2008 Puma overheating.

[lrbob]

My 2008 130 ute lost power and went to idle revs climbing very long steep hill in high country on hot day towing camper.Dealer thought it may have been a sticking egr valve. But I have discovered the next year [annual camp] that when radiator water temperature reaches 114 deg C computer reduces vehicle to idle. Wait a few seconds, turn off aircon and no further trouble.
Thought this may be useful info.
Cheers

[Naks]

...when radiator water temperature reaches 114 deg C computer reduces vehicle to idle.


The water temp should not be getting that high.

I would recommend you do the following:

1. Decat
2. Remap, including disabling EGR
3. Fit bigger intercooler

[newhue]

comon Naks, that's a $2000 bit of kit for something that has been thought of by LR engineers, and is very rare for most of us.

With anti boil in the water things should be OK. As lrbob said the computer takes over and makes it idle to cool down.
Then with air off he had no problems thereafter. I assume still on the hill, with his camper tailer, on another possibly hot day.

[Naks]

comon Naks, that's a $2000 bit of kit for something that has been thought of by LR engineers, and is very rare for most of us

You are kidding, right? :eek:

A lot of SaFa owners who live/drive in hot areas suffer from the overheating/limp mode issue.

LRSA is aware of the issue and even commissioned a research project where larger intercoolers were fitted to Pumas. At the end of this study, they decided they were not going to fork out for a recall.

The truth is the Puma was designed for UK/EU conditions and certainly does not work optimally in warmer regions like SA/Africa or Oz, and owners then have to spend $$ to get their vehicles up to spec if they want to use them as intended.

I for one view it as a long-term investment in my vehicle, since these mods will allow the engine to run more efficiently, thus ensuring its reliability and longevity.

If you do not want to do/cannot afford the remap/intercooler, just do the decat

But you are missing out: in the 2 years since I have gotten the BAS remap, it has already paid itself in fuel savings.

[debruiser]

Do I need to do a remap AND a bigger intercooler? Can I not just shove in a bigger intercooler?

[newhue]

well for me anyway, LR don't spend lots of money in R&D to put a half ass product on the car. A lot of it doesn't make sense, and there is a price point of reliability and profits from their side I acknowledge. I'd imaging from a safety point of view LR would have no choice but to rectify overhating-cut out issues if people were loosing power suddenly on public roads.
However the after market sector will tell you all the good stuff they want you to hear. I've had chips, and though the car went better, it did not ever save fuel.
I think there is something in over the Defender's time line, all models have run 90Kw or power and 250Nm of torque generally. Thinking on longevity does not only belong to motors, its the rest of driveline as well.

[Naks]

well for me anyway, LR don't spend lots of money in R&D to put a half ass product on the car. A lot of it doesn't make sense, and there is a price point of reliability and profits from their side I acknowledge.

I don't think that's what they do for the Defender. In fact, when you examine the Puma's setup closely, nothing seems to have been R&D'd. The clutch being one of these, so is the small intercooler, the initial issue with the front diff banging into the sump, etc., etc., etc. :D

FYI, you don't put 'chips' in a car, EVER! What you do is get a proper remap by an expert tuner, for the Defender that would be BAS, AliveTuning, etc.




Do I need to do a remap AND a bigger intercooler? Can I not just shove in a bigger intercooler?

Yeah, bigger intercooler will definitely help.

Best bang for buck mod is decat/centre silencer removal

[chook73]

Might I suggest before you go and spend money check that you dont have a heap of mud and debris blocking your airflow, even a small amount can significantly reduce the airflow through the AC.Intercooler.Radiator especially in low range conditions.

Do you have big whopping spotlights or a insect screen in front of your grille?

If you are going to go and spend money surely you would get a larger radiator to solve this problem rather than a larger intercooler that will further block airflow to the radiator increasing water temps even more?

I found that a larger intercooler pushed my water temps right up and I am now waiting on a larger radiator to fix the problem caused by the larger intercooler.

[n plus one]

I don't think that's what they do for the Defender. In fact, when you examine the Puma's setup closely, nothing seems to have been R&D'd. The clutch being one of these, so is the small intercooler, the initial issue with the front diff banging into the sump, etc., etc., etc. :D

FYI, you don't put 'chips' in a car, EVER! What you do is get a proper remap by an expert tuner, for the Defender that would be BAS, AliveTuning, etc.





Yeah, bigger intercooler will definitely help.

Best bang for buck mod is decat/centre silencer removal

Hopefully not too OT, Naks have you done any work around improving the glow of your air intake? I've heard some good reports around power improvement, though the effect on motor temps would likely be minimal - any experiences you can relate?

To the OP, the factory temp guage is pretty useless, suggest a Scan Guage might be a worthwhile investment if you are going to be driving under those types of conditions regularly.

[newhue]

I plan on purchasing an Ultra Guage. It picks up many or all of the sensors related to the motor. Can't clear fault codes though.

It's all horses for corses really, but my experience, and I'm sure chook can relate, every mod usually has a + and - to it. Many mods are "should do this" but only after putting the dollars down you find it was not exactly what you thought.
Interesting about the mud. My old rodeo drive for hours at correct temp on the highway. Hit the tracks in low 4 at 15kmh and it had an over heating issue. Mud in the radiator core was the culprite.

[chook73]

I plan on purchasing an Ultra Guage. It picks up many or all of the sensors related to the motor. Can't clear fault codes though.

It's all horses for corses really, but my experience, and I'm sure chook can relate, every mod usually has a + and - to it. Many mods are "should do this" but only after putting the dollars down you find it was not exactly what you thought.
Interesting about the mud. My old rodeo drive for hours at correct temp on the highway. Hit the tracks in low 4 at 15kmh and it had an over heating issue. Mud in the radiator core was the culprite.

I have the scagauge and cannot speak highly enough of it especially in relation to this topic, lets me know the exact water temp and know when I need to back off a little. I am sure the ultra gauge does the same stuff and the key is knowing when you need to back off before you go into limp mode. Ideally you wouldn't get anywhere near it but knowing before you do is better than having it cut out as your overtaking a road train.

Air con cuts out at 110 deg and engine goes into limp mode at 116 deg

[BilboBoggles]

I reckon the puma has a more marginal cooling system than the td5. I regularly heard the fan on my my09 puma locking up on hill climbs even from new, whereas the td5 fan only locked up on over 40c days on the same hills. Perhaps the Puma throws off more heat?

[lrbob]

Thanks all for your imput. On both occasions: steep long climb, ait temp low 30's, camper in tow. radiator core etc clear, Yes I have 2 spotlights and insect screen in front.
Without insect screen radiator/intercooler,aircon cores would be blocked in no time as I live rurally and lot of country driving.
Scanguage fitted which gave me the 114 deg temp for idle down. Have a
rad temp monitor/alarm fitted whic I will set somewhere between 105 to 110 degrees as a warning.
Have thought about fitting a davies craig electric fan as a booster for marginal conditions - there is plenty room.
Even lightly loaded rad temp often goes over 100 on hot days when asked to work.
Cheers to all

[newhue]

snip

Air con cuts out at 110km/h and engine goes into limp mode at 116km/h.

chook, what do mean by the above, I'm a bit lost. My aircon works at 110, and the old chugger goes better than 116 if required.

[TimNZ]

I fitted an Allisport intercooler to my 2010 110 in December 2011, and whilst I can't really say it gave any noticeable power gains, over the last summer there was a noticeable difference in how, (less), often the viscous fan locked up.

My 2008 110 went into limp a few times under the same conditions as LRBob mentioned in his first post, but I've never had a problem with the 2010 Car, even here in Perth.

Thanks,

Tim

[chook73]

chook, what do mean by the above, I'm a bit lost. My aircon works at 110, and the old chugger goes better than 116 if required.

Water temp mate. Obviously I wasn't concentrating.

[BilboBoggles]

I have a cylinder head temp gauge on the td5 and the hottest I've seen is 97, and that was flooring it up mt Dandenong on a 46 c day. The viscous did lock up near the top. But on the 2.4 puma, it used to lock up just driving around on the flat on a warm day.

[Naks]

Hopefully not too OT, Naks have you done any work around improving the glow of your air intake? I've heard some good reports around power improvement, though the effect on motor temps would likely be minimal - any experiences you can relate?


Not to date. I had a Mantec RAI fitted from new, so cannot compare with stock intake.

I have heard from others that the air intake is not really sealed, and much work is required to get it to a point where the air flow is not leaking out of a thousand places.

I may get this done at some point.

wrt coolant temps, I monitor mine on a Madman system. Normally I drive like a granny until the temp is at 90C then I drive like I stole it. I also drive with one eye on the EGTs, which are much lower with the BAS remap and Alisport intercooler.