Overheating Problems.

[Tas_Legnum]

Hey guys. So I took my Leggy on its 1st big trip today. Around 540ks round trip. Was a fairly warm day, around 30deg which in tassie is dry as anything and you just burn when you go outside. So anyway. Get to my destination no problems. Temp gauge didn't move from just under halfway (maybe someone can tell me if this is normal or not?) But on the way back after a blast up a big twisty hill. The temp skyrocketed. And every time it was under load it would do it. Just rolling down hills it would go back to normal temp but then if I gave it the beans it would get hot all over again. Now my question to you guys is. Is this a common thing because the trans cooler is in the radiator and if I go external it should fix it? Or is there something else I should be looking into? Any help would be muchly appreciated because that wasn't a fun drive back home.

 

[seven]

Is the fan running when it gets hot? How does the coolant look?

Normal temp for me is halfway running stock trans cooler. No problems in 40 degrees or with aircon on.

 

[Tas_Legnum]

Yeah fan is running. Coolant is green. Thinking of flushing it and putting in red. And getting a new cap.

 

[seven]

Another thing to check at the same time would be thermostat opening temperature (boiling water and thermometer). I know on RB motors you can test the sensor resistance to confirm a working sensor, I'd assume it would be the same on the 6a13. Another way to test for gauge accuracy is recreate the overheating conditions and use a infrared thermometer.

 

[Tas_Legnum]

The t-stat was brand new a few months before I got the car. (I know the guy who worked on it).
The thing is, it hasn't had a problem since I got it. Only one time when I was giving it an absolute hiding on a hills run. But I put the heaters on high and it cooled down nice and quick. The heaters didn't really seem to do mucb today. Going to give the radiator a good flush when I do the coolant. Maybe upgrade the thermo fan while I'm there.

 

[Dice]

Even with a copper radiator mountain inclines have been the only thing that cause my coolant temp to go up. There is another thread where it's discussed but after 5 mins searching I cannot find it.

 

[Tas_Legnum]

Yeah I thought there may have been something but I couldn't find anything either.

 

[NuffNuff]

I had this on a hill too. My thermostat siezed bit opened so it only ever cooked up Hills on hot days . You say yours was replaced though. Before that I spewed coolant and the level dropped and that was the radiator cap.

Did your coolant level drop?

 

[Tas_Legnum]

It dis push coolant out of the overflow and there was bugger all pressure in the top hose which made me think it could be the cap. Maybe the spring is buggered.

 

[NuffNuff]

i went through two caps, same deal. blew it out the overflow

 

[jungle]

Strange Wade, I too would try a new radiator cap.
I recently refitted my standard radiator and a new 1.3bar cap while my aluminum tank is away getting a pin hole fixed. The temp gauge sits 1-2 increments lower.

 

[pretzil]

This sounds like mine... I really need to put the old plastic radiator back, because it has been doing this ever since I fitted it. Only problem is that it was the same week as my ethanol tune...

 

[AKKO]

This sounds like mine... I really need to put the old plastic radiator back, because it has been doing this ever since I fitted it. Only problem is that it was the same week as my ethanol tune...

Did you keep the standard thermostat and fans when you changed the rad or are you talking about the cap only?

Given the volume difference I had wondered if an earlier opening temp would be necessary to cool it appropriately when getting on the warm side.

 

[pretzil]

Did you keep the standard thermostat and fans when you changed the rad or are you talking about the cap only?
Given the volume difference I had wondered if an earlier opening temp would be necessary to cool it appropriately when getting on the warm side.

Was talking about cap. Bumped all the way to 1.3bar radiator cap, but I am suspicious of manufacturing quality of golpher radiator.
Custom shroud w/ low profile fans, put new thermostat in but std opening temp.

 

[Tas_Legnum]

Found my cap to be the culprit. It was stuck open. Replaced cap. Topped up and burped the coolant and seems to be ok. Going to do a full flush soon. Maybe even replace thermostat as a preventative measure.

 

[NuffNuff]

my thermostat was such a bastard when it died, it was overheating up hills but not losing water. you could back off and it'd be fine. only hot days with the aircon on. aircon off it was fine. took out the thermostat and boiled it a few times varying the temp and it would only half open on one side, seized on the other so it'd open diagonally. really strange. only took an hour to replace with some shortcuts and some help from little hands