 73*c when the engine is likely to still be receiving it's warm up enrichment. On the other hand the same car running an 88*c thermostat when the coolant is at 73* will have a thermostat that's still part shut so the rad will only be partly involved, this dramatically aids warm up towards the important 90-95*c design target and gets the engine off cold start enrichment much faster.
When the coolant temp gets to 90*c at idle both the 73*c thermostat and the 88*c thermostat will be fully open, so at idle the 73*c thermostat simply isn't offering any better cooling than the 88*c thermostat. We can now quite clearly see choosing a lower value thermostat to the one Rover & Land Rover specified (88*c) will have absolutely no impact at all on stopping your TVR overheating and will offer no additional protection, indeed the lower value thermostat will just waste fuel!
If your TVR is overheating it will almost certainly happen at idle, don't be tempted to solve the problem with a lower value thermostat as this is a bodge, and a bodge that (short journeys excepted) quite clearly won't work. Start by making sure both your fans come on at 90*c, then make sure your rad isn't blocked in some way as described by the OP, also ensure the rad isn't silted up internally or leaking, finally check your water pump is functioning correctly and the drive belt is tight.
With the coolant system now working correctly you can now make sure you've got the correct 88*c thermostat in place as specified by Rover & Range Rover, rather than a cooler one that someone else fitted because they (wrongly) assumed it would help stop the car from overheating. Fuel economy will go up and engine wear will go down, proving the 88*c thermostat specified by Rover & Range Rover was chosen for good reason.
http://www.vintagemodelairplane.com/pages/Snippets...
The article ends by saying Rover intended the RV8 engine fueled with Efi to be run between 90 & 95*c.
On a hot day like today my Chimaera will run at speed with my Canems software showing a the temp number flickering between 87/88*c, on a colder day it runs at 84/85*c
At idle my fans kick in at exactly at 90*c, for about 8 seconds the coolant temp continues to rise peaking at 92*c before the fans start to take effect and the figure on my laptop begins to fall.
After 30 seconds or so at idle the fans have reduced the coolant temp down to exactly 85*c where they are configured to switch off, from there the cycle starts all over again but the coolant never ever exceeds that absolute peak of 92*c and it's only ever at 92*c for a second or so anyway.
Once the engine is fully warmed my lowest summer coolant temp figure is 85*, the peak figure is 92*c and the average figure over a period of mixed driving in the summer typically calculates out at 89*c.
Thermostats
I run an 88*c thermostat just like Rover & Range Rover specified, I've never had any overheating (or under cooling issues), many Chim & Griff owners run a cooler thermostat on their TVR which is almost completely pointless when you consider a thermostat is really just designed to help the car warm up quicker. A coolant system that's designed to run at a maximum of 95*c is carefully specified to do just that and not my virtue of it's thermostat value but is dictated by the coolant jacket volume, the capacity and surface are of the radiator and the volume of coolant the water pump can shift.
A car with a coolant system designed to run the engine at around 90-95*c fitted with a 73*c thermostat will still run at 90-95*c at idle when cars tend overheat if something is wrong, the same car fitted with an 88*c thermostat will still run at the exact same 90-95*c at idle it's just the 73*c thermostat would have been fully open at 73*c when the engine is likely to still be receiving it's warm up enrichment. On the other hand the same car running an 88*c thermostat when the coolant is at 73* will have a thermostat that's still part shut so the rad will only be partly involved, this dramatically aids warm up towards the important 90-95*c design target and gets the engine off cold start enrichment much faster.
When the coolant temp gets to 90*c at idle both the 73*c thermostat and the 88*c thermostat will be fully open, so at idle the 73*c thermostat simply isn't offering any better cooling than the 88*c thermostat. We can now quite clearly see choosing a lower value thermostat to the one Rover & Land Rover specified (88*c) will have absolutely no impact at all on stopping your TVR overheating and will offer no additional protection, indeed the lower value thermostat will just waste fuel!
