RWD 4AGE Overheating Problem

[Schmitt]

Hi guys

As the title says i am having an annoying overheating problem with my RWD 4AGE that is in my TA22. The car has a brand new tripple core radiator and all new hoses. The heater in the car is not connected as it leaks so those water outlets are just looped back.

The story
The engine was running fine when i first put it in. On the first day i noticed that the bearings in the water pump were noisy so decided to change it just to be safe. I bought a brand new water pump to suit a RWD 4AGE and installed it. Before i ran the engine again i decided to replace the thermostat aswell while i was there. For the next while every time i drove the car the gauge randomly said it was overheating. So i thought it was the thermostat playing up so i replaced it and got another one. Same problem. So i checked the gauge with a spare one that i had and it showed the same reading. So next i changed the sensor with a spare i had. Same problem. I bought a brand new sensor. Same problem. So i thought it must be wiring. I ran new wiring and it still does the same thing. So i pulled the thermostat out completely and i am still having the same problem. While the gauge is reading 120*C i took the radiator cap off and there was no pressure or boiling water and when i checked the water temp with a known good thermometer it said it was at 70*C. While i was doing this i could see the water flowing through the radiator so i know it is not a blockage.

So just to re-iterate it has or has had
- New Water Pump
- 2 New Thermostats
- 2 New Water Temp Sensors
- Another Gauge
- New Wiring To The Gauge
- A Brand New Tripple Core Radiator

So basically i am all out of ideas and need your help.

If anyone can think of something that i have not tried it would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Ben

[Billzilla]

It might be the guage.
Get or borrow an infra-red optical sensor and check out the temps of everything that carries water.
It's best to leave the thermostat in as well, to control temps more accurately.

[Schmitt]

It might be the guage.
Get or borrow an infra-red optical sensor and check out the temps of everything that carries water.
It's best to leave the thermostat in as well, to control temps more accurately.

Thanks Bill

I have already checked the gauge so it shouldnt be that.
And yes the thermostat will go back in as soon as i get it sorted out.
I will try the infra-red idea.

Thanks
Ben

[Cuzzo]

Is your radiator the highest point in the cooling system?
Are you getting all the air out of the system when you filled it up?

[Schmitt]

Hey cuzzo

It is about equal height so to help it i used a half a coke bottle and then also squeezed the hoses to make sure. I ran it like this for a little while till i was sure all the air was out and there was no more bubbles. I also live on a hill so i had the front of the car at the high point.

Thanks
Ben

[Cuzzo]

Well you have definetly exhausted all solutions.

Have you got a thermo fan and is it strong enough?
Also is anypart of the cooling system running near exhaust or other hot places.?

[Schmitt]

Yeah the car has a brand new davies craig thermo on it and no there arent any cooling hoses etc near any hot areas.

The thing that is getting me really confused is that it is a intermittent problem. As in sometimes i turn the car on and within 3-5 mins that gauge is at 120*C and after running for another 5 mins the gauge drops to 70*C. And all of this while there is no thermostat, the radiator cap is off, i can see the water flowing and the thermometer is showing 65*C.

Thanks
Ben

[Billzilla]

The thing that is getting me really confused is that it is a intermittent problem. As in sometimes i turn the car on and within 3-5 mins that gauge is at 120*C and after running for another 5 mins the gauge drops to 70*C. And all of this while there is no thermostat, the radiator cap is off, i can see the water flowing and the thermometer is showing 65*C.

Thanks
Ben

It's not possible to have the water get up to 120deg in 3-5 minutes with the engine idling and no thermostat.
Well, I'm pretty sure about that ....
Still reckon it's the guage playing silly buggers.

[Schmitt]

Yeah Bill I Agree

I think i will tripple check the gauge with a thrid one that i have spare just to be sure. Very unlikely that i have three stuffed gauges.

Thanks
Ben

[Billzilla]

Yeah Bill I Agree

I think i will tripple check the gauge with a thrid one that i have spare just to be sure. Very unlikely that i have three stuffed gauges.

Thanks
Ben

FWIW I've got a similar problem with the fuel guage on my Sprinter. I take it into the Car Sparky and he tells me he can't find anythingwrong with it, so swapped guages .... no difference.
I'm at their mercy, as I really suck at electrics.

[toddw]

The first thing I would try is going for a genuine thermostat if the ones you have put in arn't. They are so much better than the aftermarket crap that is getting around. I have seen it so many time with people putting non genuine thermostats in thier cars and ten they overheat. Give it a try and illiminate this from the equation and move on. Compare the impellor blades on your old water pump with the new ones. Work backwards from your original setup

Cheers

ToddW

[Schmitt]

Toddw

The car already has a genuine thermostat and water temp sensor. I will check the water pump also. Cant hurt.

Even if i go back to my old setup i dont know if that worked as i only had it running for half a day.

Thanks
Ben

[Cuzzo]

Have you tried screaming at it?

Was your motor rebuilt and cleaned up? If its not the gauge, could it be the the water jackets are blocked?

[Schmitt]

Have you tried screaming at it?

Was your motor rebuilt and cleaned up? If its not the gauge, could it be the the water jackets are blocked?

Oh trust me i have definetely tried the screaming approach many times aswell as the cursing approach.

The previous owner said it had been recently rebuilt. And i did get receipts for some vague work having been done.

Thanks
Ben

[allencr]

While the gauge is reading 120*C i took the radiator cap off and there was no pressure or boiling water and when i checked the water temp with a known good thermometer it said it was at 70*C.

So what's the problem, other then the gauge problem that you know full well about?????