Quick question regarding water temp reading

[mudmuncher]

Hi all

Can i have your opinions on this please .

My 90 had a 2.5N/A diesel engine in it, it has been replaced by a 300 TDI

The temp sender is a 300 TDI but the temp gauge is for a 2.5N/A - would they be reading the temp correctly or higher or lower ??

She normally shows a bit on the hot side (rad and thermostat has been replace )i just wondered if this could be the reason why ??

Many thanks Chris

[jcwcooper]

Most likely that the gauge and sender are mis matched, Western will hopefully be along shortly to tell you which sender you need.

Alternatively you could change the gauge and sender to one that doesn't read on the banana scale for something like this

Then you will have a fairly good idea of the temp of the coolant

Dave.

[Guppy]

Allo mate,

Finding exactly the same thing on mine post tdi conversion - even after replacing the temp sender with the 'recommended' one from Steve Parkers (in their conversion kit) it's still reading hot. JCWCooper is right though, common consensus is that standard defender gauges ain't really up to that much. I'm looking at some VDO jobbies.

[Lars L]

No guesswork with a VDO! Mine sits rock steady at a fraction less than 90°C with a 88° thermostat.

[bishbosh]

Allo mate,

Finding exactly the same thing on mine post tdi conversion - even after replacing the temp sender with the 'recommended' one from Steve Parkers (in their conversion kit) it's still reading hot. JCWCooper is right though, common consensus is that standard defender gauges ain't really up to that much. I'm looking at some VDO jobbies.

No guesswork with a VDO! Mine sits rock steady at a fraction less than 90°C with a 88° thermostat.

Exactly the same expeirence here - Disco 200TDi into 2.5TD 90. Temp guage sat permanently at the end of the "normal" bit on the "banana scale". Changing to the "correct" Steve Parker one made no difference .

Stuck in a graduated VDO gauge and sender (having followed the instructions on here for modifying the LR sender to become an adaptor for the VDO sender) and I get just under 90 normally and a tad higher when working hard.

[jcwcooper]

I have got that TIM Gauge in mine, Senders are not the easiest to get hold of i must admit, spend a bit more and get the VDO gauge as everyone said.

Dave.

[western]

Go for the VDO sender & gauge, it's much better & easier to get info from. sometime I'm going to swap mine for one.

[defender dinky]

Go for the VDO sender & gauge, it's much better & easier to get info from. sometime I'm going to swap mine for one.

hi, just found this thread has anybody got the part numbers for the sender & gauge, and are they easy to fit, i put in 200tdi in my 90 and having problems with temperature gauge also where do i get them cheer's defender dinky

[Eightpot]

VDO gauge is a good, but pricey option -

i took a tip from someone else on the forum with a digital gauge from a supplier with an ebay shop :

temp guage

I'm totally impressed with it - £17 quid including the sender and wiring. I've been using one for about a year now, and have found it acurate, and most usefully it registers change in temperature very quickly, whereas the analogue gauges are built to absorb rapid temp changes and take much longer to move - by which time you may have a fried gasket.

from memory, it's a 1/8th NPT thread which is a common tap size in most tap kits (someone correct me if I have that wrong) and I just drilled a hole through the LR sender, tapped a thread and screwed the sender in (dont use sealant or PTFE tape)

It has been, without doubt, one of the best and most useful bits of kit I've ever bought, though slightly chav meets knight rider digital watch stylee : )

[ChrisJones117]

Now I am concerned after reading all these posts.

I have a 200TDi from a Disco in my 110 2.5TD with a TIM gauge and a new sender and my temp sits at just under 60c, 90% of the time unless its scorching hot - very rare these days in the UK I know - or unless I am motorway driving at 60mph as it won't go much faster without bleeding ears of internal organ damage from the vibration, then it creeps just above 60c but returns as soon as it slows to around 55mph.

Do I still need to be concerned

[JST]

Now I am concerned after reading all these posts.

I have a 200TDi from a Disco in my 110 2.5TD with a TIM gauge and a new sender and my temp sits at just under 60c, 90% of the time unless its scorching hot - very rare these days in the UK I know - or unless I am motorway driving at 60mph as it won't go much faster without bleeding ears of internal organ damage from the vibration, then it creeps just above 60c but returns as soon as it slows to around 55mph.

