Overheating again!
Discussion
Friends just called to say her 400 Chim boiled again! She had the problem a few times before, the worst being on way to Le Mans. I replaced the thermostat (on the campsite at Le Mans!) And moved the front numberplate to the bumper (it was obscuring a large part of the grille).
When driving the car around major roads, at legal speeds or less, the temperature stays at around 80. She has just been driving around Cheltenham, no major traffic, just stops at traffic lights, when the gauge climbs up to 100 degrees and she sees steam coming out of bonnet vents. Fans were running fine , steam coming out of filler at top of swirl tank. I checked the water level before she left here and needed about 1 inch into the swirl tank, the last time I checked was about 800 miles before.
Any ideas? are we looking at a cooling problem, or could the engine be producing too much heat at low revs (timing?)?
When she comes back here next week I'll try flushing the radiator. Is it possible that the water pump is not pumping despite the fact that it is spinning OK and not producing any noise? How can I test it?
Any feedback would be very welcome as she is losing faith in the car very rapidly!
When driving the car around major roads, at legal speeds or less, the temperature stays at around 80. She has just been driving around Cheltenham, no major traffic, just stops at traffic lights, when the gauge climbs up to 100 degrees and she sees steam coming out of bonnet vents. Fans were running fine , steam coming out of filler at top of swirl tank. I checked the water level before she left here and needed about 1 inch into the swirl tank, the last time I checked was about 800 miles before.
Any ideas? are we looking at a cooling problem, or could the engine be producing too much heat at low revs (timing?)?
When she comes back here next week I'll try flushing the radiator. Is it possible that the water pump is not pumping despite the fact that it is spinning OK and not producing any noise? How can I test it?
Any feedback would be very welcome as she is losing faith in the car very rapidly!
more common than you think.Could be simply an overfilled coolant system via swirl /expansion pot which releases coolant by design which is hitting the hot engine parts & creating steam.
Engines can get hot with both fans working, at Rockingham last year mine went to 105/10, has had all the mods and a new rad & normally runs fine and has done since at 80/85, they do get hot in standing traffic.
Engines can get hot with both fans working, at Rockingham last year mine went to 105/10, has had all the mods and a new rad & normally runs fine and has done since at 80/85, they do get hot in standing traffic.
Poledriver said:
She steam coming out of filler at top of swirl tank. I checked the water level before she left here and needed about 1 inch into the swirl tank, the last time I checked was about 800 miles before.
Any feedback would be very welcome as she is losing faith in the car very rapidly!
Are you sure its the swirl tank, not the expansion tank? Swirl tank(with the brass screw top) should be filled to the brim, the expansion tank up to the weld (midway ish). Make sure you don't have an air lock in the system (does the heater blow hot air?).Any feedback would be very welcome as she is losing faith in the car very rapidly!
Many moons ago my car showed similar symptoms - caused by a weeping radiator.
coetzeeh said:
Poledriver said:
She steam coming out of filler at top of swirl tank. I checked the water level before she left here and needed about 1 inch into the swirl tank, the last time I checked was about 800 miles before.
Any feedback would be very welcome as she is losing faith in the car very rapidly!
Are you sure its the swirl tank, not the expansion tank? Swirl tank(with the brass screw top) should be filled to the brim, the expansion tank up to the weld (midway ish). Make sure you don't have an air lock in the system (does the heater blow hot air?).Any feedback would be very welcome as she is losing faith in the car very rapidly!
Many moons ago my car showed similar symptoms - caused by a weeping radiator.
HI there
One at driver's side front is the expansion tank.(with the blue rad cap) The one on passenger side middle (with the brass cap) is the swirl pot.
Check expansion tank entry and hose is not blocked. Mine was blocked with a chalk like substance. Cleared and now operating freely.
HTH
Phil
One at driver's side front is the expansion tank.(with the blue rad cap) The one on passenger side middle (with the brass cap) is the swirl pot.
Check expansion tank entry and hose is not blocked. Mine was blocked with a chalk like substance. Cleared and now operating freely.
HTH
Phil
philmccann said:
HI there
One at driver's side front is the expansion tank.(with the blue rad cap) The one on passenger side middle (with the brass cap) is the swirl pot.
Check expansion tank entry and hose is not blocked. Mine was blocked with a chalk like substance. Cleared and now operating freely.