If your TVR is overheating it will almost certainly happen at idle, don't be tempted to solve the problem with a lower value thermostat as this is a bodge, and a bodge that (short journeys excepted) quite clearly won't work. Start by making sure both your fans come on at 90*c, then make sure your rad isn't blocked in some way as described by the OP, also ensure the rad isn't silted up internally or leaking, finally check your water pump is functioning correctly and the drive belt is tight.
With the coolant system now working correctly you can now make sure you've got the correct 88*c thermostat in place as specified by Rover & Range Rover, rather than a cooler one that someone else fitted because they (wrongly) assumed it would help stop the car from overheating. Fuel economy will go up and engine wear will go down, proving the 88*c thermostat specified by Rover & Range Rover was chosen for good reason.
Hi,
This comment helped me understand many things!
I'm still a bit confuse about my situation about one point discussed there. I was suspecting a stuck open thermostat because i had trouble to get the 90c operating temperature on the gauge.. so i puted a cardboard on the rad waiting for my new thermostat...
I was today on the 70's on the gauge with my cardboard on. I realized that the ventilators kicked in at this temperature! Whats happen! are the fans not supposed to start at 90c?? Is this the gauge not giving me the real temperature and the engine is in reality at 90c, starting the fan normally (and then i dont have any thermostat problem)? Is my fan starting too cold and get my engine even cooler (combined with stuck open thermostat)? Could it be linked to the position of eaj sensor?
It would be very nice if somebody could help me, i see there is a problem but i cant put the finger on..
Ps i tried the rad hot hose test to determine if the thermostat is stuck open but as said on the bible it s not so easy to determine...
This comment helped me understand many things!
I'm still a bit confuse about my situation about one point discussed there. I was suspecting a stuck open thermostat because i had trouble to get the 90c operating temperature on the gauge.. so i puted a cardboard on the rad waiting for my new thermostat...
I was today on the 70's on the gauge with my cardboard on. I realized that the ventilators kicked in at this temperature! Whats happen! are the fans not supposed to start at 90c?? Is this the gauge not giving me the real temperature and the engine is in reality at 90c, starting the fan normally (and then i dont have any thermostat problem)? Is my fan starting too cold and get my engine even cooler (combined with stuck open thermostat)? Could it be linked to the position of eaj sensor?
It would be very nice if somebody could help me, i see there is a problem but i cant put the finger on..
Ps i tried the rad hot hose test to determine if the thermostat is stuck open but as said on the bible it s not so easy to determine...
ChimpOnGas said:
Some very informative and well evidenced Rover V8 coolant temp info here:
http://www.vintagemodelairplane.com/pages/Snippets...
The article ends by saying Rover intended the RV8 engine fueled with Efi to be run between 90 & 95*c.
On a hot day like today my Chimaera will run at speed with my Canems software showing a the temp number flickering between 87/88*c, on a colder day it runs at 84/85*c
At idle my fans kick in at exactly at 90*c, for about 8 seconds the coolant temp continues to rise peaking at 92*c before the fans start to take effect and the figure on my laptop begins to fall.
After 30 seconds or so at idle the fans have reduced the coolant temp down to exactly 85*c where they are configured to switch off, from there the cycle starts all over again but the coolant never ever exceeds that absolute peak of 92*c and it's only ever at 92*c for a second or so anyway.
Once the engine is fully warmed my lowest summer coolant temp figure is 85*, the peak figure is 92*c and the average figure over a period of mixed driving in the summer typically calculates out at 89*c.
Thermostats
I run an 88*c thermostat just like Rover & Range Rover specified, I've never had any overheating (or under cooling issues), many Chim & Griff owners run a cooler thermostat on their TVR which is almost completely pointless when you consider a thermostat is really just designed to help the car warm up quicker. A coolant system that's designed to run at a maximum of 95*c is carefully specified to do just that and not my virtue of it's thermostat value but is dictated by the coolant jacket volume, the capacity and surface are of the radiator and the volume of coolant the water pump can shift.
