am i running hot? - should I be worried?
am i running hot? - should I be worried?
Author
Discussion

thatch

Original Poster:

585 posts

270 months

Wednesday 2nd May 2007
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My 1991 4.3 BV has recently had new Cylinder Head Gaskets (CHGs) fitted, but since getting her back I note the temp gauge has been running consistently higher than I am used to. It now swings between the white bar at 10 o'clock and just below (where it used to stay horizontal all the time)

As if to confirm my suspicions, I have had 2 water pump hoses split on me in the last 3 weeks. (Water pump replaced at same time as CHG's)

Coincidence?

Other symptoms:
- The car idles either at 2000 or stalls!(despite having a new stepper motor and plenum(sp?) chamber cleaned)
- when the car warms up in the morning, it goes straight up to the white mark, fan kicks in, then temp drops to horizontal, then back up to white mark 3 or 4 times before finally settling on the level described above.
- I have also noticed a corresponding drop in where I was used to the oil pressure gauge resting.

Any suggestions welcomed, as as it stands I will get the hoses fixed by my garage, and still be driving constantly with one suspicious eye on the temp gauge.



griffter

4,143 posts

285 months

Thursday 3rd May 2007
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My guess is one or a combination of the following:

1) Air leak where the reassembly of induction parts isn't quite sealing somewhere.
2) Air lock in the cooling system causing variable cooling and confusing the temperature sensors (there are two - one for the ecu, one for the guage).

spend

12,581 posts

281 months

Thursday 3rd May 2007
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Sounds like air locks.

When you fill it try and get the nose in the air (make sure the heater is set at hot). Each time you fill the swirl tank, squeeze like sh1t on the 2 hoses from the stat-swirl & swirl-rad, infact the more hoses you can squeeze (if you have a friend) the better. Keep topping up as you force air out. Run the car up to temp then do the same again. Just keep at it until the system is full.

A new pressure cap for the swirl tank may be a sensible precaution (cheap from GSF) just in case, it should dump coolant before the hoses 'explode'.

Dave

cjs

11,664 posts

281 months

Thursday 3rd May 2007
quotequote all
Agree, sounds like an air lock.