HTH
Phil
Tall cylinder with blue cap is at front of engine on passenger side, this is connected to thermostat housing and rad. Where exactly is the other one?One at driver's side front is the expansion tank.(with the blue rad cap) The one on passenger side middle (with the brass cap) is the swirl pot.
Check expansion tank entry and hose is not blocked. Mine was blocked with a chalk like substance. Cleared and now operating freely.
HTH
Phil
Edited by Poledriver on Monday 7th July 15:52
I see you are in MK, is the chim there too ? I'm working in MK at the moment and would be happy to take a quick look for you. I'm not a mechanic or even handy with the spanners but I've had a few colling problems in the past so I know which bits to check and what the levels etc should look like.
Dodsy
Dodsy
bigdods said:
I see you are in MK, is the chim there too ? I'm working in MK at the moment and would be happy to take a quick look for you. I'm not a mechanic or even handy with the spanners but I've had a few colling problems in the past so I know which bits to check and what the levels etc should look like.
Dodsy
Unfortunatel the car is in cornwall till Wednesday and we are off to Le Mans on Thursday (NOT with the Chim!). Thanks for the offer! I think that the problem is getting narrowed down now. Looks like there is another tank that we haven't found, or a mod that has been done? Dodsy
philmccann said:
Hi again
Find the top hose to the radiator. This is connected to the bottom of the swirl pot (alloy tank with brass slotted screw cap)Top connection of the swirl pot leads to front end of engine. Overflow of swirl pot leads round to expansion tank.
HTH
Phil
Just been looking at some pictures! This one is different. Did they make any where the swirl tank also doubles as the expansion tank? This one only has the swirl tank and it is fitted with the blue plastic cap?!Find the top hose to the radiator. This is connected to the bottom of the swirl pot (alloy tank with brass slotted screw cap)Top connection of the swirl pot leads to front end of engine. Overflow of swirl pot leads round to expansion tank.
HTH
Phil
Poledriver said:
philmccann said:
Hi again
Find the top hose to the radiator. This is connected to the bottom of the swirl pot (alloy tank with brass slotted screw cap)Top connection of the swirl pot leads to front end of engine. Overflow of swirl pot leads round to expansion tank.
HTH
Phil
Just been looking at some pictures! This one is different. Did they make any where the swirl tank also doubles as the expansion tank? This one only has the swirl tank and it is fitted with the blue plastic cap?!Find the top hose to the radiator. This is connected to the bottom of the swirl pot (alloy tank with brass slotted screw cap)Top connection of the swirl pot leads to front end of engine. Overflow of swirl pot leads round to expansion tank.
HTH
Phil
Hi Ploedriver,
i reckon this is the way to go.
Check rad has water.
Bleed rad and cooling system,check bible for details.
If still having problems shoot down to local rad centre,they can scan the rad with heat sensing gun to confirm water flow and temperature and any blockages.
If rad blocked,remove,re-core or replace.
Fit lower stat and otter switch.
Jobs sorted.
Cheers
i reckon this is the way to go.
Check rad has water.
Bleed rad and cooling system,check bible for details.
If still having problems shoot down to local rad centre,they can scan the rad with heat sensing gun to confirm water flow and temperature and any blockages.
If rad blocked,remove,re-core or replace.
Fit lower stat and otter switch.
Jobs sorted.
Cheers
The blue pressure cap is a volkswagen item if thats any help.
If thermostat is OK, ( TVR one required not the rover one as these fail rapidly) then run the engine with the cap off and give both rad hoses a squeeze, keep toppping up with engine running until the tank level is up to about 2" from the top. Stop the engine leave the cap off a nd let it cool then top up again unitl level is at 2" from top again.
If its still pressurising then possibly head gasket?
Matt
If thermostat is OK, ( TVR one required not the rover one as these fail rapidly) then run the engine with the cap off and give both rad hoses a squeeze, keep toppping up with engine running until the tank level is up to about 2" from the top. Stop the engine leave the cap off a nd let it cool then top up again unitl level is at 2" from top again.
If its still pressurising then possibly head gasket?
Matt
coetzeeh said:
Are you sure its the swirl tank, not the expansion tank? Swirl tank(with the brass screw top) should be filled to the brim, the expansion tank up to the weld (midway ish)
Mine doesn't like the expansion tank even half full. Its spits it out but just a few cm's remaining, when cooled, is OK. It's always been that way. For my car TVR added the expansion tank soon after I bought it (1994) the car and so I also have a blue cap also on the swirl pot, no brass screw. Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff