Can I be this unlucky?

[sidewayz]

Driving home this evening in moderately slow traffic.Water temp hit 114 and oil temp hit 108. Can't be both sensors at once I thought.Could be fan problems.Stopped car,opened bonnet.Fans whirring away like whirring things.
Topped the water up yesterday.No leaks that I can see. Airlock? Where's the clutching at straws smiley when you need it.Got a 200 mile drive Thursday so any ideas gratefully received

[Jon944S2]

Maybe a damaged Radiator or some blockage somewhere in the coolant pipes?

[Targarama]

Possibly another electrical problem showing its face in extreme heat conditions. The infamous 100A fuse is the first place to start.

[tail slide]

sidewayz said:

Driving home this evening in moderately slow traffic.Water temp hit 114 and oil temp hit 108. Can't be both sensors at once I thought.Could be fan problems.Stopped car,opened bonnet.Fans whirring away like whirring things.
Topped the water up yesterday.No leaks that I can see. Airlock? Where's the clutching at straws smiley when you need it.Got a 200 mile drive Thursday so any ideas gratefully received

You're right not to think it's just sensors, as oil temp high as well.
My water only peaked at 105C and oil 98C after 2 full-on laps of Goodwood last weekend in these temps, but I do have extra cooling passages in this block & head.

Bleeding system a good idea, jack up the front first. Did you have a/c on? If so switching off reduces a bit - about 3C in these temps today. In an emergency you can reduce it another 3C by putting heater on but rather unpleasant!

[SP6 Animal]

Mine hovers around 100 to 110 im not losing water and both fans work.
Have replaced the thermistor and ordered the other coolant sensor today.
So what is the normal temps for this car?
I also get water sensor on the dash so replacing the sensors might cure it.
Paul how do you bleed this car?i can't see a vent plug.
Thanks

Edited by SP6 Animal on Wednesday 1st July 18:39

[shep1001]

SP6 Animal said:

Mine hovers around 100 to 110 im not losing water and both fans work.
Have replaced the thermistor and ordered the other coolant sensor today.
So what is the normal temps for this car?
I also get water sensor on the dash so replacing the sensors might cure it.
Paul how do you bleed this car?i can't see a vent plug.
Thanks

Edited by SP6 Animal on Wednesday 1st July 18:39

If its a std Spd 6 rad its on the top of the plastic side part (Passanger side) where its crimped to the metal core 17mm I think. If its an ally one same location but its a hex nut flush with the rad not a bolt that stands proud. Right arse of a job.

Best jack up the PS when doing it to maximise the 'high point' for the air to travel to.

[sidewayz]

Thanks for the feedback guys.It is sounding like air in the system.
I'll see if I can bleed the car tonight.

[T66ORA]

IIRC the T350 has different bleed points to a Tamora, it has 2 bleed nipples on the coolant rails between the block and Rad.

[SP6 Animal]

Thanks mate,
Same as the chim but opposite side.
Removed nylon nut i do hate them i will replace later with a metal one.
No water escaped until i undone the blue cap and a good flow then poured out.
Passed about 6 pints through it.
I did this from cold.
I assume it would be better when fully warm and stat open but worried about being scolded as nut is in a st area.
Im assuming i have no air in the system engine has done 2k after rebuild.
Thanks for your help.

[shep1001]

SP6 Animal said:

Thanks mate,
Same as the chim but opposite side.
Removed nylon nut i do hate them i will replace later with a metal one.
No water escaped until i undone the blue cap and a good flow then poured out.
Passed about 6 pints through it.
I did this from cold.
I assume it would be better when fully warm and stat open but worried about being scolded as nut is in a st area.
Im assuming i have no air in the system engine has done 2k after rebuild.
Thanks for your help.

Don't forget the nut has a rubber o-ring on it that might need replacing. When mine was leaking it was not only from the core but the bleed point too as the o-ring was perrished.

[SP6 Animal]

O Ring seems fine and no marks on the rad so i don't think it leaks i don't like the nut as you can overtighten and strip it.

[sidewayz]

Well it's not air in the system
I tried bleeding the radiator and all I got was water. I took her up to Barnet as I had tried everything I am capable of ( pathetic isn't it!) and Skip checked her over. Nothing wrong except for one side of the radiator being blocked by a large foil wrapper that had managed to get trapped under one side plus apparently both oil and temp gauges read 5 degrees high.
So that could have been the cause and after a quick test it did seem to be running 10 degrees lower so that seemed like the 'fix' at the time.
Only on the way back into London oil hit 114 and the water gauge was probably out of range because I was getting very random numbers and then the 'water temperature sensor failed' warning.
The engine feels fine-it's just running damned hot and I am beginning to think it might be a combination of upgrading to the 4.3, the very hot conditions and apparently I have the old radiator with plastic headers.
I'll be dropping her off for a new alloy radiator Monday.
Fingers crossed.

[shep1001]

sidewayz said:

Well it's not air in the system
I tried bleeding the radiator and all I got was water. I took her up to Barnet as I had tried everything I am capable of ( pathetic isn't it!) and Skip checked her over. Nothing wrong except for one side of the radiator being blocked by a large foil wrapper that had managed to get trapped under one side plus apparently both oil and temp gauges read 5 degrees high.
So that could have been the cause and after a quick test it did seem to be running 10 degrees lower so that seemed like the 'fix' at the time.
Only on the way back into London oil hit 114 and the water gauge was probably out of range because I was getting very random numbers and then the 'water temperature sensor failed' warning.
The engine feels fine-it's just running damned hot and I am beginning to think it might be a combination of upgrading to the 4.3, the very hot conditions and apparently I have the old radiator with plastic headers.
I'll be dropping her off for a new alloy radiator Monday.
Fingers crossed.

A new ally rad makes a massive difference. mine runs much cooler round town compared to the std tvr item. Castle did mine for about £600

[sidewayz]

Cheers Andy-good to know.
Just got back from a run after locking up the office ( design agency timetables-don't ask) and as the ambient temperature was much lower she was fine.Normal temps all round.

[Whitey]

sidewayz said:

Cheers Andy-good to know.
Just got back from a run after locking up the office ( design agency timetables-don't ask) and as the ambient temperature was much lower she was fine.Normal temps all round.

Aha, I was just about to post and say although I have not been driving mine recently in this hot weather, from experience I would have expected water and oil temps to be very high due to the high ambient temperatures.

[sidewayz]

Cheers Whitey! Thunderstorm last night and 21c this morning so all is back to normal. TVR - A British car built for British summers.