A car with a coolant system designed to run the engine at around 90-95*c fitted with a 73*c thermostat will still run at 90-95*c at idle when cars tend overheat if something is wrong, the same car fitted with an 88*c thermostat will still run at the exact same 90-95*c at idle it's just the 73*c thermostat would have been fully open at 73*c when the engine is likely to still be receiving it's warm up enrichment. On the other hand the same car running an 88*c thermostat when the coolant is at 73* will have a thermostat that's still part shut so the rad will only be partly involved, this dramatically aids warm up towards the important 90-95*c design target and gets the engine off cold start enrichment much faster.
When the coolant temp gets to 90*c at idle both the 73*c thermostat and the 88*c thermostat will be fully open, so at idle the 73*c thermostat simply isn't offering any better cooling than the 88*c thermostat. We can now quite clearly see choosing a lower value thermostat to the one Rover & Land Rover specified (88*c) will have absolutely no impact at all on stopping your TVR overheating and will offer no additional protection, indeed the lower value thermostat will just waste fuel!
If your TVR is overheating it will almost certainly happen at idle, don't be tempted to solve the problem with a lower value thermostat as this is a bodge, and a bodge that (short journeys excepted) quite clearly won't work. Start by making sure both your fans come on at 90*c, then make sure your rad isn't blocked in some way as described by the OP, also ensure the rad isn't silted up internally or leaking, finally check your water pump is functioning correctly and the drive belt is tight.
With the coolant system now working correctly you can now make sure you've got the correct 88*c thermostat in place as specified by Rover & Range Rover, rather than a cooler one that someone else fitted because they (wrongly) assumed it would help stop the car from overheating. Fuel economy will go up and engine wear will go down, proving the 88*c thermostat specified by Rover & Range Rover was chosen for good reason.
http://www.vintagemodelairplane.com/pages/Snippets...
The article ends by saying Rover intended the RV8 engine fueled with Efi to be run between 90 & 95*c.
On a hot day like today my Chimaera will run at speed with my Canems software showing a the temp number flickering between 87/88*c, on a colder day it runs at 84/85*c
At idle my fans kick in at exactly at 90*c, for about 8 seconds the coolant temp continues to rise peaking at 92*c before the fans start to take effect and the figure on my laptop begins to fall.
After 30 seconds or so at idle the fans have reduced the coolant temp down to exactly 85*c where they are configured to switch off, from there the cycle starts all over again but the coolant never ever exceeds that absolute peak of 92*c and it's only ever at 92*c for a second or so anyway.
Once the engine is fully warmed my lowest summer coolant temp figure is 85*, the peak figure is 92*c and the average figure over a period of mixed driving in the summer typically calculates out at 89*c.
Thermostats
I run an 88*c thermostat just like Rover & Range Rover specified, I've never had any overheating (or under cooling issues), many Chim & Griff owners run a cooler thermostat on their TVR which is almost completely pointless when you consider a thermostat is really just designed to help the car warm up quicker. A coolant system that's designed to run at a maximum of 95*c is carefully specified to do just that and not my virtue of it's thermostat value but is dictated by the coolant jacket volume, the capacity and surface are of the radiator and the volume of coolant the water pump can shift.
A car with a coolant system designed to run the engine at around 90-95*c fitted with a 73*c thermostat will still run at 90-95*c at idle when cars tend overheat if something is wrong, the same car fitted with an 88*c thermostat will still run at the exact same 90-95*c at idle it's just the 73*c thermostat would have been fully open at 73*c when the engine is likely to still be receiving it's warm up enrichment. On the other hand the same car running an 88*c thermostat when the coolant is at 73* will have a thermostat that's still part shut so the rad will only be partly involved, this dramatically aids warm up towards the important 90-95*c design target and gets the engine off cold start enrichment much faster.
