Chimaera 4.5 cooling issues
Discussion
Dear all,
I am after some advice and help.
Car has been away having a new interior and the fuse box moved to behind the passenger seat, the garage shortened the wires to remove excess, the car was returned some weeks ago.
Changed the oil, plugs and the engine coolant. I started the engine got to temperature very quickly, heater hot, top hose to swirl pot was very hot, hose from the swirl pot to radiator was cool, (air in the system). Made sure the radiator was full, re-started with in minuets the temperature went off the clock and coolant was pushed out of the expansion tank, fans did not come on, also found the vacuum advance pipe was broken.
Decided to start a fresh, new vacuum pipe, replaced water pump, new thermostat 74 degree refilled the system. Started the car with in minuets temperature was at 90 degrees and kept on climbing, top hose hot, hose to rad hot, return hose hot, funny noises from the expansion tank (air) opened the expansion cap some burping then settled replaced the cap, engine red hot but the fans did not come on despite the swirl pot being very hot. I have an override switch for the fans, switched the fans on, air coming from the radiator is cool (rad had no problems last year cooling the car in Europe) and the gauge is not reducing.
Questions
Reducing the length of cables to the fuse box would this change the resistance on the otter switch and the temperature gauge?
If the engine is hot, pipes to and from the radiator are hot but the air coming from the fans is cool why?
Anyone got some advice?
Regards
Philip
I am after some advice and help.
Car has been away having a new interior and the fuse box moved to behind the passenger seat, the garage shortened the wires to remove excess, the car was returned some weeks ago.
Changed the oil, plugs and the engine coolant. I started the engine got to temperature very quickly, heater hot, top hose to swirl pot was very hot, hose from the swirl pot to radiator was cool, (air in the system). Made sure the radiator was full, re-started with in minuets the temperature went off the clock and coolant was pushed out of the expansion tank, fans did not come on, also found the vacuum advance pipe was broken.
Decided to start a fresh, new vacuum pipe, replaced water pump, new thermostat 74 degree refilled the system. Started the car with in minuets temperature was at 90 degrees and kept on climbing, top hose hot, hose to rad hot, return hose hot, funny noises from the expansion tank (air) opened the expansion cap some burping then settled replaced the cap, engine red hot but the fans did not come on despite the swirl pot being very hot. I have an override switch for the fans, switched the fans on, air coming from the radiator is cool (rad had no problems last year cooling the car in Europe) and the gauge is not reducing.
Questions
Reducing the length of cables to the fuse box would this change the resistance on the otter switch and the temperature gauge?
If the engine is hot, pipes to and from the radiator are hot but the air coming from the fans is cool why?
Anyone got some advice?
Regards
Philip
Leave the expansion cap off whilst it burps to let all the air out, that's what I used to do on mine. Let it cool, add to the expansion tank if empty and repeat.
There are several thread on here (although finding them can be tricky) using a funnel into the swirl pot to keep it topped up with the engine running, but I never found the need to do that.
There are several thread on here (although finding them can be tricky) using a funnel into the swirl pot to keep it topped up with the engine running, but I never found the need to do that.
Thank you all for the advice, next weekend I will take the advice on bleeding the air with fresh eyes and try all the methods.
When I changed the radiator 7 years ago I never had this amount of issues and she has run beautifully ever since. As the water pump was squeaking I decided to change now rather than wait until later - Hine sight, should have let sleeping dogs lie.
When I changed the radiator 7 years ago I never had this amount of issues and she has run beautifully ever since. As the water pump was squeaking I decided to change now rather than wait until later - Hine sight, should have let sleeping dogs lie.
pbaker43 said:
Dear all,
I
Changed the oil, plugs and the engine coolant. ...................................
Philip
Here in lies your problem. You have air in the system/ They can be a baI
Changed the oil, plugs and the engine coolant. ...................................
Philip
tard to bleed. When you think have bled the system successfully, do not just leave it at that. When everything is cold again, check the expansion tank and top up to about 50mm if required. Undo the swirl pot nut and top that up to full. Use the car as normal, but again next time it cools right down repeat the above with both expansion and swirl tanks. Once you have done this a few times, you will eventually find the expansion tank level will stabilise and the swirl pot will be full. From this point on you should have no more problems.
Good luck this can be a pig of a job.
As others have saod its an airlock.
Here is my go to method. Have personally used this on several chims and a griff works everu time.
Get yourself a large plastic funnel which is big enough to screw into the 1/2 inch thread on top of theswirl pot.
Undo the swirl pot plug (use a spade to undo it if its stubborn)
Screw the funnel into place.
Remove the bleed screw from the top corner of the radiator.
Pour antifreeze into the funnel until it over flows at bleed scree then tighten the bleed screw. Top up the funnel to keep a head of antifreeze in the mouth of the funnel.
Start the engine and allow it to fully warm up. As engine runs it will burp air out via the funnel as level drops keep topping up with antifreeze. Eventually (15 minutes or so) the burping will stop and the level in the funnel will be static and very hot. At this point the job is done.
