temperature gauge differences?

[****inthemud]

This is how it is, (READY FOR THE LONG BIT?!...)

I have an '89 D90 converted from a TD to DEFENDER 200tdi ('94 i think). I pooped the head gasket a while ago. Have had problems with the temperature readings for a while. Popped the head gasket at the beggining of the year and re-sorted that. Cant remember wether i had reading problems with the temperature gauge before but it continuously reads hot (top of white). I changed the sender a while ago (no change) i have checked the part number of the new one supplied to me by camberley autos. My local (highly trusted/regarded) landy man looked it over replaced the rad and inj. pump aswell (for other reasons) and recons its not running hot. Still has the origonal TD gauge. My only theory left is that my gauge must be different to the leater 90's TDI gauges. The origonal TD gauge still works fine in boiling water with gauge stand-alone however the TD sender has a fine thread. Its the same diameter thread as the 200 but the 200 sender unit is a coarse thread. There are no adaptions for this!

What options do I have change the gauge? change the thermostat housing (possible?)?

I need to work this out soon as i have a new chassis being built and i need to work out wether to sling another blown 300tdi lumpin or persist in the hope that this one is fine.

PLEASE HELP , thanks y'all.

[santalars]

I would think about getting a proper temp gauge with a sender which fits to you thermostat housing.

It may make sense to get a gauge which actually reads degrees rather than "more or less hot".

[western]

is your 200Tdi a Defender spec or Discovery spec engine ?

if Discovery 200TDi you can use temp sender PRC2505 which is the same as your old TD engine.

if it's a Defender 200Tdi you need the correct temp sender PRC8593

the existing temp gauge will work with both of the above temp sender units.

if you want a more accurate temp gauge, VDO Vision range do a suitable gauge & matching sender units.

talk to Merlin Motorsport here

[The Badger]

I am going to add such a gauge, was going to plumb it into the water pipe that comes out of the top of the engine at the back, it is a 2.8 TGV

Can anyone remember what size pipe that is?

[****inthemud]

Thanks for all your replies so far, have done a load of experiments using the old sender, a mates gauge from his 300 defender etcetc. just to check, does anyone know what the average running temperature should be for a defender 200tdi? i know the stat opens at 88 i think however i would like to fit a gauge as mentioned that reads in degrees rather than 'white block .... red blip' but 'tis no good if dont know what temp i should be seeing.

replies appreciated as always.

[The Badger]

Will be getting my VDO one next week, will let you know how it goes.

[western]

running temp is around the 95 degree are IIRC.

[ejparrott]

I bought a gauge from VWP made by Durite, a cappiliary one, but its a bit tempremental - I wish I'd bought their electric one instead. Some time afterwards I found this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380114886955&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT on ebay...I keep my eye open in case any more come along for the 109...think it might have been a better buy still..

*I have no link to the seller, I just found it by search.

[****inthemud]

running temp is around the 95 degree are IIRC.

is 95 the top running temp? seeing as the stat opens at 88 ? i saw that the other days but wasn't sure if it was meant to be an average or a max temperature?

cheers

[western]

reckon 95 would be fully warmed up & normal driving temps, my temp gauge is a Td5 item so doesn't show numbers.

[****inthemud]

reckon 95 would be fully warmed up & normal driving temps, my temp gauge is a Td5 item so doesn't show numbers.

sounds fair, i like a good opinion anyone have any others?

I just re-installed the original sender that came with the engine, in testing it seemed to read a little better. when swapping them open i think it may have bled a bit of air. Now its running at about 3/4 up the white section. Does this sound normal to anyone?

[western]

if yours is a ex-Discovery engine, that temp sender will make the temp gauge read incorectly, fit the sender from your old TD engine if you still have it. otherwise a new sender as I listed above is required.

[Guest wunntenn]

Possibly slightly off topic (but not really) - what effect does running with too low a temperature have? Does it affect combustion in any way or are there any other engine side-effects?

[Bowie69]

It won't help your oil life or lubrication properties that's for sure, they are designed to run a certain temp, I wouldn't mess with it TBH.

[Ex Member]

They are supposed to be 88C thermostats. They open at 88 and close at 83 according to my VDO gauge. If it ever runs above 88 C, there is not enough air flow across the rad or some other problem.

VDO sender model 323-026 (5/8”-18 UNF) is a direct fit for the 200TDI Defender engine.

[flatback90]

i have an 83deg thermo in my 200tdi and a capillary guage in the top hose and it never gets over 86deg even when driven hard and towing etc. if it got to 95 deg i'd stop to see what was wrong!!!

[western]

looks like my guess of 95 is a bit to high, reckon i'll have to change my td5 temp gauge for a VDO unit with numbers/degrees on it.

[bow]

i run a 90 with the same set up as you have, 200tdi disco motor, using the TD temp sender, on the OE temp gauge in the cab my truck runs at just under the red as well, always has, this equates to 90 degrees C , read with a professional electronic tenp gauge, never found it to be a problem, fitting a vdo gauge soon just so i can monitor it properly as it's having a bit of tunning done, so want to be able to keep an eye on everything,

fit a vdo, just for peace of mind..

all the best,

BOW..

[****inthemud]

This is reassuring stuff, just when i thought i was the only one out there. cheers lads.

[Eightpot]

Being too much of a tightwad to buy a VDO, I bought one of these for my TDI converted 90 :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIGITAL-OIL-Temperature-Gauge-52mm_W0QQitemZ380114887536QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item58809ce370

I'm dead impressed - had it on for over a year now and it's fantastic. The readout may or may not be 100% acurate, but it is consistent which is the important thing, and shows temperature changes very quickly.

Looks a little cheesy, but it works and it's cheap - comes with the sender unit as well which will fit right in to your thermostat housing. I've just bought another one for my rangie.

Edit - just noticed that link is for an oil temp guage, soz, but the same guys do a water temp guage- McGill Motorsports.

[jwhitton]

Fancy changing my LR original water temperature gauge for a nice VDO one.

Which VDO sender is required / brass thread on a Defender 300Tdi:

http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/INSTRUMENTS-/-GAUGES-VDO-VDO-Senders/c1_2_4/index.html

I see the 200Tdi one is a (5/8”-18 UNF) thread, is the 300Tdi the same thread?

Want to use with this VDO water temperature:

http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p6142/VDO-WATER-TEMPERATURE-GAUGE/product_info.html

[Retroanaconda]

1/8" NPT I believe

[western]

the supplier you have linked to, should be able to advise the best sender match, I'm fairly sure they have supplied these gauges/senders to other LR owners with the same question.

300tdi temp sender is 1/8th inch NPT thread

[zulublue]

I had the same issue when i swapped my engine block from a defender to a disco unit, although all casings were refitted so to look at it it's a defender engine, however the temp guage just sat on the top of the white bit (I don't run a fan either, gone electric) anyhow it was bugging me that I did not know what was happeneing so I went digital. cost £20 and a bit of soldering.

Got it from here

link

[vexedfoxy]

In my td5 and in previous 90 the gauge would just be vertical when 'at about the right temp' however I was taught something many years ago when working in a large ships engine room which had a massive bank of gauges (over 300!) the engineers could not 'read' everyone the gauges had massive ranges some 0-3 others 0-1000, they where measuring all sorts of things temps, volts, pressure, amps, revs a whole host of things, howver when whatever they where measuring was at 'normal' they would be vertical so if you look across a whole bank of gauges you could see straight away if one was 'off' range.

When you look at a clock you don't look at which number the hands are on just the vague position. that is why gauges are still used instead of digital in a lot of machines, you don't want to know you are doing 26.6 mph, just under 30.