I own a 99 toyotal land cruiser 90 bought in Germany and being used in Albania. Lately when the tempeture is over 35 cesius and I am traveling in excess of 140 kilometers an hour the heat gauge reading climbs considerablty. When I back off it goes down. I know...don't drive that fast. None the less, what could it be? I am thinking the thermostat. I have changed all belts and the system has been flushed. Any ideas? Chris
overheating
Aug 23, 2006
3 Replies
What kind of fan does this have? Is it a pulley/engine mounted fan or electric?
In my case, I had the engine mounted fan and the fan clutch was shot. (This is on a Supra, BTW, but the same principle...). IF this has an electric fan, test it to make sure the fans are working and the thermal switch is closing when hot.
Also, when was the last time the system was flushed? It's just about time, if not overdue!
Check the usual cooling system components. If the cooling fan is powered by the engine (as opposed to an electrically powered one), with the engine fully warmed up, shut the engine off, open the hood (bonnet) and wait for the fan to stop spinning. Grasp the fan, and it should not spin freely. If it does, the fan clutch needs replacement.
Check the radiator to make sure the cooling fins are free from obstructions and air can flow freely. Check for debris between the radiator and condenser. The inside of the radiator should be free of rust and scales.
Check to make sure the cooling fan shrouds are in place.
Check the condition and quantity of the coolant. It should be translucent, should touch the bottom of the radiator neck, and be about halfway up the overflow bottle.
Make sure the water pump is not leaking.
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