200TDi Temperature - too hot?

Top of radiator should be bloody hot (ie you won't want to touch it for long). Bottom of radiator should be significantly cooler, but still more than "warm". A quick test on my Hilux with an IR thermometer shows a 27 deg C drop from top to bottom - don't take this as definitive, I've just been out in my driveway in my dressing gown checking it for you.

Try back flushing the radiator and line. If it's turbo'd flush out the inter cooler. If you've been off road thats where your problems started MUD. Have you checked the thermastat is opening at the right temperature? or atall. Check out the sender while your heads in there too. When I had my 110 CSW the temp needle always sat dead in the middle of the gauge but there again I was lucky and had an excellent engine with no problems in 11 years since new, 200 series 122,000 miles when sold. The best machanical engine ever made. Dave. PS Although I've seen my old lanie in Manchester I still don,t know who's got it, any one owning up!!! Breaks me heart.

OK, got the thing hot again and had a look under the bonnet to see if i could see any noticable speed diference on the fan when i revv'ed it up... No such look, it looked to be just spinning regardless of rev's so I got a garden cane and poked it to feel if there was any resistance - NONE at all.

New viscous coupling has arrived today so i'll put it on tonight and see if it helps.

Thanks Jon

OK, replaced the viscous unit last night and it now blows a gale over the engine when I rev it up.

However... Temp guage is still reading too high on longer runs when travelling at speed.

As a last ditch attempt before getting a re-corred rad, what are the thoughts on using Radflush or something similar on a 12 year old radiator? Good idea or bad? Kill or cure time I am thinking?

thanks jon

Try a reverse flush by all means, but it didn't work for me.

It depends how clagged up the radiator is inside - but don't forget to check the outside clag as well.

When I had this problem I got an exchange radiator from a local firm for about £110 fitted

In message , Jon writes

Had the radiator out yesterday after running the rad flush through it because upon closer inspection (with cowling etc off) I found that I onlty have about 15% of the fins intact!!!

The front face of the rad is more or less OK (about 8" of fins missing over the whole area). From the rear though just about ALL of the fins from the inner 3 vains are MISSIGNG - That'd do it then!

So, now I know why she istnt cooling and that I need a recore.

Question - How on earth could all those fins be missing and yet the front ones more or less OK???

Thanks for all the help on this one - Got there in the end. I'll arrange a recore rad today and get it on intime for the weekend (muddy play time).

Jon

In message , Jon writes

Somebody used a high pressure jet wash from the rear?

Possibly, though not me - Ive only had it about 18 months and the problem has arisen since then.

New radiator going on tonight so fingers crossed for success.

Jon

Sorry, another long one:-

Having dodged the rain drops last night I finally got the new (re-cored) radiator in.

Now the temperature gauge sits at about 90% of the white mark rather than verging toward the red when drivern HARD.

Did about a 30mile round trip last night and the needle never showed any signs of moving beyond this 90% point.

To recap, whats been done so far... a) Check for Oil in Water & Water in Oil b) Earth straps checked c) Waterpump checked 1. Thermostat replaced 2. Viscous coupling replaced (was knackered anyway) 3. Holts 2 part Rad-Flush 3. Radiator replaced (was dropping appart - 85% cooling vains missing) now has plenty of coolant in.

Any ideas???

Engine is a 1992 200tdi with 145k miles - runs sweet and appears fine with regard to speed / power / delivery etc etc.

My primary thoughts now are:

1. Air lock - engine block is more or less self bleeding with stat being at rocker cover level. Rad, top hose and bottom hose have no air in them and i dont THINK heater system / pipes have air in them as pipes are HOT and heater is working. Is bleeding a 200Tdi easy or are they renound for being a pig??

1. Faulty gauge - appears to work fine though. i would have thought this would either work or not work?

2. Faulty sender unit - having spoken to others these either work or dont work - Mine is clearly working???

1. Bear with me on this thought - could be a million miles off target! Incorrect fuel pump settings... I have read before that if the mixture is too rich or too lean then the Exhaust Gas Temperature can get too high and be dangerous to the engine... Surely this would result in a high temperature reading? Whilst I havent adjusted the fuel pump, air intake or turbo is it possible that any of these "settings" could have wondered off the mark resulting in a high EGT and thus a high temperature reading??

2. Head Gasket. Whilst I'm not seeing the classic signs (oil in water, water in oil) can this bee ruled out in some way - Compression test??

Thanks J>Possibly, though not me - Ive only had it about 18 months and the

Is your fuel guage accurate? If it's a bit out too, then I'd suspect the voltage regulator for the guages.

They can just drift - read the manual to find it's specs, then check it's resistance at room temp and close to boiling.

If your fuelling is far enough out to be causing this you'll be complaining about other *major* performance issues too, so it's pretty unlikely.

Interesting point. Please see below:

Thanks Jon

Fuel gauge reads FULL when tank is full and it has never stopped when it gets towrds showing nearly empty. I will run it down and see how much i can get in to fill it up again. I suspect that its about right though.

However, the voltage regulator you refer to, would this be the same one that controls whether or not the rear heated windscreen works or not? If so that is buggered and has been since I got the vehicle - cant remember the part number of it but its like a yellow relay and stuck behind the instrument pannel to the bulkhead (and costs about £70 from memory!)

A job for the weeken!!

OK Good news.