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skyline engine overheating
jacko - 9/6/10 at 06:03 PM

Hi all you knowledgeable people I am asking this question for my son. My son has just re built his skyline engine and now it is back in the car he can only drive it about 4 - 5 miles before the engine management light comes on and at the same time the water temp gauge goes up to boiling mark. The car then goes into limp mode He's tried running the car without a thermostat and the light doesn't come on but the engine doesn't get warm or hot so he has checked the thermostat but has fitted a new one. After fitting the new one the light still comes on after a few miles. Has any one got any idea as to what could be causing this? This has never happened before he re shelled and re ringed the car. Jacko

Liam - 9/6/10 at 06:12 PM

When rebuilding the engine, did he remember to fit the water pump? More seriously was there any way the pump or belt/gears that drives it could have been fitted incorrectly? If all seems good mechanically, have you investigated whether the overheat is real (i.e. measured high water temp via some other method) or perhaps it's just a faulty coolat temp sensor? What about an airlock when filling the system?

Some things to think about anyway - sorry I dont have any specific Skyline knowledge (wish I did though)

jacko - 9/6/10 at 06:19 PM

He is checking the water pump at the moment as far as he knows there is no air in the system
it seems funny that it was ok before the rebuild

stevebubs - 9/6/10 at 06:32 PM

Did he torque the head gasket correctly?

RichardK - 9/6/10 at 06:34 PM

Could the head gasket go on the wrong way and in doing so block the waterways!

Prob hasn't and I can't think of any easy way to check!

Cheers

Rich

jacko - 9/6/10 at 06:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by stevebubs
Did he torque the head gasket correctly?

Yes He has rebuilt skyline engines many times and never had this before
I think i will have to go to his house and check it with him
Do you think he could have got a wire the wrong way round on some thing
Jacko

Peteff - 9/6/10 at 06:41 PM

Can you get the thermostat the wrong way round ?

Mark G - 9/6/10 at 06:56 PM

Running lean? Has he had the fault memory checked to see what the fault is? Could be air/fuel related.

plantman - 9/6/10 at 07:02 PM

Air

I didn't have any in mine either....... until I let it out

sr20det engine same thing run for 4-5 mins at tickover before it got really hot Obvious really no water going around the engine or rad

Oh and i checked it for air loads of times

Liam - 9/6/10 at 07:20 PM

Just ead the original post properly and noted it doesn't overheat with no thermostat fitted, suggesting the thermostat is the cause. I suppose it is possible you might have two duff thermostats! Have you verified they are OK by bringing them to a boil in a saucepan and observing them moving?

jacko - 9/6/10 at 07:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Liam
Just ead the original post properly and noted it doesn't overheat with no thermostat fitted, suggesting the thermostat is the cause. I suppose it is possible you might have two duff thermostats! Have you verified they are OK by bringing them to a boil in a saucepan and observing them moving?


Yes checked them both in a mug with boiling water both ok

MkIndy7 - 9/6/10 at 07:58 PM

Or poor water flow, hence with the thermostat (a major restriction) removed it doesn't show the same symptoms but might still struggle when pressed hard.

madteg - 9/6/10 at 08:07 PM

AIR LOCK are the hoses standard or changed that might be airlocking.

sonic - 9/6/10 at 08:36 PM

Hi Graham
I would go with the Airlock idea.

I had a Pug 106 the other day which i changed the Rad on,afterwards the ECU kept putting the temp light on and the fan kicked in all the time,it took me a hour of bleeding from every hose to cure it and bingo sorted.

Really weird as i have done loads of these and never had the problem at all on any car.

Good luck

T66 - 9/6/10 at 10:38 PM

Is the temprature sender working ?


Is the coolant boiling over or not ?


For me if the problem is eased with removal of the thermostat, then the engine has more coolant to play with delaying the boil over issue.


If it worsens with it fitted then the engine has a severe circulation problem.

water pump the obvious one
belts/pulleys
coolant ways blocked, however the odd bit of old gasket isnt going to be a showstopper.


Ive always managed to clear air locks with liberal hand pumping of the hoses with the engine running. Do the hoses feel like they are full ?


If not suspect air lock.


make sure you tell us your solution & good luck , dont cook it !

jacko - 12/6/10 at 08:21 PM

Hi all for those that asked
The bran new head gasket was f***ed
water in the oil and the pressure was doing the rest
at least we know what it is now
Jacko and Son