Do I still need to be concerned

what fan are you running? if electric and on all the time then prob OK, seems cold though. if viscous then is it locked on? 60 isint that warm although some tdis do run at that temp.

my tgv sits at 80 maybe rising to 90 (tad under) under 'fast' road sections/motorway

when i put the last disco 200tdi into a TD i just fitted the TD sender to the tdi - works well.

[ChrisJones117]

what fan are you running? if electric and on all the time then prob OK, seems cold though. if viscous then is it locked on? 60 isint that warm although some tdis do run at that temp.

my tgv sits at 80 maybe rising to 90 (tad under) under 'fast' road sections/motorway

when i put the last disco 200tdi into a TD i just fitted the TD sender to the tdi - works well.

Running with viscous fan fitted, not locked up though spins freely at all times

[bishbosh]

Have you checked your thermostat?

[Unsworth]

As with the above posts, I am in the same situation..

Just put a Disco 200TDI engine into a 1988 90..

On my original water temp gauge, The needle sat just before the red when I took it to the MOT on Tuesday.. I knew it was going to be innacurate..

Im not fussed about the needle sitting in an odd place, But would want to make sure my engine is fine (I'E not blown a headgasket).

Can I simply fit a Defender 200tdi temp sender in the Discovery 200tdi engine?.. As the temp gauges are listed as 2.5, 2/5td and 200tdi..

If not I want the Cheepest and Easiest solution to the problem..

Many thanks.. Matt

[bishbosh]

Can I simply fit a Defender 200tdi temp sender in the Discovery 200tdi engine?.

The threads are subtly different.

However, some on here have simply screwed in the defender one and all has been well. Not something I wanted to risk but it is your choice.....

[Puffernutter]

As with the above posts, I am in the same situation..

Just put a Disco 200TDI engine into a 1988 90..

On my original water temp gauge, The needle sat just before the red when I took it to the MOT on Tuesday.. I knew it was going to be innacurate..

Im not fussed about the needle sitting in an odd place, But would want to make sure my engine is fine (I'E not blown a headgasket).

Can I simply fit a Defender 200tdi temp sender in the Discovery 200tdi engine?.. As the temp gauges are listed as 2.5, 2/5td and 200tdi..

If not I want the Cheapest and Easiest solution to the problem..

Many thanks.. Matt

I put a Defender 200Tdi into a Defender 110 that had previously a 12J in it. The temperature read too high for my liking. For completeness I then used the temperature gauge out of the donor car. It was still reading too high (for my liking). I was told it was very difficult to overheat a 200TDi, well I managed it - coming down the M4 one day (as I left the motorway at the Bath turn). It turned out to be the radiator that came with the engine must have been partly blocked as I fitted a new radiator and everything has been fine ever since.

(As a matter of interest the 12J used to run very cold - I found out why when I removed the engine - no thermostat!)

Cheers

Peter

[Unsworth]

The threads are subtly different.

However, some on here have simply screwed in the defender one and all has been well. Not something I wanted to risk but it is your choice.....

Had an Idea!..

Forgetting the threads being different.. But would the original Gauge still be accurate if I could use the defender sender??.

Has anyone used the Steveparker adapted here and was happy with it?. Only heard of one instance where the Gauge still Mis-read

[errol209]

Had an Idea!..

Forgetting the threads being different.. But would the original Gauge still be accurate if I could use the defender sender??.

Has anyone used the Steveparker adapted here and was happy with it?. Only heard of one instance where the Gauge still Mis-read

Having spent a few weeks trying to measure exactly what temperature my intercooled 19J was getting up to (92^oC, 365^oK when working very hard [e.g. 50 mph ) I can add the following nuggets:

• 
  Provided the sender fits mechanically it'll work
  Sender response curves vary
  Standard LR temp gauges have a display range of about 40^oC to 90^oC-ish in the "normal" band, and go up to about 100^oC in the red. They don't read at all below 40^oC
  Senders are generally matched to gauges, and swapping one or the other will give odd results (because of temperature response curves and the difference between "picture gauges" like the LR one and absolute temperature read-outs)
  China-sourced LED christmas-cracker gauges are up to 5^oC out either way
  My engine is a little warm, but there again it has no fan until 95^oC
  

