Much like the P38 that is getting hot when towing up hills, my recent purchase 93 LSE gets hot under load on big hills, not towing anything. Temperature rises to just below the red quite quickly in hot weather, now it's raining it isn't so high...

The A/C fans mentioned were the first point of concern, my local specialist believes them to have two speeds, and when it gets hot they should really fly... but they don't seem to alter speed.

Having said that I went up the same hill with the a/c off and it still got hot, which would suggest to me the a/c fans ain't the problem.

Had a new thermostat last week, I have a long history of faulty thermostats so could this be the case? Not opening fully?

Coolant stays level, is circulating well (you can see it swirling in to the new header tank).

It has got hot a couple of times recently due to the failing thermostat and subsequent failed expansion tank, but as I say the coolant is at the same level, oil is clean, no smoke.

So should I be looking at the rad? Or try another thermostat for the sake of a fiver??

All help for a struggling newbie gratefully recieved - I need to drive it to Spain in two weeks full of family and there will be some long hot hills there!!!!!

try cleaning between the rad and condensor and any other radiator looking things at the front... a build up of dead things and the odd small jap car can affect air flow

I wondered where that Micra went...thanks for the advice, I shall delve in there tomorrow.

don't use a pressure washer on them as yule flatten the cooling fins...use an airline