Thread: Water coolant temp alarm.

G'day FireFox,

I am new to Land Rover's and still learning their temperatures and running parameter's, but I would like to address your question if I may. I will also try to tailor YOUR alarm set-point's to YOUR Disco.

I primarily have experience with marine engineering platforms. Mainly in the area of power generation units and turbo'd marine cat's and MTU's (german detriot diesel's).

With the monitoring systems for the afore mentioned machinery the warning's are set at 95*C and the Automatic shut-downs are set at 105*C. This is due to engineer's data and preiously collected running data for reference.
The reason for this is the warning allows a degree of faultfinding prior to the initial failure/damage point of 115*C+
The reason for the automatic shut-down being set at 105*C is shut-down at the temperature allows us (the maintainer/operators) the grace of avoiding potential damage prior to the 115*C threshold. (However, it is at this point of shut-down though our engineering casualty control drills require us to disable and isolate the fuel system and rotate the engine using the starter motor to ensure an even heat transfer and no "hot spots").

Now I will relate this to your situation with the 97 300TDI auto. (which you may be glad to know I have bought one last week after researching which 4wd best suits me since January this year).

After I googled the EMS system I see you can select the screen option to give you a live readout of either coolant temp, oil temp, and EGT.

From here on I will assume your oil, and coolant systems are in good health, and efficient. As for your EGT probe I am assuming it is mounted where EGR may have been? So this would be pre-turbo right. I have googled your pre-turbo EGT and it should be run at a max of 720*C pre-turbo. 690*C would offer longevity, and a margin for error, either man or machine.

So take your disco for a drive. A good hard drive. Load it up with extra weight. Find some long, highway speed hills. Flex those 300tdi muscles, and record your max temps all round. This will give you YOUR baseline data for reference.

I am hoping you see temps of about 87-92*C for coolant and +/- 5*C of coolant temps for your oil.

Now set your alarm threshold's (set-point's) 6-8*C above your max running temp's. This allows differences in fuel quality, ambient temperature, load, inlet system restriction etc.

Therefore theoretically (for both coolant and oil, just offering coolant as an example);
Max coolant temp while testing, 88*C
+ 7*C
Alarm set-point 95*C.

Now just drive it, and if the temps activate the alarm, don't panic, just decrease the load, and investigate the cause. If the temps are rising due to a high ambient temperature (simpson desert in January) or a high load (stockton beach), raise the set-point accordingly.

Please bear in mind, your oil should get hotter than your coolant as you run closer to your max EGT due to the oil getting worked harder in the turbo, and the piston cooling jets.

I hope this info doesn't send you to sleep, and points you in the right direction.

Cheers, Adam

I have recently fitted an Engine Guardian to my 300TDI and it was factory set to 95c. It works very well and shows how inaccurate the Land Rover gauge is. Ive had it upto 92c once and the Std gauge hadnt moved.

Engine Guardian

Thanx
Dave

Thanks fellas tom has just had a head gasket go a few weeks ago so wants to protect the engine from any future problems he has taken the car for a short drive to taree and back about 8 hrs lots of hwy and hills so we will check temps when he gets back the madman records the max temp of each input. Spoke to him an hour ago coolant was max at 93% egt around 620 so looking good so far.

Originally Posted by THE BOOGER

Thanks fellas tom has just had a head gasket go a few weeks ago so wants to protect the engine from any future problems he has taken the car for a short drive to taree and back about 8 hrs lots of hwy and hills so we will check temps when he gets back the madman records the max temp of each input. Spoke to him an hour ago coolant was max at 93% egt around 620 so looking good so far.

You might want to put him into quarantine though when he gets home, hoping I didn't pass on my flu.

Thanks for the brilliant info Kreecha. I got all my max readings today im sure and i will be setting the alarms first thing in the morning to takes these in to consideration. Thanks again. You were right on pretty much all accounts. How are you liking your Disco?

Simon im sure ill have to self quarantine myself if i show any signs of the flu at all as my dad is succeptable.

Thanks guys. Much appreciated

I set em at

coolant 95
Auto oil 160 (this one will need tweaking to your driving style and sender location)
egt 620 pre turbo and about 500-550 post turbo