Swiftly remove the funnel and put the plug back in. Bit messy as you spill a little antifreeze doing it.
Also note use blue glycol based antifreeze never orange/pink OAT (Organic acid technology)
Here is my go to method. Have personally used this on several chims and a griff works everu time.
Get yourself a large plastic funnel which is big enough to screw into the 1/2 inch thread on top of theswirl pot.
Undo the swirl pot plug (use a spade to undo it if its stubborn)
Screw the funnel into place.
Remove the bleed screw from the top corner of the radiator.
Pour antifreeze into the funnel until it over flows at bleed scree then tighten the bleed screw. Top up the funnel to keep a head of antifreeze in the mouth of the funnel.
Start the engine and allow it to fully warm up. As engine runs it will burp air out via the funnel as level drops keep topping up with antifreeze. Eventually (15 minutes or so) the burping will stop and the level in the funnel will be static and very hot. At this point the job is done.
Swiftly remove the funnel and put the plug back in. Bit messy as you spill a little antifreeze doing it.
Also note use blue glycol based antifreeze never orange/pink OAT (Organic acid technology)
blaze_away said:
As others have saod its an airlock.
Here is my go to method. Have personally used this on several chims and a griff works everu time.
Get yourself a large plastic funnel which is big enough to screw into the 1/2 inch thread on top of theswirl pot.
Undo the swirl pot plug (use a spade to undo it if its stubborn)
Screw the funnel into place.
Remove the bleed screw from the top corner of the radiator.
Pour antifreeze into the funnel until it over flows at bleed scree then tighten the bleed screw. Top up the funnel to keep a head of antifreeze in the mouth of the funnel.
Start the engine and allow it to fully warm up. As engine runs it will burp air out via the funnel as level drops keep topping up with antifreeze. Eventually (15 minutes or so) the burping will stop and the level in the funnel will be static and very hot. At this point the job is done.
Swiftly remove the funnel and put the plug back in. Bit messy as you spill a little antifreeze doing it.
Also note use blue glycol based antifreeze never orange/pink OAT (Organic acid technology)
I always remove the bleed screw in the inlet manifold too. Here is my go to method. Have personally used this on several chims and a griff works everu time.
Get yourself a large plastic funnel which is big enough to screw into the 1/2 inch thread on top of theswirl pot.
Undo the swirl pot plug (use a spade to undo it if its stubborn)
Screw the funnel into place.
Remove the bleed screw from the top corner of the radiator.
Pour antifreeze into the funnel until it over flows at bleed scree then tighten the bleed screw. Top up the funnel to keep a head of antifreeze in the mouth of the funnel.
Start the engine and allow it to fully warm up. As engine runs it will burp air out via the funnel as level drops keep topping up with antifreeze. Eventually (15 minutes or so) the burping will stop and the level in the funnel will be static and very hot. At this point the job is done.
Swiftly remove the funnel and put the plug back in. Bit messy as you spill a little antifreeze doing it.
Also note use blue glycol based antifreeze never orange/pink OAT (Organic acid technology)
Fill via jug method into swirl pot never letting jug get empty.
Usually water comes out rad bleed screw first so nip that up then water should come out of inlet bleed screw second.
Make and extend the bleed pipe in the inlet manifold into jug and keep that pipe submerged at all times.
Start engine and as pressure builds air should come out of that inlet pipe as that’s at the top of the engine where air usually gets trapped, you will notice air bubbles coming from your filling jug from that extended submerged inlet pipe.
Once no air comes through that pipe and liquid flows freely into your jug you can remove the extended section and lock it off by pinching it tight with clamp then put screw back and tighten up jubilee clip.
At the same time feel both rad hoses until both are hot whilst squeezing top hose to help expel any air there. All the air is usually removed when your jug level stays constant.
Always check swirl pot level when cold a few times.
When it settles at a constant level in swirl pot you have removed all the air.
That’s how the Tvr expert I always used do it basically. I have no intellectual rights to this method.
If it’s worked your fans should come on at around 92d and off again shortly after and cycle on/ off as temp rises to 92 again.
Just to reiterate, heater should be set to hot before filling system.
Edited by Classic Chim on Tuesday 16th May 08:09
Dear all,
Issues with the temperature sender is fixed, seems it was a bad earth (body) and slightly green spade connector, all cleaned and working correctly.
Thanks once again to everybody, employed all the suggestions, went for a drive and the temp is about 80 cruising climbing to 92-93 stationary the fans kick in, so happy...
Will keep checking the level in the swirl pot (thanks Dave) when I came back from a drive, one day it will settle.
Issues with the temperature sender is fixed, seems it was a bad earth (body) and slightly green spade connector, all cleaned and working correctly.
Thanks once again to everybody, employed all the suggestions, went for a drive and the temp is about 80 cruising climbing to 92-93 stationary the fans kick in, so happy...
Will keep checking the level in the swirl pot (thanks Dave) when I came back from a drive, one day it will settle.
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