When the coolant temp gets to 90*c at idle both the 73*c thermostat and the 88*c thermostat will be fully open, so at idle the 73*c thermostat simply isn't offering any better cooling than the 88*c thermostat. We can now quite clearly see choosing a lower value thermostat to the one Rover & Land Rover specified (88*c) will have absolutely no impact at all on stopping your TVR overheating and will offer no additional protection, indeed the lower value thermostat will just waste fuel!
If your TVR is overheating it will almost certainly happen at idle, don't be tempted to solve the problem with a lower value thermostat as this is a bodge, and a bodge that (short journeys excepted) quite clearly won't work. Start by making sure both your fans come on at 90*c, then make sure your rad isn't blocked in some way as described by the OP, also ensure the rad isn't silted up internally or leaking, finally check your water pump is functioning correctly and the drive belt is tight.
With the coolant system now working correctly you can now make sure you've got the correct 88*c thermostat in place as specified by Rover & Range Rover, rather than a cooler one that someone else fitted because they (wrongly) assumed it would help stop the car from overheating. Fuel economy will go up and engine wear will go down, proving the 88*c thermostat specified by Rover & Range Rover was chosen for good reason.
Edited by Lolo256 on Saturday 7th December 00:17
Rad hose test. Start from cold and immediately put your hand on swirl pot as it’s surprising how soon thermostat will open. If your swirl pot gets very hot your stat is opening.
If you have a temp reading of 70 when fans kick in I suspect you have an air lock or low water levels causing an air lock ( usually trapped in inlet manifold area )
Your heater should produce warm air from 55d onwards, hot from 65d onwards. if not suspect air lock .
Does your car have a separate expansion tank, if so has it ever appeared empty or very low, you might have drawn air into the system this way.
It might be a good idea to simply replace thermostat then bleed cooling system to eliminate both these questions.
Good luck
If you have a temp reading of 70 when fans kick in I suspect you have an air lock or low water levels causing an air lock ( usually trapped in inlet manifold area )
Your heater should produce warm air from 55d onwards, hot from 65d onwards. if not suspect air lock .
Does your car have a separate expansion tank, if so has it ever appeared empty or very low, you might have drawn air into the system this way.
It might be a good idea to simply replace thermostat then bleed cooling system to eliminate both these questions.
Good luck
Edited by Classic Chim on Saturday 7th December 09:52
OP do you have rovergauge?
If not then I suggest you get the cable and software.
Rovergauge will show you what the ECU is doing and in your case will show you the coolant temperature. You can then compare the temperature shown on rovergauge with that shown on your dashboard gauge. As I said in your other thread the dash gauge is often very inaccurate. So much so that when we do a service on a TVR we record the difference on the service sheet so the customer knows how wrong his gauge is.
I would trust your radiator fans to be cutting in and out at the right temperature.
Steve
If not then I suggest you get the cable and software.
Rovergauge will show you what the ECU is doing and in your case will show you the coolant temperature. You can then compare the temperature shown on rovergauge with that shown on your dashboard gauge. As I said in your other thread the dash gauge is often very inaccurate. So much so that when we do a service on a TVR we record the difference on the service sheet so the customer knows how wrong his gauge is.
I would trust your radiator fans to be cutting in and out at the right temperature.
Steve
Hi,
Thanks a lot for your help!
Yes i have the laters car with swirl pot. My heater work very well and as soon as you described. I flushed everything and the fans still start at 70c on gauge. I add the coolant as described on many posts and the bible and except if the airlock still on the manifold area as you descrbed... but it seams i dont have air lock...
Thanks a lot for your help!
Yes i have the laters car with swirl pot. My heater work very well and as soon as you described. I flushed everything and the fans still start at 70c on gauge. I add the coolant as described on many posts and the bible and except if the airlock still on the manifold area as you descrbed... but it seams i dont have air lock...
Classic Chim said:
Rad hose test. Start from cold and immediately put your hand on swirl pot as it’s surprising how soon thermostat will open. If your swirl pot gets very hot your stat is opening.
