Coolant problems, 200tdi
- Thread starter landowner
- Start date
This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Toasty as usual ☺
- Posts
- 68,233
- Location
- The Wooly Witch
Matrix seems ok then ...
Well I've been out for a drive with new thermostat and water pump. All seems ok except that the rad is still only hot in the top corner near the top hose and stone cold every where else. the temp needle is reading a little higher than it used to and is pointing half way across the gauge whereas before it only ever went a third if the way.
The engine is 200 Disco which runs hotter than the old 2.5 n/a engine so using the old 2.5 sender the gauge should read higher than it did when at operating temp.... I think !
The thermostat I put in is 88 degrees so maybe it's me worrying about nothing, I have a little pressure now at the header tank when I take the cap off which has never happened before but the water in there is cold.
I'm going to dig out my laser temp thingy its in a box somewhere, the thing I cant understand is why the bottom hose is cold, surely if water is circulating properly then it should be at least warm ?
The engine is 200 Disco which runs hotter than the old 2.5 n/a engine so using the old 2.5 sender the gauge should read higher than it did when at operating temp.... I think !
The thermostat I put in is 88 degrees so maybe it's me worrying about nothing, I have a little pressure now at the header tank when I take the cap off which has never happened before but the water in there is cold.
I'm going to dig out my laser temp thingy its in a box somewhere, the thing I cant understand is why the bottom hose is cold, surely if water is circulating properly then it should be at least warm ?
flat
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 9,075
- Location
- Far away from you!!
Little bit of pressure in the header tank is fine.
One thing to check is your header tank release valve, I chased no end of issues like yours and changing the header tank cap solved it.
One thing to check is your header tank release valve, I chased no end of issues like yours and changing the header tank cap solved it.
Thanks, I'll try another cap. I ran it without a cap for a few miles but radiator still only hot at the top corner and cold everywhere else.
I'm just wondering how the radiator is shared to cool the oil as well, I blank the nearside of rad off top to bottom during the winter because I assume that the oil flows through that bit.
flat
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 9,075
- Location
- Far away from you!!
Oil cooler is in the drivers side - top to bottom - it’s a spiral affair in the side ‘tanks’ of the rad.
I spent ages sorting my cooling system, new stat, new cap and recored proper copper/brass rad got it all fine.
Have you tried a pressure test to make sure you aren’t leaking somewhere? That can make a difference and cause airlocks etc and other weird symptoms
Sorry I should have said off side, where the pipes go in.
The radiator was a new aluminium one and I flushed it through the other day, the block and head are flowing ok when flushed through, I have a Disco set up hose wise with a Defender header tank but cant see why the rad is always cold. Heater is toasty and the engine doesn't overheat (as in boiling) so maybe I should leave well enough alone.... never had a fan on because it catches on the steering box. but never needed it .
8ha
Active Member
- Posts
- 228
- Location
- bridport dorset
lets hope that has cured it
blue beasty
Leaks an prone to bits dropping off
- Posts
- 63,106
- Location
- Gloucestercotshirewolds
I do suspect you're chasing a problem that doesn't exist.
The 200tdi is generally considered over cooled. If you're driving carefully in cold weather it'll struggle to get up to temp and once there the stat may be opening, letting cold coolant from the rad into the system and closing the stat again.
The system is supposed to be under a small amount of pressure so whether it did it before or not a hiss as you take the cap off is nothing to worry about.
The 200tdi is generally considered over cooled. If you're driving carefully in cold weather it'll struggle to get up to temp and once there the stat may be opening, letting cold coolant from the rad into the system and closing the stat again.
The system is supposed to be under a small amount of pressure so whether it did it before or not a hiss as you take the cap off is nothing to worry about.
flat
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 9,075
- Location
- Far away from you!!
Yep agreed. All sounds okay.
Temp difference between top hose and bottom hose on mine after a hard rag is to hot to touch (top) and warm (bottom) - I haven’t measured the temp difference but suspect it’s atleadt 10c if not more.
Never felt my rad but will do next time I am out, will IR gun it
zeaphod
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 3,107
- Location
- Belfast, Norn Iron
As I said before as as above, I think you're chasing nothing. Maybe fit a decent water gauge and sender, this will show you what the actual temp is, rather than a vague reading. Durite sell one that will fit the dash perfectly. You may need an adapter for the new sender, I can help with that if you decide to do it.
Good idea, I have a capillary gauge from a TVR which I can fit somewhere I'm sure, What I cant understand is why just the top corner of the rad is very hot and the rest cold, makes me worry that the water isn't circulating. when the motor was in my Disco the rad was warm all over and it's basically the same set up.
I ran my 200 as an everyday car for 4 years and it took exactly 5 miles for the stat to fully open, running a capilllary temp gauge as I hit the 5 mile mark the temp would climb to just above 90 then the stat would open and temp would drop to mid 80s and stabilise at high 80s.
Now I only work 5 miles away and its not as fast a road so I cant load the engine up as much, the stat just doesnt open at this time of year, it starts to think about it, but by then its to late and I am pulling into work!
Now I only work 5 miles away and its not as fast a road so I cant load the engine up as much, the stat just doesnt open at this time of year, it starts to think about it, but by then its to late and I am pulling into work!
zeaphod
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 3,107
- Location
- Belfast, Norn Iron
I have pretty much the same setup as you - disco 200tdi, no fan, and the rad is hot at the top and cool at the bottom. If I work the engine hard on a long motorway run, the rad will get warm all over, but still much hotter at the top. I think your engine is just not having to work as hard pulling the lighter vehicle. As above, I can see the engine temp climb fairly quickly until the stat opens, then it's pretty much rock solid no matter how hard I work it.
SpaceDawg
Active Member
- Posts
- 935
- Location
- Cowfold, West Sussex
Hi,
Mine takes 4 miles to warm up to toasty with a normal rad and thermostat. My heater guage gues about 3/4 of the way across and before the black gap. When I had a duff thermostat the engine never got warm at all, only just moving off cold. If I slow down the temprature drops the thermostat closes and the temprature goes up again. I spent forever going over the parts until I just went so it, it works and there no real issue, mine does use a little water (.5 litre every few thousand miles) it used to use a lot more until I got all the issues sorted. So it sounds like your ok to me.
flat
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 9,075
- Location
- Far away from you!!
SpaceDawg
Active Member
- Posts
- 935
- Location
- Cowfold, West Sussex
I patched it and then put K seal in and since then all is good, as in its a few thousand miles between top ups now. I do have some block sealant but I've not needed it yet. The repair has been holding for over 5k miles now. It's really nice having a hot heater this winter as well.