[Unsworth]

Having spent a few weeks trying to measure exactly what temperature my intercooled 19J was getting up to (92^oC, 365^oK when working very hard [e.g. 50 mph ) I can add the following nuggets:

• 
  Provided the sender fits mechanically it'll work
  Sender response curves vary
  Standard LR temp gauges have a display range of about 40^oC to 90^oC-ish in the "normal" band, and go up to about 100^oC in the red. They don't read at all below 40^oC
  Senders are generally matched to gauges, and swapping one or the other will give odd results (because of temperature response curves and the difference between "picture gauges" like the LR one and absolute temperature read-outs)
  China-sourced LED christmas-cracker gauges are up to 5^oC out either way
  My engine is a little warm, but there again it has no fan until 95^oC
  

As I have the old 19j to my disposal.. (Its in bits and needs to go really)..

I came up with an idea, Basically using some small 1-1/4" pipe from a Rover SD1 2600 back box.. I simply cut a 6 inch length of the stuff.. And then drilled a hole in the side of the pipe (To fit the temp sender bush from the 19j which is steel).. I then had it welded to the Steel tubing and then Sprayed it..

I came up with the idea mainly becuase I dont want to change my 90s temperature guage (I like the standard look) And thought I could use the old sender in some way..

This way I leave the disco sender in the engine and forget about it.. And this "Sleeve" that fits in the top hose will match with the original gauge. (As both the gauge and sender match)..

There will be someone who says I wont get an accurate reading until my thermostat opens.. But I will simply remove the thermostat as I have never used the heater in my 90 as its Rubbish!.. And I always have to drive with the passenger window down anyway. So as I dont need the heater I will simply remove the thermostat.

I have also just fitted an electric kenlowe fan (Came with a temperature switch but it only works at 95c) So decided to just have the fan on a manual switch It all came from my scrap 109 land rover..

Will give it a test run later and if my Temp sender works.. I will post up photos as I believe its the cheepest way around the problem of a mis read gauge!.

[ejparrott]

Now I am concerned after reading all these posts.

I have a 200TDi from a Disco in my 110 2.5TD with a TIM gauge and a new sender and my temp sits at just under 60c, 90% of the time unless its scorching hot - very rare these days in the UK I know - or unless I am motorway driving at 60mph as it won't go much faster without bleeding ears of internal organ damage from the vibration, then it creeps just above 60c but returns as soon as it slows to around 55mph.

Do I still need to be concerned

Dont be, I've spent a considerable amount of time investigating and studying temperatures, lack of, gauges and senders etc. I had a 19J in my 88 for a while, and had endless temperature problems being the reason why.

To make it easy and simple, once you swap engines, forget accurate temperature gauges.

If you do want a semi-accurate temperature reading, fit a dedicated gauge, mine is a Durite gauge from VWP, but i fitted the mechanical one, from experience you'd be better off with the electric one.

Don't worry if the disco engine runs cool, mine does too, though a bit warmer than yours. Spend a tenner, get a new thermostat, test it, fit it, see if owt changes. If not, fit a muff - its almost time for me to fit mine again.

If you havent got a thermostat in there when you investigate - theres your answer!

And not many poeple realise this, but water under pressure does not boil at 100deg C. I have a 9PSI series rad in my 88, and that wont boil until 123deg C.

Oh and by the way, deliberatly removing the thermostat is not the answer. The thermostat is there to keep the engine warm, not necessarily cool. They are fitted so that the engine will reach 88deg C (or whatever), and it is at this temperature that the engine will work properly. If you remove the stat, the engine will not get warm. You will cause wear and fatigue, you'll burn excess fuel, and your emissions will be shot to s**t.

[Unsworth]

This is what I came up with.. Took 20 minutes to make.

Advantages are it doesnt really cost anything to make if you can weld. And you can keep your original temp gauge like I wanted too

Dis-Advantages are, You only get a temp reading when your therostat has opened and you have to cut a couple of inches out of your top hose

Done 50 miles with it and its working perfect!..