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Still overheating... I despare!
tegwin - 24/10/08 at 05:15 PM

I am starting to run out of ideas...

Engine comes up to temperature as you would expect at a fast idle....

When you pull away and load up the engine the temperature wonders up to about 95 degrees...

If you stop and let the engine idle the temperature drops down to around 86 degrees...

I have an ali Clio radiator...the biggest I could fit in the chassis... the pipes have no tight bends on them, and the radiator gets hot as expected...

The engine is set to (I think 7.5 degrees)....The vacum and centrifugal advances work as expected...

I cant advance the timing any more...if I do, the engine pinks like mad...

The engine has only done about 50 miles since it was rebuilt, so its pretty much a new engine

The waterpump (new) pumps the water pretty well through the thermostat bypass back into the header...so Im sure the pump is good...


Anyone have any cunning ideas?...This is starting to drive me nuts!


Howlor - 24/10/08 at 05:18 PM

Is it actually overheating as 96 degrees doesn't sound too bad. Obviously with been underpressure the boil point is above 100 anyway.

Just my ten penneth worth!


Steve


stevec - 24/10/08 at 05:19 PM

95deg. is not hot.
Steve.


Howlor - 24/10/08 at 05:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by stevec
95deg. is not hot.
Steve.


It is if you splash your bits!


stevec - 24/10/08 at 05:27 PM


Dusty - 24/10/08 at 05:28 PM

How are you measuring the temperature? Does it boil over and spray water out the rad cap so you need to top up all the time?


SeaBass - 24/10/08 at 05:28 PM

How are you taking those readings? (TOO SLOW!)

Are you sure the gauge is correct and V reg is working?

JC

[Edited on 24/10/08 by SeaBass]


Andy W - 24/10/08 at 05:32 PM

had a similar problem, car started over heating, did all the usuall flushed system, removed pipes rad etc, checked stat. Turned out to be a blockage in the radiator (which was only a couple of years old)

Andy


maartenromijn - 24/10/08 at 05:40 PM

I think the temperatures are normal. What happens with the temp if you put the pedal to the metal? Say, on a nice country road?


tegwin - 24/10/08 at 05:41 PM

I am using a digital multimeter with temperature probe screwed into the engine block....(accurate to within .2 of a degree!)

I am using a header tank system so there is no rad cap to blow...but it doesnt seem to ever be under too much pressure....deffinately not loosing any water anywhere...

Its just a bit concerning to see the engine temp guage almost in the red...or wondering into the red on occasions...

The radiator was second hand...but I gave it a really good flush and it seems to flow liquid without any issues atall...

Is it possible that I need to advance the ignition timing a bit to help things run cooler?.... If I had the cambelt out of true by 1 tooth...that would prevent me getting the ignition timing further advanced wouldnt it?...

What is considered too hot for a pinto?...

its only a 1.6FFS lol


russbost - 24/10/08 at 05:45 PM

I would say that 95 deg shouldn't be showing as nearly in the red on the guage, I'd expect it to be a little over normal, have you got the wrong sender for the guage?


philw - 24/10/08 at 05:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Howlor


It is if you splash your bits!


Whimp


tegwin - 24/10/08 at 05:52 PM

Im asuming the sender and guage came from the same car....but I might be mistaken....standard sierra sender...standard sierra clocks...


What temperature would be considered "hot"...


TOO BADD - 24/10/08 at 05:54 PM

If you are not loosing water likely to be a partially stuck thermostat or a partially blocked rad. Have you firstly tried running without a stat.


Andy W - 24/10/08 at 05:56 PM

I gave the rad a good flush out and it seemed ok. Took it to a rad specialist who gave it a very scientific test. Filled it with water and covered the bottom outlet, he placed the rad against the wall and removed the plug, there was a mark on the floor the water should reach, mine was well short.

Andy


TOO BADD - 24/10/08 at 06:00 PM

If either are restricting the flow the engine WILL be hotter under acceleration rather than fast tickover as the flow will not be there to cool.


Paul TigerB6 - 24/10/08 at 06:11 PM

As per many other posts, 95deg isnt too hot at all. Dont forget your new engine needs to bed in properly yet and is probably a little tight still anyway.


jambojeef - 24/10/08 at 06:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
I am using a digital multimeter with temperature probe screwed into the engine block....


