In hot water again...
Discussion
My 350i sprang a leak in one of the top hoses (from the expansion tank, to err....somewhere else) the day after I got it. I managed to shorten the hose and everything was OK, for a while anyway. After the leak I had topped up the water in the expansion tank, because I had lost some and I needed to get home. The rest of the journey was fine.
A week ago I was out and heard some gurgling after a short run out. Checking the expansion tank, I found it empty, so I topped it up (to half way). On the journey home, the overflow pipe started steaming, but I put this down to the fact that I must have over filled the expansion tank.
Now I know this is a little late to be asking but. Exactly how am I supposed to be filling my car with coolant? How far should I fill it? Now that it is full of water, how do I get it out again so I can put the right mix of coolant in? If the car has coolant, rather than just water, will it reduce the over heating (usually only in traffic)? As I live in central London, I will always be in traffic at one end of my journey, so should I have an override switch for the fan?
Sorry to be such a novice, the amount of things I don't know about cars scares the heck out of me. Just when I think I have an idea how they work, something else seems to crop up. I'll keep at it though, maybe it will be running smoothly for next summer.
Thanks for any help.
David
A week ago I was out and heard some gurgling after a short run out. Checking the expansion tank, I found it empty, so I topped it up (to half way). On the journey home, the overflow pipe started steaming, but I put this down to the fact that I must have over filled the expansion tank.
Now I know this is a little late to be asking but. Exactly how am I supposed to be filling my car with coolant? How far should I fill it? Now that it is full of water, how do I get it out again so I can put the right mix of coolant in? If the car has coolant, rather than just water, will it reduce the over heating (usually only in traffic)? As I live in central London, I will always be in traffic at one end of my journey, so should I have an override switch for the fan?
Sorry to be such a novice, the amount of things I don't know about cars scares the heck out of me. Just when I think I have an idea how they work, something else seems to crop up. I'll keep at it though, maybe it will be running smoothly for next summer.
Thanks for any help.
David
Top it up through via the front radiator cap in the pipe that comes from the front of the engine.
To drain, disconnect a bottom hose.
Fan overides are excellent insurance against a duff otter switch.
Might I suggest getting a copy of the Wedge bible?
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
>> Edited by shpub on Monday 9th September 08:02
To drain, disconnect a bottom hose.
Fan overides are excellent insurance against a duff otter switch.
Might I suggest getting a copy of the Wedge bible?
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
>> Edited by shpub on Monday 9th September 08:02
quote:
Might I suggest getting a copy of the Wedge bible?
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Hi Steve,
I do have the bible, it was foolishly out of reach this weekend. I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty and actually fixing something, I'm just waiting for something trivial to go wrong.
Thanks
David
Been in a similar position to you this year - bought a wedge, found that I didn't have anything like enough knowledge to maintain it without help (spending money 
- but persevere, 'cos you only have to learn about each thing that goes wrong once!!
Re the over heating - had exactly the same problem as you, sorted the water leak, refilled it, but it took several runs before the water level stayed at the top and the car didn't get too hot in traffic. But after 3 weeks of refilling (less each time) after a run, the water level stays at the top and the car doesn't over heat in traffic.
It's probably something to do with airlocks and all that stuff I don't really know - but it seems to have sorted itself out.
Also - I found that the fans were kicking in really late - twiddling the thermostat knob (if that's what it's called) and setting it to the lowest setting sorted that.
Car now runs at just over 80 degrees (according to the temp gauge which is a bit dodgy anyway) and the fans kick in at about 85.
As for FAN overide - you can bypass the thermostat (but doing a quick wire move/short) if you have to and just have the fans running all the time - which is not a problem - so for now I'm not gonna fit an overide switch.
All the real piston heads on here will now explain the reasons for all this and you (and me) can sit back and read it! (thanks lads!!)
- but persevere, 'cos you only have to learn about each thing that goes wrong once!! Re the over heating - had exactly the same problem as you, sorted the water leak, refilled it, but it took several runs before the water level stayed at the top and the car didn't get too hot in traffic. But after 3 weeks of refilling (less each time) after a run, the water level stays at the top and the car doesn't over heat in traffic.
It's probably something to do with airlocks and all that stuff I don't really know - but it seems to have sorted itself out.
Also - I found that the fans were kicking in really late - twiddling the thermostat knob (if that's what it's called) and setting it to the lowest setting sorted that.
Car now runs at just over 80 degrees (according to the temp gauge which is a bit dodgy anyway) and the fans kick in at about 85.
As for FAN overide - you can bypass the thermostat (but doing a quick wire move/short) if you have to and just have the fans running all the time - which is not a problem - so for now I'm not gonna fit an overide switch.
All the real piston heads on here will now explain the reasons for all this and you (and me) can sit back and read it! (thanks lads!!)
David,
The adjustable temp sensor that skyrocketship mentions, I think is the same one I have. It's available from www.rimmerbros.co.uk. Its made by kenlowe and I think it makes a good upgrade for the otterswitch. Its easy to fit (just need to take top radiator hose off + wires), comes in a kit with all you need for £40 odd.
