overheating in traffic
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overheating in traffic
Afternoon everyone. After an 8 year gap i thought it was about time to get back behind the wheel of a capri again. I bought a 1981 2.0 ghia a couple of weeks ago and have just started the prep work for a respray. On my way home from my mates workshop i got stuck in traffic on the Christchurch bypass and through the town it self. I noticed the temp gauge was alarmingly high, it got so high through the high street i had to pull over for a bit. As soon as i got going again and traffic free the temp came back down to normal. The car has plenty of coolant in, so was wondering if i need a new rad. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Bobby.
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Re: overheating in traffic
Has the system been flushed and refilled?
When I first got my Capri, it was fine the whole 230 miles home, but then about a week later, first time sitting in traffic with it (bloody caravans going to the coast!), I had the exact same as you are now having.
Turned out there was a lot of air in the cooling system, so a complete flush and refill later and it has been fine since! The needle sits at about 1/3rd of the way up when cruising, and sat in traffic on a hot sunny day, it gets to 2/3rds the way up, but never any higher
When I first got my Capri, it was fine the whole 230 miles home, but then about a week later, first time sitting in traffic with it (bloody caravans going to the coast!), I had the exact same as you are now having.
Turned out there was a lot of air in the cooling system, so a complete flush and refill later and it has been fine since! The needle sits at about 1/3rd of the way up when cruising, and sat in traffic on a hot sunny day, it gets to 2/3rds the way up, but never any higher
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Re: overheating in traffic
Hi, thanks for replying so quick. I don't know if it has been flushed, i haven't done since i bought it. I put some coolant in when i first bought it. Mine too normally sits the same as yours when i'm moving it just when im sat in traffic waiting for tourists it just keeps going up. Next job then is to flush it and refill i think and see if that works.
Re: overheating in traffic
Could also be the viscous fan coupling. This is supposed to freewheel when the engine`s cool/normal, but `stiffens` up and gives more drive to the fan blades when hot (such as when standing in traffic - no airflow due to motion.) If you stop the engine when hot the fan should stop straight away, if you stop it when cool/normal it should continue spinning. (Obv. you need to be watching engine as it stops, so assistant required)
When it`s working properly the needle sits just about the middle regardless.
When it`s working properly the needle sits just about the middle regardless.
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Re: overheating in traffic
I shall check that out next weekend when im back in my mates workshop thanks for the advice.
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Re: overheating in traffic
I was also thinking about wiring a switch so i can put the fan on when i like if it's possible to do
Re: overheating in traffic
To do that you'd have to fit an electric fan, the viscous fan is engine driven, i personally would bin the viscous and fit an electric fan, with a thermostatic controller like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32MM-HOSE-ADA ... 5d5a5f84c4
You would have to measure the internal diameter of your rad hose as they do different diameter alloy boss to suit, i have used these on a few classics for people and have them on my own cars
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32MM-HOSE-ADA ... 5d5a5f84c4
You would have to measure the internal diameter of your rad hose as they do different diameter alloy boss to suit, i have used these on a few classics for people and have them on my own cars
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Re: overheating in traffic
Think i'll look in to doing this, living on the south coast i tend to sit in quite a lot of traffic in the summer months and don't really want to be pulling over all the time or travelling at stupid times to avoid the usual tourist traffic.
Re: overheating in traffic
Hi Bobby,Budgie81 wrote:Think i'll look in to doing this, living on the south coast i tend to sit in quite a lot of traffic in the summer months and don't really want to be pulling over all the time or travelling at stupid times to avoid the usual tourist traffic.
I live in Bournemouth, so give me a shout if you're struggling!
I know what you mean about the traffic around here, I plan any trips out around the traffic now to avoid disappointment
I would suggest, give the cooling system a good flush through and change the temp stat. Refill the system with blue anti freeze and deionised water or water out of a rain water butt, not tap water as it has too much limescale in it around here.
If this doesn't work you could be looking at a blocked rad or leaking cylinder head gasket.
Good luck and give me a shout if you need help
Neil
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Re: overheating in traffic
Hi neil,
thanks for the offer and advice. I will definitely be avoiding the roads next weekend as its the airshow i think. If it is i won't be watching much of it as i have lots of tinkering to do.
thanks for the offer and advice. I will definitely be avoiding the roads next weekend as its the airshow i think. If it is i won't be watching much of it as i have lots of tinkering to do.
Re: overheating in traffic
Yeah the roads will be bad next weekend. I'll be watching the Airshow, but I won't be taking the Capri out!Budgie81 wrote:Hi neil,
thanks for the offer and advice. I will definitely be avoiding the roads next weekend as its the airshow i think. If it is i won't be watching much of it as i have lots of tinkering to do.
Good luck with the tinkering
Neil
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Re: overheating in traffic
Cheers neil,
nothing like a bit of weekend tinkering. Enjoy the airshow, it's the Vulcans last one, should be a good one.
Bobby.
nothing like a bit of weekend tinkering. Enjoy the airshow, it's the Vulcans last one, should be a good one.
Bobby.
Re: overheating in traffic
The Vulcan is the star of the show, its a shame it will be the last time it appearsBudgie81 wrote:Cheers neil,
nothing like a bit of weekend tinkering. Enjoy the airshow, it's the Vulcans last one, should be a good one.
Bobby.
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Re: overheating in traffic
I had the same some years ago,so I flushed it .filled it bled it to remove air.Then I fitted another fan in front of the rad on a dead mans switch ,so the rad is trapped between 2 fans,so in traffic on a hot day if it starts to rise switch in the other fan which holds the temp constant till youre on the move again.
Nick M
Nick M
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Re: overheating in traffic
Hi nick,
Fitting an electric fan like you did is my next job now i have flushed it, changed thermostat and housing as it had a small hole in it. Then back on with the bodywork
Fitting an electric fan like you did is my next job now i have flushed it, changed thermostat and housing as it had a small hole in it. Then back on with the bodywork
Re: overheating in traffic
Did the flush and new thermostat cure the overheating? If everything is okay on the cooling system you shouldn't need the addition of an electric fan.
All the best
Neil
All the best
Neil
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Re: overheating in traffic
Alright neil,
It improved it, but still don't think I would be that confident if I was stuck in traffic for that long.
Bobby
It improved it, but still don't think I would be that confident if I was stuck in traffic for that long.
Bobby
Re: overheating in traffic
Hi Bobby,Budgie81 wrote:Alright neil,
It improved it, but still don't think I would be that confident if I was stuck in traffic for that long.
Bobby
The other thing you need to consider is how accurate the temp gauge is. It could be that all is well with the coolant temp but the gauge reads high.
Do you have a white ring on the temp sender? Can't think at the moment where its located on a Pinto engine.
I have an infrared temp gauge you could borrow. Run the engine up to full temp as you saw in traffic and just check to see how hot it actually is.
All the best
Neil
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Re: overheating in traffic
Hi Neil,
I was reading other posts from you 2.8 owners about this. Have to admit I haven't checked the sender, I will try to locate this weekend. I'm over at bashley at my mates workshop this weekend (making the most of the long weekend) But be good to try and meet as I wouldn't mind checking the temp with your gizmo and to have nose round yours
I was reading other posts from you 2.8 owners about this. Have to admit I haven't checked the sender, I will try to locate this weekend. I'm over at bashley at my mates workshop this weekend (making the most of the long weekend) But be good to try and meet as I wouldn't mind checking the temp with your gizmo and to have nose round yours
- Andrew 2.8i
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Re: overheating in traffic
Hi,Budgie81 wrote: I will try to locate the sender this weekend.
It's on the passenger side of the engine on the Pinto, if that helps.
Andrew.