Is that the problem maybe? Could you be measuring block temperature rather than actual coolant temperature?

Geoff


maartenromijn - 24/10/08 at 06:25 PM

In the cars I have had the red zone starts at 120 degrees water temperature.

WHAT IS THE OIL TEMPERATURE??


AdrianH - 24/10/08 at 06:26 PM

If this is teaching you to suck eggs I am sorry, but I found a few days ago and kept a reference. Found it from the Westfield site

http://hometown.aol.com/sarandrews/wateroil.htm

Cheers

Adrian


repper - 24/10/08 at 06:32 PM

95 dose not sound hot to me either easpecially as you say
The engine has only done about 50 miles since it was rebuilt, so its pretty much a new engine it will run hot in the running in stage shoud carm down with moor miles under its belt


tegwin - 24/10/08 at 06:46 PM

Aye...that makes sence...just a little weird that there is such a huge difference between idle and driving speed.... the temp goes up if you drive at 30....


The temp probe is in the water gallery, exactly the same as the standard one fitted by ford!

I guess its possible that the radiator is just too small?

Just slightly smaller surface area than the polo one that everyone seems to use...


Am I right in thinking that...when using a pressurized header tank type system....when the stat is closed, some of the water will bypass the stat and flow back into the top of the header tank?

[Edited on 24/10/08 by tegwin]


britishtrident - 24/10/08 at 06:47 PM

95c is bang on normal, under pressure with a 1 bar presure cap water boils at 120c.


segan2b - 24/10/08 at 07:02 PM

Once mine is fully up to temp and the stat has opened it runs at 87 Degrees. 95 is not a million miles away. I am a bit confused about the temp gong up when driving slowly, is the fan blowing the correct way?
Also are you running lean? 7.5 degrees is not much advance for a Pinto you should be able to put much more than than on it without pinking being a problem.

Good luck, Sean


tegwin - 24/10/08 at 07:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by segan2b
Once mine is fully up to temp and the stat has opened it runs at 87 Degrees. 95 is not a million miles away. I am a bit confused about the temp gong up when driving slowly, is the fan blowing the correct way?
Also are you running lean? 7.5 degrees is not much advance for a Pinto you should be able to put much more than than on it without pinking being a problem.

Good luck, Sean


Taken the fan off for the moment to see if it was blocking the flow of air through the rad..

I cant go much more than 7.5 before it starts to pink...

Which was why I was wondering if the cam timing was out (By a tooth) ...if that was adjusted..could I then push for some more ignition advance perhaps and then run cooler?


David Jenkins - 24/10/08 at 07:16 PM

Do you know anyone with an infra-red remote temperature sensor? I know that you have a gizmo on your multimeter, but the hand-held remote temp thingies are really useful for zipping around and checking temps here there and everywhere. I got mine from Maplins when they had a sale on - cost around £19, I think. I've used mine for checking the temp near the temp sensor, along the pipework and at the top and bottom of the rad. Also good for checking exhaust manifold temps (to check that they're all the same), and measuring the temp across the tyres after a fast run (good way to check if the load is even across the tyre, i.e. the tyre pressure is OK).

As for the temps your getting - my x-flow runs at 90 degrees when moving at a decent speed, rising to around 100 degrees when sitting in traffic queues. I don't reckon that your temps are far wrong.


MikeRJ - 24/10/08 at 08:07 PM

Have you got ducting to force the air from the grill through the radiator rather than around it?


austin man - 24/10/08 at 08:18 PM

sorry if I missed another post an ailock could cause a sudden rise in tem on acceleration brother in law had it on his 2 litre zetec the airlock was in the thermostat housing same place ase the temp sender. Airlock = steam = false reading quick reblead of the system and voila temperature spot on, other than that could be faulty sender


tegwin - 25/10/08 at 12:27 PM

Chears for the input guys...

I fitted some cardboard baffles around the radiator....took the car out...and once up to temp it sat around 87 degrees for the entire trip....

It is only 10 degrees outside....but thats quite an improvement....

Need to re-fit the fan and make the baffles out of something more appropriate than cardboard!