Cooling System - Observations

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

Bonjour all,

To cut a long story short, I was making my way over to the RSC Midland Meet and 5 minutes from the venue the '19 starts to boil up on me doesn't she! Next day me and the old man replaced the radiator and not a problem since - running temperature is running as low as I think it ever has been since I've had the car.

Anyway, when driving along and letting the natural airflow cool the radiator, all is fine. However I've since noticed that when stuck in queues the temp needle gets up to the 2nd mark on the guage in no time at all and when the fan does kick in, it is never for very long and it barely cools the engine at all.

It may just be me but she never used to get so hot so quick when sat in traffic. I've looked at things logically and if there is a problem then it's in the cars' ability to monitor and regulate the temperature and not the actual cooling system itself (since the system is more than up to the job while driving).

I'm thinking thermostat possibly, as these can be damaged when the engine overheats IIRC?

All information much appreciated. Hope everybody is well and is looking forward to Xmas.

Ben

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

Finally headed over from RSC?

Anyway, the energy such a simple loveable beast.

The fan kicks in at 92 ish degrees and should go off when the water thats actually in the rad reachs around 82 degrees.

The stat closes stopping coolant so the fan doesn't kick in longer till the stat opens again.

When you boot it does the temp raise?

My sisters old white one would send the temp up when booting it but my blue one would drop the temp right down to the bottom if you maintained more than 100mph for a couple of miles, even at 70 iot ran bloody cool.

What colours the coolant?

Does the small bore hose from the stat housing to the top of the header tank actually pump coolant in the header tank with the engine running?

I have had these block on a few E6J's due to the restrictor in them, this means the temp when sat increases quickly but it di dgive my super cool blue one some heat fromt he heater.

Coolant should flow from it all the time the engines running but it shoudl nearly stop when the stat opens.

If its block take the pipe off then poke the crap out. It can take a long time if its blocked.

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

Yeah I love the Energy's as well. This one seems to handle everything I can chuck at it more or less.

Yeah it does heat up quicker when booting it, but a took her out this morning for an early morning gym session and left her running for a few minutes outside the complex, temperature needle went up but never past 11 'o Clock, then again, could be just that it was a bit cold this morning.

Will check everything you've suggested Chris when I get back from Uni this afternoon.

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

Chris H - the coolant is an awful rusty orange colour, same it's always been pretty much in the 4 years I've had her. New coolant and antifreeze was put in when the rad was changed 'bout 6 weeks ago (obviously).

Weather has been a bit cack today we've had it all - gale force winds, downpouring rain, hail, thunderstorms - so didn't feel particularly inspired to check that hose you were on about. If weather better than will check it on me' dinner break at work tomorrow.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

if its orange then you needf to flush it thoroughly.

Btw your new rads gonna be filling up with crap cos the rest of th esystems not been flushed right.

Go squeeze all the hoses before you flush, bet they crunh, thats rusty scale on the inside of the pipes, you need all of that out!

Spammer Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 5717

my car was the same when i bought it ben , i would suggest pouring some cleaning agent (radiator flush stuff ) in to the tank and run the car with the stuff in the cooling system for about a week before you flush it .it helps a lot . i took the coolant tank out and gave it a good clean cause i am fussy as fcuk .now i have brilliant blue antifreeze color in the tank .

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

thing is flushing additives can make things leak.

Spammer Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 5717

i ran it for 5 days with the flushing additive in the system and nothing happened but i reckon it depends what u r using ,like cautic sdoa may fuck the whole system up is its strong
but then it might be better if some weak parts leak so that u know u have to replace them with new stuff

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

on energy engines the waterpumps run off the cambelt so its more stressed than the F type engines so they will show up more porbs.

Indeed I ran a flush through the blue one and the water pump started to piss out water, Had to drive around with water pouring over the cambelt until i got a new pump about 20 miles away

Site Subscriber Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 2281

Sounds nice! Will make it a job on my to do list over Xmas, another one of many.