Overheating,argh.

Hi, I have a 1983 Range Rover auto and have an overheating problem.

Recently she would get near the red zone if i was doing over sixty,so i didn't.

But on a recent low speed run in the snow she got hot ,now i also have a problem with the poppets which means i do not have a low tickover when warm,so how do i sort them out because i will have to sort out the idle speed before i have a fiddle with the timing.
On the timing side she sounds fine when in drive and pulls well and passes her emisions with flying colours.
She has an Aldon ignitor on board.
She has also started a habit of taking a while to start when turning over,sometimes only firing when the ignition key is released.

Erm, the only things i can add is that when warm the heaters blow warm constantly ,unlike when i had head gaskets go in the other Range Rover,which would blow cold when the gauge went into the red.
The water seems to be circulating so a presume the pump is ok.
The thermostat was binned ages ago.
I have done a search on this site and the idea of holding the fan with a hammer looks an interesting way of testing the viscous fan.

Any help would be very welcome.

You haven't said what condition your rad is in or if you are losing coolant anywhere.

Given that you have taken out the thermostat and you reckon the water pump is ok, the only thing I can think of is that the rad fins must be blocked. You should get enough cooling at 60mph to not even need the fan. Either that or your guage or sender are knackered and you are not actually overheating at all.

Cheers

Chris

Took her with me to Tidworth at the weekend and she crept to the red each time i got to a hill and that has been the problem for a while ,overheating under load.

She looses a little coolant but when she got into the red in the snow she was actually boiling .

I think i may go for a new radiator and see what that does.

Cheers

Glen

Bedfordrl said:

I think i may go for a new radiator and see what that does.

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Mmmm. Well a new rad is quite expensive, particularly if it has the built in oil cooler for the auto box.

Unless it is visibly crap, before buying a new rad, I would be tempted to back flush the existing one and take the grille off and hose any crud from the matrix (good idea to cover the engine front with poly sheet first). You should be able to see through the matrix.

Give that a go and see if there is any improvement.

Cheers

Chris

Might be worth pulling the rad and cleaning it on the outside. Crap will stop airflow.

Refit and refill. Make sure you havent got a full expansion tank. Needs to be about a third full.

Do you have electric fans in front of the rad? If so check theyre running.

Removing the thermostat may mean you have too little back pressure for the water to reach the back cylinders so they get real hot. I cut the actual thermostat out but refitted its little metal holder.

Check fan belt is not slipping.

Coolant makes a big difference.

Check all hoses are not fouled.

I was reading an old copy of LRO and there was a guy with the same symptoms, they said its an over worn engine, how many mile shas it done?

Jeremy clarkson had the same problem with his on top gear, it made it accross bolivia though!

rad blocked

hi i have the same problem on my 4.0 p38 had eveything done even new head gaskets still doing it im stumped...any more ideas anyone

if you want a rad ive got one on a rangie with the cooler for the auto box its in good con and worked well whilst on the motor 60 quid would see it come off the rangie, just havin a stab in the dark is the ignition advancing and retarting its self propally cause if its staying advanced it would get hot. i say this cause we got a car at work with a manual advance and retartad if you leave it advanced and dont retarted it once it has started it will run alot warmer and v8s dont need any more help

anyone think this could be a reason

I took off the air con rad as I do not need this and got a good look at the radiator and it looks like mice have been at it! all the fins in the right hand side are mangled so another rad it is then.

I have looked at the prices for a 1983 Range Rover radiator and they are not cheap, any commonality or adaptability with cheaper makes?.

She has the cooler for the auto box at the front and not part of the radiator,thanks for the offer though.

wack in wot ever that fits.

Well with the air con radiator out of the way there will be room for almost anything.

chinny1266 said:

hi i have the same problem on my 4.0 p38 had eveything done even new head gaskets still doing it im stumped...any more ideas anyone

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thermostate water pump or porus block