If you have a temp reading of 70 when fans kick in I suspect you have an air lock or low water levels causing an air lock ( usually trapped in inlet manifold area )
Your heater should produce warm air from 55d onwards, hot from 65d onwards. if not suspect air lock .
Does your car have a separate expansion tank, if so has it ever appeared empty or very low, you might have drawn air into the system this way.
It might be a good idea to simply replace thermostat then bleed cooling system to eliminate both these questions.
Good luck
If you have a temp reading of 70 when fans kick in I suspect you have an air lock or low water levels causing an air lock ( usually trapped in inlet manifold area )
Your heater should produce warm air from 55d onwards, hot from 65d onwards. if not suspect air lock .
Does your car have a separate expansion tank, if so has it ever appeared empty or very low, you might have drawn air into the system this way.
It might be a good idea to simply replace thermostat then bleed cooling system to eliminate both these questions.
Good luck
Edited by Classic Chim on Saturday 7th December 09:52[/footnote]
[footnote]Edited by Lolo256 on Sunday 8th December 00:23Thx for your help.
I have the white gauge of the later cars.
I ll do this test for sure but the only thing i cant get if my fans are right, is that on summer i'm at 80-90, so + 20c of gauge error it would be in reality a 100-110c engine cooling temperature!!!
I think i ll also buy a without contact thermometer!
Thanks!
I have the white gauge of the later cars.
I ll do this test for sure but the only thing i cant get if my fans are right, is that on summer i'm at 80-90, so + 20c of gauge error it would be in reality a 100-110c engine cooling temperature!!!
I think i ll also buy a without contact thermometer!
Thanks!
Steve_D said:
OP do you have rovergauge?
If not then I suggest you get the cable and software.
Rovergauge will show you what the ECU is doing and in your case will show you the coolant temperature. You can then compare the temperature shown on rovergauge with that shown on your dashboard gauge. As I said in your other thread the dash gauge is often very inaccurate. So much so that when we do a service on a TVR we record the difference on the service sheet so the customer knows how wrong his gauge is.
I would trust your radiator fans to be cutting in and out at the right temperature.
Steve
If not then I suggest you get the cable and software.
Rovergauge will show you what the ECU is doing and in your case will show you the coolant temperature. You can then compare the temperature shown on rovergauge with that shown on your dashboard gauge. As I said in your other thread the dash gauge is often very inaccurate. So much so that when we do a service on a TVR we record the difference on the service sheet so the customer knows how wrong his gauge is.
I would trust your radiator fans to be cutting in and out at the right temperature.
Steve
Edited by Lolo256 on Sunday 8th December 00:25
If you have Caerbont guages fitted from mid/late 1995 on I can highly recommended replacing the unused Range Rover coolant temperature sender with a TT6811-03 sender from Caerbont, the original TVR sender is poorly located so provides inconsistent and inaccurate readings at the guage.
Once fitted remove the wire from the TVR sender they screwed into a blind spur adapter and connect it to your new TT6811-03 sender thats in a much beter spot so unlike the TVR original will always be in contact with the coolant.
The TT6811-03 sender is not only correctly matched to the Caerbont temp gauge its the correct 1/8 NPT thread TVR should have used in the first place, you can read about it in my post here...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
And after fitting the TT6811-03 sender the guage accuracy against my very accurate Canems software readings can be seen here....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I also recomend fitting an 88*c thermostat as this is what Range Rover specified, it is the correct thermostat specified by the Lucas engineers who developed the 14CUX fuel injection system designed specifically for the Rover V8 in the late 1980s.
A thermostat is considered part of any fuel injection system so mess with its value and you are adding a non standard component to a very carefully designed system, on a fuel.injection systen each component must work precisely as the designer intended to the correct values and hand in hand with all other components to create the correctly functioning complete system.
