headhunter Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Having fitted a new high output radiator from Brunel Engineering to my 110 with a 2.8tgv engine (very similar to the 300tdi) I cannot get the engine to run at the correct temperature (it runs too hot). The old radiator and the temperature gauge worked fine (the change was made due to a small leak where the electric fan was mounted with a through rad pin). The new set up is ok through warm-up and you can see the thermostat open via the additional digital temp. gauge. Pottering about the temp. is c95 degrees centigrade, still too high, but when I run at say 60-65 mph the temp goes up to between 105 and 115 degrees way too high. Also the standard temp gauge is almost in the red, which was not the case previously. Also the heater provides much more heat than before, which indicates plenty of water pump circulation, but suggests that the coolant is flowing to the point of least resistance rather than through the rad. In addition if I stop the engine at full temp and start it again a few minutes later the digital gauge shows a temp drop as the water exchanges between block and rad, demonstrating some circulation between the rad and the rest of the system. The radiator is hot to touch at all points and appears to be fairly equal in temperature at all points. I have fitted a new thermostat but there is no change. I suspect an airlock, if this is the case does anyone know the correct procedure for filling please. I have tried the procedure of filling the expansion tank until the rad vent pipe (that returns to the expansion tank) is flowing then quickly replacing the pipe. Then I fill through the thermostat housing top hole until the water level is an inch below the top of the expansion tank, then replace the plug. After a run and things have cooled down if I remove the thermostat housing plug the coolant level has dropped at this point. What am I doing wrong, any help much appreciated as I seem to be going round in circles unlike my coolant! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 If you have an airlock, then you would hear the water boiling when you switch the engine off (clonking noise). The water would overflow the expansion tank as the air bubbles expand rather rapidly and push it out - it would do this pretty quickly after starting from cold. You could drian the sytem down, start the engine and slowly fill it while it's ticking over. Air locks usually prevent the heater from working though. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diesel_jim Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 There's a recommended sequence for doing the 300Tdi (which, as you say, is almost the same as the 2.8) you remove the header tank cap, and the plug on the thermostat and the plug on the radiator. stuff a hosepipe into the header tank, let it fill and the water will eventually flow out of the radiator, fit the plug back in and let the water flow out of the thermostat housing, refit that plug then finally check the headrer tank level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted January 23, 2008 Author Share Posted January 23, 2008 Thanks for your replies. Guess what? The new radiator was at fault. Somebody forgot to weld in a blanking plate between the top and bottom inlet and outlet! Hence no circulation around the radiator causing overheating. Apologies received but still annoying as I have spent hours and hours and some pounds on thermostats, antifreeze etc. trying to resolve the problem. A lesson learnt, the 'experts don't always get it right! When I get the altered radiator back no doubt I can expect my heating to return to normal --- bloody freezing! That's Defenders for you. I wonder if they could fit a variable blanking plate so I could adjust it to send more flow via the heater on cold days? Perhaps I could persuade them to do me a cheap deal on an up-rated heater matrix as I know they make them? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Glad you've got it sorted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted January 23, 2008 Author Share Posted January 23, 2008 Cheers Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Good show John, glad it's sorted I'm sure that they would cut you a good deal on a matrix after all your trouble ! Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Good show John, glad it's sorted I'm sure that they would cut you a good deal on a matrix after all your trouble !Mo Cheers Mo Not the sort of problem I would expect from a Brunel product however nobody's perfect and Jon is a genuine guy from my experience. I wonder if Jon will make a gesture given the grief I have had, hopefully not the two fingered variety I sent the radiator back in an extra large box so there is room for a matrix when it is returned (dream on!!) John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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