Why is my landy running so hot?

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buzzy bee

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43
Hi

I found the Land Rover was running just under the red on the temperature Guage, I would have thought it should be half way up the normal bit, shouldn't it?

What are the reasons for it being high, is it a radiator problem?

Can you add an electric fan, would this help?

The Land Rover will get quite alot of standing about, running, but stationary, or slow shunting, round the yard etc, so it won't get much air flowing through it. Then again, I was driving today, and it got warm. It was 28 - 32 degrees today though, so that can't help.

Any remedies, or ideas from people, much apriciated!

Cheers

Dave
 
okies right first check the oil filler fer any mayo......mine ran hot when the hg twas fooked.....the fant you have is betterer than a leccy one fer coolin.......id yer rad full of ****e ?
 
does it feel hot? touch the rad ;) when yer lift the bonnet does it smell like its cooking , is the thermostat workin ok? might rehgister red hot when its buggered ,
 
Might be the guage or sender thats knacked, does the guage drop down slowly if you stop the engine then turn the ignition back on?
If thats ok try it with the stat taken out altogether, if that fixes it the stats screwed.
See if the top hose is rock hard while running, another check for a knacked head gaskert.
 
Cheers, I will have a look later. :) I will report back later

Is there anywhere to add an aditional fan, an electric one,but keeping the original one? Looks tight to me!
 
Theres room between the rad and the front panel, mine has one there as the 300tdi engine doesnt have rrom for its original.
Fitting one probably wont sort your problem out, landys have been in service in hot countrys with no trouble, the weather is not the issue, summats up with yer engine.
There is a fan with more blades available, the mil ones have them, but sort out your engine before thinking about extra cooling.
 
Hi

Right, the oil seems clean, so no signs of water, from a head gasket problem, I switch the engine/ignition off, and it drops to cold on the guage, and the ignition on, and it creeps back up, slowly. The top hose isn't hard, from a head gasket fault. the fan won't turn without the belt and alt, terning, and it is quite hard to get it to move at all.

I felt the rad/bottom hose, and it doesn't feel overly hot at the bottom, hot at the top oviously. So maybe it is ok, and just that is where the guage sits. I will keep my eye on it Ithink.

A red light kept flashing this morning, diesel was showing 1/4 tank, but I filled with diesel and it seems all ok, now, didn't notice it flashing again, so maybe the fuel guageis reading 1/4 too high, and the light was a low fuel warning?

Tucked up in the shed now, untill I get some brake bits.

Cheers

Dave
 
It maybe worth reverse flushing the radiator. Take off top and bottom hose, put your garden hose in at the bottom and you will flush out any 'crap' thru the top. Anti-freeze also helps as a coolant so make sure you have about a 25% mix of anti-freeze in there as well.

I suspect that it is more than likely the higher ambient temperture at the moment and that no Series radiator is going to be in the first flushes of youth any more :)
 
You might be getting a false reading on your temperature guage. A crude voltage regulator is used for the temperature and fuel level guages. With the ignition turned on measure the output voltage of the regulator. If it's working properly then the voltage should switch periodically between 0 and 12v. You might find that yours is stuck at 12v which will give a high reading on the temperature and fuel guages
 
It was a snippet of information I picked up a few months ago. There is some more info here: Classic Car Voltage Stabilizers | Semiconductor voltage stabilizers for classic cars Just for you Sean I measured the output of the regulator on my SIII with a digital multimeter. It seems to be switching with a period of around 1 second. I've never pulled one to bits, but I'd guess it works using a bimetalic strip in a similar way to the indicator flasher unit.
 
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Hi

Cheers,for the tip, I think it must be some reading fault, as it is feels ok at the bottom of the rad, so I am not overly worried, concentrating on getting the brakes done, then can spend a bit of time playing with this, when I have a few hours spare.

I was tempted to flush the rad, but like you say it is warm out, so worth trying on a cooler day. It hasn't yet got into the red, so it might just be managing, add that to the possible reading fault etc.

The anitfreeze/cooland will be checked with the refractometer at the weekend, and may re fill using my read mixed barrel, 50:50, which protects to -55, and hight the other way!

Coincidently, never go much stronger than 50:50, as it has a negative effect, making it less effective if it is too strong.

Cheers

Dave
 
Mad Hat: Does the 5 blade military make much difference compared to the standard? I always carry a standard spare fan incase the electric one packs up, but woudl be nice peace of midn knowing that I have a military one as a spare when I go to Morocco next month (it's gonna be a little hot at the end if June/July!) PM me if you want to sell.
 
I have no idea how much difference it makes, although more blades should mean more airflow and therefore greater cooling potential. Make me an offer. I will check post costs.
 
nah!
I gorra thick skin - not quite ""Rhino-hide" tho ;)
 

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