However, during the winter months it is actually far more common to experience over cooling than over heating is experienced in the summer, even with the correct 88*c thermostat fitted a Chimaera in the winter tends over cool at motorway speeds as super cooled air passing over the block creates a rather effective air cooled engine, It's therefore often advantageous to restrict the super cool winter air entering through the grill appeture.
Once fitted remove the wire from the TVR sender they screwed into a blind spur adapter and connect it to your new TT6811-03 sender thats in a much beter spot so unlike the TVR original will always be in contact with the coolant.
The TT6811-03 sender is not only correctly matched to the Caerbont temp gauge its the correct 1/8 NPT thread TVR should have used in the first place, you can read about it in my post here...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
And after fitting the TT6811-03 sender the guage accuracy against my very accurate Canems software readings can be seen here....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I also recomend fitting an 88*c thermostat as this is what Range Rover specified, it is the correct thermostat specified by the Lucas engineers who developed the 14CUX fuel injection system designed specifically for the Rover V8 in the late 1980s.
A thermostat is considered part of any fuel injection system so mess with its value and you are adding a non standard component to a very carefully designed system, on a fuel.injection systen each component must work precisely as the designer intended to the correct values and hand in hand with all other components to create the correctly functioning complete system.
However, during the winter months it is actually far more common to experience over cooling than over heating is experienced in the summer, even with the correct 88*c thermostat fitted a Chimaera in the winter tends over cool at motorway speeds as super cooled air passing over the block creates a rather effective air cooled engine, It's therefore often advantageous to restrict the super cool winter air entering through the grill appeture.
Just as a matter of interest, the running temperature of the RV8 was only raised to try to reduce emissions on later engines, early engines where set to run at 80'c which is best for power. In terms of how hot, I think the liners are pressed into the block after its heated to just 120'c, and then held in pace as the block cools and shrinks. This is why overheating the RV8 is so catastrophic as the liners then move again if you cook the engine. Personally Id never let an engine reach 100'c and keep driving it.
Thanks for all your answers and sharing your knoledges. To tell you the truth i m now with more question than answers. I taught the engine was not heating enough in winter due to a bad thermostat but i understand now thats:
1. In cold weather the engine could stay under 80c even if the termostat is close at this lower temperature (so my thermostat is maybe functionning).
2. The engine is functionning good enough at 80 (the bible says enrichment stops at 70c and oil viscosity seams not to change a lot from 70 to 90c so it seems legit!)
3. The gauge could have a big gap with real temperatures... so my car is maybe even in the exact opposit situation and i get to hot in summer and the temperature is actually perfect in winter...
The good part is that i know now all these parameters and could investigate on it. I ordered a thermal gun to begin and will do the thermostat and gauge sender if needed.
1. In cold weather the engine could stay under 80c even if the termostat is close at this lower temperature (so my thermostat is maybe functionning).
2. The engine is functionning good enough at 80 (the bible says enrichment stops at 70c and oil viscosity seams not to change a lot from 70 to 90c so it seems legit!)
3. The gauge could have a big gap with real temperatures... so my car is maybe even in the exact opposit situation and i get to hot in summer and the temperature is actually perfect in winter...
The good part is that i know now all these parameters and could investigate on it. I ordered a thermal gun to begin and will do the thermostat and gauge sender if needed.
Starting from an engine cold for 4 hours thats my result with the termo gun on the hose on the top of the radiator.
0 sec: 21.4c
30sec: 22.4c
1min00:23.7c
1min30:26.4c
2min00:27.1c
2min30:37c
3min00:37
3min30:38.5
4min00:42
5min00:52.5
6min:60
7min:68.5
8min:75.2
9min:80
10min:88
Then the fans kicks, and the temperature goes back to 76c on the rad hose and 82c on the hose on the top of the engine (the one that goes to the metal rails that goes along the engine on the drivers side).
The gauge is accurate until 60c and then only show up 70c, when the fans kicks and the real temperature is close to 90c...
