Thats it, my heart cant take another scare

[Ace]

Ok, for those who dont know I cooked my Tdi back in December 08 when the heater core dumped the coolant and I missed it, result, $6000 repair bill and a new Tdi engine.

Believe it or not I have been putting off getting the engine saver low coolant alarm because I simply havent had the cash, stupid me I know. Spending a couple of hundred buck may have saved me $6000, false economy i know.

But Stacey's Pajero is off the road at the moment so she borrowed the disco last night to head to a friends place 30km's out of town, I get a call about 30mins after she left, the temp on the car has spiked and there is a fluttering noise under the bonnet, and the power steering is gone. Now whilst servicing the car the other day I notice the serpentine belt was a little worse for wear so I rang British 4wd and ordered a new one, arrived the other day, but having been doing 12hr shifts over the last 4 days I havent had time to fit it.

I knew straight away what the problem was so I borrowed a mates car and headed off with some tools and the new belt. Got there and all was good in a few minutes. Fortunately the noise from the belt drew her attention to the problem and she stopped before the engine got to hot, no damage done this time. But come pay day Im handing over my hard earned to Davy and getting the low coolant alarm and TM-2 temp alarm thingy. I cant handle the stress anymore and I think its the single best investment you can add to your vehicle. Provides peace of mind and takes the stress of not having to worry about missing the temp gauge spiking suddenly if there is a loss of coolant.

[Utemad]

Good idea. I couldn't imagine having to fork out for two engines!

I fitted the standard TM2 today in my Disco1.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/115627-bulk-purchase-temperature-alarm-monitor-3.html#post1370079

Down the bottom of the page in the above link.

[85 county]

we stopped for a white 300 tdi last month, just south of port wakefield. bonnet up, the driver sitting by herself had already called RAA and husband. same problem i think going by what she was saying.

although he did look a bit worred when i got out, but i have that problem, guess it was worce after a weeks thumping around tracks

[Ace]

Good idea. I couldn't imagine having to fork out for two engines!

I fitted the standard TM2 today in my Disco1.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/115627-bulk-purchase-temperature-alarm-monitor-3.html#post1370079

Down the bottom of the page in the above link.

Thanks Utemad, im gunna get it from Davy, support a bloke that supports AULRO and all, besides I want his low coolant alarm also, he does a deal with the 2 in one. Costs more but a better package IMHO.

Matt

[Utemad]

I figure the temp monitor is enough but I was just pretty pleased with the fitting in the dash. Just need to take the rubber screw plugs out as that is how tight the fit is.

[Ausfree]

Yep, had a Low Level Coolant Alarm fitted to my 2001 FL1, KV6 about six weeks ago, cost me a couple of hundred bucks, but I am breathing easier now!!!!:)

[Ace]

I figure the temp monitor is enough but I was just pretty pleased with the fitting in the dash. Just need to take the rubber screw plugs out as that is how tight the fit is.

I thought the same but the low coolant alarm will buzz at me before the temp rises so I can prevent that. If the temp rises for some other reason the TM-2 chimes in.

Matt

[Ean Austral]

Yep couldn't agree more, saved my D2 when that little hose that hides behind the Turbo, that until then I never knew was there went 1 night..
I would fit 1 to any car I own in the future..


Cheers Ean

[Ace]

Yep couldn't agree more, saved my D2 when that little hose that hides behind the Turbo, that until then I never knew was there went 1 night..
I would fit 1 to any car I own in the future..


Cheers Ean

Yeah, i dont get why manufacturers dont fit them as standard. My grandparents commodore had a buzzer that went off when the temp gauge went up and HOT came up on the digital readout under the speedo. Land Rover can fit a stupid buzzer that tells me the keys are in the ignition but they cant fit something useful like a buzzer that goes off when the temp increases into the danger zone. :o

[zuno555]

Temp monitors alone are not enough. You would have to watch it like a hawk (instead of watching the speedo like a hawk in case you go 3kmh over the limit /victorian rant over).

By the time you notice a temperature fluctuation, if at all, its too late. A lot of the time your engine can dump the coolant and the temp needle won't budge.

After reading a few horror stories about cooked diesel engines, I drive a lot more relaxed knowing LCD is there. Its also worth testing every service or so as well, just to check its still buzzes when it should!

[Newbs-IIA]

By the time you notice a temperature fluctuation, if at all, its too late. A lot of the time your engine can dump the coolant and the temp needle won't budge.


Yep had that happen to me, split lower radiator hose, must have dumped all the water in less than 60sec... no spike in temp, noticed a slight loss of power - I thought it was a headwind picking up and because I was driving a diesel 4wd hilux... Glanced in the mirror to see clouds of black smoke, it was too late - backed off the throttle and the engine stopped dead :(

funnily enough I replaced the offending hose with one from a Lister Diesel welder that a nice farmer lent me (I was on a dirt road 20km out of Roma). Filled it up with water and went away as if nothing had happened after it had cooled down :D

Except that it took me 50L of water to get from Roma to Brisbane, thats stopping every 1/2 hr and putting 2-3L of water in the radiator. Turns out I warped the head something cronic and there were channels cut all through the head gasket when I went to replace it all. Lucky 2.4L Toyota Diesels are cheap...

[dirtdawg]

one of the things i dont like for the v8 kit is that the plug that going in the top of the rad is plastic

[B92 8NW]

one of the things i dont like for the v8 kit is that the plug that going in the top of the rad is plastic

I raised this point a while back and the response was that it's a new improved material and not like the old OE plugs. Besides if the plug fails and blows the sensor out, it'd go off anyway therefore warning you.

I suppose it's no different to the fact that the reserve tank and cap is plastic too.

[B92 8NW]

Also worth considering when lending cars out, whether the operator will take any notice of any warnings. Better off wiring the warning buzzer into an ejection seat IMO.

The person (sorry, ****ing dickhead) who cooked my Merc drove for 40km with the temp gauge off the scale and steam and finally smoke pouring out from under the bonnet (and jokingly commented on this). How hot does it need to be to melt two pistons?

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/11/918.jpg

[Utemad]

I thought the main issue with the standard plastic plug is that it is hollow. I would assume the sensor isn't hollow as it is full of sensor bits.

[Ace]

Yeah, I thought the same of the plastic plugs, but Davy posted an answer to someones question in his thread and his answer included info as above, about it being a different type of plastic. he reckons they are as good as the brass one, thats good enough for me.

[Sly]

A low coolant alarm saved our bacon a couple months ago. The corragations on the Anne Beadell caused the same issue Ace suffered from. As the heater core lost the coolent , but the alarm went of before any damage done. Value for money !!.:BigThumb: