What is an acceptable temp guage reading

Sorry, you also need to wire in the gauge light. Exactly how particular you want to get with this is up to you. You could just simply jumper off the other gauge light wires (red wire I think). If your existing gauge lights are green, one thing you might want to get hold of is a green bulb cover, commonly referred to as a "condom" because that's what they're like, just smaller. The place you're getting the gauge from might have them, but you might find them places like Autobarn also. If you're on the southside, Otto Instruments at Salisbury have them.

James.

Oh (yeah - getting my post count up doing this ;)), when you remove the original sender, coolant will start trickling out so have the brass sleeve from the end of the VDO sender unit in hand ready to screw straight in. It's a tapered fine thread so as it tightens it seals off. Don't do it up too tight; probably be best to err on the side of caution and if it leaks just nip it up a little more. Just check it after your first drive.

James.

Before you get too carried away with throwing lots of money at the problem, just check your earth connection!!!

Poor earthing on the engine will cause the temp gauge to do exactly what you described. The engine gets its earth from the rear of the transfer casing and if you have a new engine, chances are that the connection made through the various casings is now marginal at best.

Run an earth strap from the -ve on the battery to the block and not only will you find that it solves your 'overheating' but your car will probably start better when hot too. ;)

M

hi my 98 110 300tdi with 320000ks vdo gauge sits on 80 cruising climbing it may move up slitley
but i do have a new radiater with a extra cooling row i run a v8 thermostat
cheers

I have no fitted the VDO temp gauge and with a/c on and towing approximately 2.5 tonne caravan it reads around 95 doing 50 kph, but on a steep hills it sometimes reaches 100-102 degrees.

Is this too high a temp and would you recommend that I get the radiator rodded?

N.B. Normal around town with a/c/ and unladen it's below 88 degrees.

Kind regards
Dave

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dave_gordon

I have no fitted the VDO temp gauge and with a/c on and towing approximately 2.5 tonne caravan it reads around 95 doing 50 kph, but on a steep hills it sometimes reaches 100-102 degrees.

Is this too high a temp and would you recommend that I get the radiator rodded?

N.B. Normal around town with a/c/ and unladen it's below 88 degrees.

Kind regards
Dave

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Temps sound OK.

@ camal Landy, the original fitment LR gauge in this vinatge vehicle (1998) are known to be horrible POS even when everything is in good working order. They do not move off the "normal" postion until temp has risen a min of 7c.....no bloody good in this country mate. While a negitive strap may help overheating in a country that sees 4 sunny days a year, but until you know real heat you wont know real over heating...

Dave, its all a matter of what has been done and when??? how often was your cooling system serviced etc. The cooling system in these 300Tdi's is marginal at best... you need to stay ontop of them.

Your rad should be rodded every time you do a timing belt (80,000km) your coolant should be flushed properly and replaced every 12 months. Ovbious things like check for leaks etc and old dodgy hoses..

You can buy a tridon T/Stat that cracks a few degrees earlier. I have also cut a hole in my left guard (same position as the intake on the right guard) and fitted a grill over it....this helps the hot air escape the engine bay (definite part of the cooling problems)

When the temperature started to exceed 100 degrees on the outbound journey my wife commented that it was terribly warms under her seat to the point whereby she could not touch the metal.

On the return journey we decided to keep the front vents under the windscreen open to bring in more air and circulate the cool air from the air conditioned. I appreciate this may have made the a/c word harder but it was notably cooler under my wife's seat on the way home, and the temp gauge did not spike any more than on the outbound journey.

Uniformed mentioned that they 'cut a hole in my left guard (same position as the intake on the right guard) and fitted a grill over it....this helps the hot air escape the engine bay (definite part of the cooling problems)'

Can anyone extend on what to do (i.e. a YouTube video) as I interested in anything obvious to try reduce the heat in the engine bay.

Many thanks once again for all your help and assistance.

Regards
Dave

Hi Dave,

I doubt there's a YouTube video on it. You just need to know how to use a holesaw and/or grinder with confidence :). Here's a thread with some pictures of Serg's (uninformed) vent :o.

Defender Engine Bay Heat - LH guard vent

It's on my list of things to do.

James.

The standard gauge is crap.
Jusy did 5000kms towing 2.5 tonnes through the Great Dividing Range & Snowies/high country in the recent heatwave.
Vehicle is an 06 TD5 with a chip & a few other mild mods, radiator & cooling system regularly serviced & coolant just been flushed/replaced.
Standard gauge stayed the same throughout the trip irrespective of the climb or ambient outside temperature. I resorted to touching different pieces of metal in the cab to test the temperature. If the handbrake & seat runners got too hot to touch the running temp was hot. If the second handbrake couldn't put her feet in the footwell it was bloody hot.
Going up Moombi hills outside of Tamworth in 40 deg heat with 5 tonnes all up I chose discretion over valour & stopped midway (the accelerator was getting too hot to touch with bare feet & the rubber is still in place). I didn't want to risk "melting" the turbo or blowing the engine.
I used to drive semi's and rely on accurate instruments. I'd love to know what the temps (inc diffs were doing). Looking like a few belated Chrissie presents on the list for the Defender :)