When i drove on the 0c actual wheather, i started at 90c and drove for 3miles at low rpms...the temp was still at 70c (60 on the gauge).
From my comprehension my thermostat is not working... but still my engine temperatures seams not so bad...no?
0 sec: 21.4c
30sec: 22.4c
1min00:23.7c
1min30:26.4c
2min00:27.1c
2min30:37c
3min00:37
3min30:38.5
4min00:42
5min00:52.5
6min:60
7min:68.5
8min:75.2
9min:80
10min:88
Then the fans kicks, and the temperature goes back to 76c on the rad hose and 82c on the hose on the top of the engine (the one that goes to the metal rails that goes along the engine on the drivers side).
The gauge is accurate until 60c and then only show up 70c, when the fans kicks and the real temperature is close to 90c...
When i drove on the 0c actual wheather, i started at 90c and drove for 3miles at low rpms...the temp was still at 70c (60 on the gauge).
From my comprehension my thermostat is not working... but still my engine temperatures seams not so bad...no?
Sorry to repeat myself but......
If you have Caerbont guages fitted from mid/late 1995 on I can highly recommended replacing the unused Range Rover coolant temperature sender with a TT6811-03 sender from Caerbont, the original TVR sender is poorly located so provides inconsistent and inaccurate readings at the guage.
Once fitted remove the wire from the TVR sender they screwed into a blind spur adapter and connect it to your new TT6811-03 sender thats in a much beter spot so unlike the TVR original will always be in contact with the coolant.
The TT6811-03 sender is not only correctly matched to the Caerbont temp gauge its the correct 1/8 NPT thread TVR should have used in the first place, you can read about it in my post here...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
And after fitting the TT6811-03 sender the guage accuracy against my very accurate Canems software readings can be seen here....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
This sender will give you far more accurate gauge readings, you should also remove your thermostat and check the value stamped on it as many TVR owners fit a low value thermostat in the mistaken belief it helps protect their engine from overheating.
All a thermostat does is helps your engine reach the correct opperating temperature sooner, what actually happens when you fit a lower value thermostat is it can mean your engine never reaches its intended operating temp as the thermostat is opening too soon.
This is particularly noticable in the winter especially if you are getting the car up to speeds over 45mph early on in your drive from a dead cold start.
If you have Caerbont guages fitted from mid/late 1995 on I can highly recommended replacing the unused Range Rover coolant temperature sender with a TT6811-03 sender from Caerbont, the original TVR sender is poorly located so provides inconsistent and inaccurate readings at the guage.
Once fitted remove the wire from the TVR sender they screwed into a blind spur adapter and connect it to your new TT6811-03 sender thats in a much beter spot so unlike the TVR original will always be in contact with the coolant.
The TT6811-03 sender is not only correctly matched to the Caerbont temp gauge its the correct 1/8 NPT thread TVR should have used in the first place, you can read about it in my post here...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
And after fitting the TT6811-03 sender the guage accuracy against my very accurate Canems software readings can be seen here....
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
This sender will give you far more accurate gauge readings, you should also remove your thermostat and check the value stamped on it as many TVR owners fit a low value thermostat in the mistaken belief it helps protect their engine from overheating.
All a thermostat does is helps your engine reach the correct opperating temperature sooner, what actually happens when you fit a lower value thermostat is it can mean your engine never reaches its intended operating temp as the thermostat is opening too soon.
This is particularly noticable in the winter especially if you are getting the car up to speeds over 45mph early on in your drive from a dead cold start.
Edited by ChimpOnGas on Thursday 12th December 20:00
I had never really experienced a problem with the factory fitted temperature sensor but thought COG's recommendation worth a punt.
I can confirm that the new temperature sensor responds far more quickly than the old one and from COG's results it also appears to be far more accurate.
A very worthwhile update for just a few £s.
I can confirm that the new temperature sensor responds far more quickly than the old one and from COG's results it also appears to be far more accurate.
A very worthwhile update for just a few £s.
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