It also runs direct to the fan(s) without a relay so less to go wrong. Comes with a wiring diagram for an over ride switch.
GF.
>> Edited by gf350 on Tuesday 10th September 20:48
The adjustable temp sensor that skyrocketship mentions, I think is the same one I have. It's available from www.rimmerbros.co.uk. Its made by kenlowe and I think it makes a good upgrade for the otterswitch. Its easy to fit (just need to take top radiator hose off + wires), comes in a kit with all you need for £40 odd.
It also runs direct to the fan(s) without a relay so less to go wrong. Comes with a wiring diagram for an over ride switch.
GF.
>> Edited by gf350 on Tuesday 10th September 20:48
quote:
Its easy to fit (just need to take top radiator hose off + wires), comes in a kit with all you need for £40 odd.
GF.
Hmm sounds good, I'll check it out. This could be the first thing that I might actually be able to fix myself. I took my car out today, and 10 minutes later (standing in traffic) it was overheating. I had to limp home, and now I'm thinking that maybe the fan isn't working at all. So it may be something as simple as a fuse (??) or err... I don't know. I'll take a look at the weekend. See if I can see if the fan is even kicking in.
Thanks for your suggestions/support.
David
David,
Send me an e-mail and I'll send you a picture of what the kenlowe switch looks like.
It might be worth putting a new top hose on while you are at it as these can rub on the bonnet over time.
David Gerald TVR will sort you out with one for about £15, they know these cars so you will get the right one.
www.davidgeraldtvr.freeserve.co.uk/
You shoud only need to part drain the system (undo the bottom radiator hose). This will also allow you get your aitifreeze mixture right (I'm doing 50/50 but others may disagree?).
The bible will tell you how refill and bleed the air out.
GF.
Send me an e-mail and I'll send you a picture of what the kenlowe switch looks like.
It might be worth putting a new top hose on while you are at it as these can rub on the bonnet over time.
David Gerald TVR will sort you out with one for about £15, they know these cars so you will get the right one.
www.davidgeraldtvr.freeserve.co.uk/
You shoud only need to part drain the system (undo the bottom radiator hose). This will also allow you get your aitifreeze mixture right (I'm doing 50/50 but others may disagree?).
The bible will tell you how refill and bleed the air out.
GF.
quote:
quote:
Fitted an overide switch for 8 squid. Temp gets above a certain point and bang it on. Really controls it.
That seems like a cheap way of doing it, but is it easy? Where would I get the bits?
Thanks
David
Went to Halfords, 6amp switch and 2 reels of 10 amp wire (got several around the house but can't find em) roll of insulating tape, tape the two lenghts together. 2 piggy back lucar connectors, check the otter switch for the right ones. Then extra lucar's as required. Upshot as per bible is the switch is across the otter. Short the otter with the switch and fan comes on. Suitable location under the dash for switch etc. As in the bible etc. Next to install an LED to confirm operation but at the moment I use the ammetter as it is quite sensitive to see the drop.
Did I say its in the bible
>> Edited by jmorgan on Tuesday 10th September 23:51
GF350 knows - it is a kenlowe. It might be that your's is missing it's "knob" - as mine frequently falls off and I now keep it in the glove box.
It's a small box, with a gold coloured metal stem coming out the top (for the wayward knob) and several wires coming out - and on mine it's attatched to the alternator.
No point in worrying about any of this if the fans are not working at all.
It's a small box, with a gold coloured metal stem coming out the top (for the wayward knob) and several wires coming out - and on mine it's attatched to the alternator.
No point in worrying about any of this if the fans are not working at all.
Guys - I've said this before on another thread. But I've shorted out the wires to the otter switch and kept the fans running all the time. Not only does the engine stay at a constant, cooler running temp, but it also cured the pinking I had too which was probably due to the heat build up under the bonnet.
Car runs better now - the original set up with the Rover engine in P5, P6's and SDi'S always had constant cooling via a mechanically driven fan. Makes sense to do so IMO.
Car runs better now - the original set up with the Rover engine in P5, P6's and SDi'S always had constant cooling via a mechanically driven fan. Makes sense to do so IMO.
quote:
Guys - I've said this before on another thread. But I've shorted out the wires to the otter switch and kept the fans running all the time. Not only does the engine stay at a constant, cooler running temp, but it also cured the pinking I had too which was probably due to the heat build up under the bonnet.
Car runs better now - the original set up with the Rover engine in P5, P6's and SDi'S always had constant cooling via a mechanically driven fan. Makes sense to do so IMO.
Not quite accurate as the Sd1 fan was viscous coupled so that it only came on when the engine bay reached a certain temperature. The idea being that you got to use the several BHP the fan took for most of the time.
To me this is a bit short sighted in that if the car is overheating and is cured by running the fans all the time, then there is a problem with the cooling system which is being ignored. As for the pinking, again might be a cure but pinking can be casued by other problems as well such as incurreate timing or setup or a coked engine. Running a fan all the time to cool the car is again curing a symptom and not necessarily the problem.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff