Through reggo and priorities Yay.

[deansyorath]

Next bit, my priorities for longevity:
Murphy mechanical temperature gauge.
Red arc low coolant alarm.
Then we are off to the comfort stuff.
W

[Aussie Jeepster]

Well done - did they say anything at all?

[deansyorath]

Well i arrived an hour early and was taken over the pit straight away.
An older gentleman checked over the Def and agreed that the steering shaft was normal.
He was very pleasant and gave me loads of advise on how best to look after my investment going forward.
Was relieved to get through the process.
I would like to say in retrospect that not having a compliance plate is not a deal breaker for me going forward now that i am aware of the process.
W

[inside]

Next bit, my priorities for longevity:
Murphy mechanical temperature gauge.
Red arc low coolant alarm.
Then we are off to the comfort stuff.
W Why fit a mechanical temperature gauge? Why fit a low coolant alarm? These aren't Td5 or 300tdi engines. The gauge is a quality VDO unit. Why do people make these mods that make absolutely no sense? It's an army vehicle, the temp gauge is fine the engine can handle getting a little hot. Hell, the things can handle 30 PSI of boost with no problems, you think they can't get 10 degrees hotter than normal?

[deansyorath]

Why fit a mechanical temperature gauge? Why fit a low coolant alarm? These aren't Td5 or 300tdi engines. The gauge is a quality VDO unit. Why do people make these mods that make absolutely no sense? It's an army vehicle, the temp gauge is fine the engine can handle getting a little hot. Hell, the things can handle 30 PSI of boost with no problems, you think they can't get 10 degrees hotter than normal?

Because its my money and my choice dude.
FYI our Landie is not a museum piece, it's going to be a daily drive for my inexperienced teenage son as a first car, furthermore having served a mechanical apprenticeship and worked in the industry for 20 years i have seen my fair share of 'quality engines' die due to coolant loss.
Just for example if a water pump let go overnight and substantial coolant loss occurred 'your quality' VDO unit that relied on dubious Lucas electrics would not even register.
$400 bucks for a possible seizure event seems good value to me....especially when you consider that i would be the one that would have to sort the mess out.
The world is not black and white, just shades of grey.
W

[101RRS]

Why fit a low coolant alarm? These aren't Td5 or 300tdi engines. The gauge is a quality VDO unit. Why do people make these mods that make absolutely no sense? It's an army vehicle, the temp gauge is fine the engine can handle getting a little hot.

Well if you have a catastrophic loss of coolant and you dont pick it up, the the temp sensor is not in the coolant and as a result the gauge sits at the temp at the time the coolant was lost - meantime the engine without coolant is getting hotter and hotter while the gauge sits on normal - often the first you know of it is when you smell the engine cooking or the blue smoke out the back, the rattling of the engine or complete failure. Ask me how I know. Even a Isuzu will fail if driven for a while with no coolant in it.

I will not drive a vehicle of mine without a low coolant alarm any more - they have saved my engine on a couple of occasions.

[deansyorath]

Well said Garry.
W

[101RRS]

About 35 years ago I hired a Datsun 200B to drive from Sydney to Nowra and back - driving back sitting on 100kph for at least 50kms the engine started to get rattly at the Waterfall tollgates - on driving away from the tollgates I noticed a huge ball of blue smoke in the rear vision mirror then the engine died - a coolant hose has split and the coolant had pumped out while I was on the expressway and then engine then ceased - the temp gauge was still on normal when the engine was on its death rattle.

A friend was driving his XJ6 and the engine ceased because the lower radiator hose split and he did not notice - driving on the highway and all the coolant exited under the car. The engine was rebuilt and on its first long trip the lower radiator hose came off (didn't tighten up the clamp) - thankfully the steam and coolant existing under the car was spotted by the car behind and they signalled him over and turned off before the engine failed.

I have a combo unit in the 101 that monitors engine block temps and low coolant - the alarm has gone off a couple of times - thankfully just low coolant but once there was a major issue.

[deansyorath]

Hi Garry,
I posted the switch gauge and low coolant alarm in the hope of getting some positive feedback and recommendations for other units out there that i have not researched.
what are you using mate
W

[deansyorath]

One other thing Garry,
What was the major event you had that set off the coolant alarm.
Best
W

[deansyorath]

Because its my money and my choice dude.
FYI our Landie is not a museum piece, it's going to be a daily drive for my inexperienced teenage son as a first car, furthermore having served a mechanical apprenticeship and worked in the industry for 20 years i have seen my fair share of 'quality engines' die due to coolant loss.
Just for example if a water pump let go overnight and substantial coolant loss occurred 'your quality' VDO unit that relied on dubious Lucas electrics would not even register.
$400 bucks for a possible seizure event seems good value to me....especially when you consider that i would be the one that would have to sort the mess out.
The world is not black and white, just shades of grey.
W

Oh and by the way, my quality Volvo 240 had identical, quality VDO guages.
w

[101RRS]

The LPG converter was very old and the heating passages sprung a small leak through corrosion which allowed coolant to get sucked into the fuel mix - while the engine was running the small amount of coolant didn't seem to upset combustion and very slowly the coolant was being "burnt" in the engine unknown to me driving along. The alarm went off as the level dropped alerting me to the issue. With coolant in the combustion chambers it wouldn't start and had to get a tow home via the NRMA.

My sensor in my 101 is set up high in the top radiator hose (maybe a little too high) so any drop in coolant level is detected immediately.

My unit - seller contact details on the front (at the time I got mine many years ago was an AULRO member)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/03/561.jpg (http://s42.photobucket.com/user/gazzz21/media/Forum%20Posts%20Album/P3110005_zpsz7nijxyo.jpg.html)

[rangieman]

This one[wink11]
Low Water Alarm Sensor (http://www.enginesaver.com.au/)

[deansyorath]

This one[wink11]
Low Water Alarm Sensor (http://www.enginesaver.com.au/)

Thanks Guys
W

[gooloo]

Alternative to consider.... I put a digital coolant gauge in my 6x6. Its the style where you cut the top hose and put a sleeve in it with the sensor in it... yes it's two more hose clamps to fail but it has an alarm buzzer for overheat. And if you lost coolant you would see the probe sitting at ambient rather than 88+ degrees. (It's also handy to see when your thermostat opens).
I put this in after fully refreshing the cooling system (including a recore of the radiator) and still had high temps. Turns out my vdo gauge was stuffed and reading high

[deansyorath]

Hi Gooloo,
I was thinking about the fitting aspect as the Redarc kit comes with a brass bush...i guess to be soldered into the header tank.
A top hose joint was something else i was considering but where would one obtain a connection.....would i be better off going to a radiator shop for a header tank refurb and bush install
Ta
W

[101RRS]

A top hose joint was something else i was considering but where would one obtain a connection.....

If you go the Engine Saver TM2 Combo it all comes in the kit. My low water sensor is a neat insert in the top radiator hose - noting that in some coolant systems the overflow tank can be full but the radiator and coolant system empty and cooking your engine.

[steveG]

I'm also a fan of the TM2 Engine Saver/Engine Watchdog units. Have them on 3 vehicles and prevented a cooked engine on one of them.
Situation was a hot day, crawling in peak hour traffic (so watching idiots not gauges) and a thermostat failure. Thermostat was only 6 months old and fitted at the same time as the reconditioned head. It stuck just slightly open. I'm sure I would have cooked the engine if the alarm hadn't alerted me.

Mine are the type without the low coolant sensor, and I'm reasonably comfortable with that since the sensor measures head temperature and I set the alarm only a few degrees above the normal peak temp (less than 100degC on all 3 vehicles) so any slight increase in temp for any reason sets off the alarm.
I do get the occasional false alarm particularly when towing uphill on a hot day, but I'd rather have it that way than to set the alarm threshold higher.
Love the fact that the temperature sensor is non-invasive and just bolts on.
I don't like the LCD display model like the TM4 though, as they are really hard to read. The bright red LED TM2 model is the way to go IMO.

Steve

[Bearman]

I have the Redarc low water alarm in the 6x6. Soldered the fitting into the tank on the drivers side. Still have the original VDO electric temp gauge and I am comfortable with it in combination with the low water alarm. My previous Isuzu 110 had a VDO low water alarm and it saved the day a couple of times. I consider it to be the most important accessory you can fit to your vehicle.

[Dinty]

Just for interest sake, where would you mount this unit on an Isuzu 3.9 diesel engine, ? on the brass hex on top of the thermostat housing ?, I have a VDO mechanical gauge it does't lift off much past 60c unless it's a hot day and your pushing it along, cheers Dennis

[deansyorath]

I am leaning towards the Redarc unit.
I feel reasonably confident that i could drill a hole and solder the bush in.
W

[deansyorath]

Oh and if that fails, i can always go to my local radiator shop and get them to sort out the mess.
:)