D2 overheating TOTALLY FINALLY solved v8 and Tdi

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Geoff86RRC

Greetings
PROBLEM
Four years I have struggled with my V8 overheating. I bought an OBDC and plugged it in and used my iPhone to monitor the temperature. I did this because the gauge is completely useless. It used to run at 105 to 110 degrees. After a new radiator it got hotter. On the highway, on hills at night in the cool it was always hot hot hot. I replaced the viscous fan. It had extra fans, everything was checked and changed out to no avail. I also bought an engine watchdog and found that it was running about 3 degrees below that showing from the OBDC (which comes from the actual temp sender)
SOLUTION
Murray, at Jagrover Spares in Brisbane got sick of all of the engines overheating and blowing and liners slipping and head gaskets popping and radiators popping and I even saw one of the thermostats with a huge split in its side due to excessive temperature and pressure. He has totally redesigned the coolant flow and he now uses an in-line thermostat running at 82 degrees, with a slight drillhole modification. He has done away with the stupid BMW heart valve monstrosity, and my D2V8 now sits on 84 to 89 degrees. I cannot thank him enough and urge all D2 and P38 owners to contact him. (07) 3857 5763. He has actually worked it out and my vehicle is fantastically cool just like the old ranges and disco ones of yesterday. This works for p38s too. He has the hoses and inline thermostat that fit and work. Hallelujah.

---

Murray did my p38 as well with the inline thermostat. After several years of chasing the overheating issues - including regular maintenance, a blown radiator, plus another replaced and two water pumps - Murray has apparently cured mine as well.
After 5 minutes of driving, from cold overnight, the P38 was at 108 degrees. After the surgery, it now sits constantly about 85-87, even during a week on the beach in 35 degree weather.
Early days but have a great sense of relief, that Murray has found the answer.

That Murray is one Cool Dude. 😄😄😄👍👍👍

Greetings thermostat fans
In Brisbane today at Milton near the centre of the city, it is 33C+degrees. My external temperature sensor is showing 36C. My engine watchdog at ambient having not been started for 24 hours was showing 38C, and I suspect this was because the car is parked in the sun. I started the engine and idled with the aircon on the lowest setting. 30 minutes. Now the water temp coming off the block via OBDC is 90c and engine watchdog showing 90c. The in-line termostat at 82 is perfect.for this season. In May I may change to an 87c. Thanks to all the contributors as now I can keep my disco, but before this was sorted it would have eventually have gone.
The total fuel economy is higher due to the idling. It sits around 18 litres per 100 k around town.
See 'American know how' by Pedro the swift for more details

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hoges5

Murray did my p38 as well with the inline thermostat. After several years of chasing the overheating issues - including regular maintenance, a blown radiator, plus another replaced and two water pumps - Murray has apparently cured mine as well.
After 5 minutes of driving, from cold overnight, the P38 was at 108 degrees. After the surgery, it now sits constantly about 85-87, even during a week on the beach in 35 degree weather.
Early days but have a great sense of relief, that Murray has found the answer.

---

hi Hoges5

could you share some pics, i also have a 2000 p38. im particularly interested as to what was done with the original thermostat, if an adaptor was made.

cheers Paul

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hammer H

hi Hoges5

could you share some pics, i also have a 2000 p38. im particularly interested as to what was done with the original thermostat, if an adaptor was made.

cheers Paul

---

This is a D2 but very similar
Engine water outlet to thermostat housing
Other side to top of radiator with an in line bleed screw (very easy just an insert tapped to allow bleed) some elevate the overflow bowl to allow it to bleed air up
Bottom of radiator to engine inlet
NBNB
1. Ensure you have a small bleed hole drilled into the thermostat
2. Place hole uppermost to allow air to pass but importantly a small amount of water to pass into and around the radiator before the stat opens
3. Bleed system properly and fully
4. Get either a nanocom or obdc sender and fusion app for iPhone or an engine watchdog
Murray is working on a low cost monitor.
Depending on your location in hot areas use an 82c and colder 87c or 93c

Swapped out unmarked stock thermostat for 82 deg C (unknown bypass spring rate). Can report idle temps have dropped from 95 to 88 deg C at 30 deg ambient. Running temp not yet known.

Can now confirm V8 D2 with factory configured 82C thermostat with unknown bypass spring rate idled, ran on highway, climbed 3km 1/7 grade hill and ran in heavy city traffic, all at >30C ambient temps, topped out at 90C.

Nice.

I understand why someone would bite that bullet and change the way the coolant works in a D2,,
A D2 V8 is worth nothing once it overheats, and if the whole car has cost you peanuts then why not?

BUT once you've spent some serious money (invested in the car or) on rebuilding one,,
its not so simple,,
I have absolutely NO inclination to have my block go
hot-cold-hot-cold-hot-cold,
because however you describe the new system, the manufacturers system is all about a constant engine block temperature,,
is it set too high from the factory?
Yes!
Can you reset it to run at the SAME temps as this thread says?
Yes!

You guys go hard,, I hope your system stops the liners from dropping,,
but as the rate of different metal expanding with heat is the problem, I really cant see it,,

just my opinion,,:D

Ballbag's 82c OEM Sat sounds great. I never got there. My in line stat has a drilled bleed hole. It stops the cold shock as the water heats more gradually. BUT I don't know what temp the radiator water is as it enters the bottom of the block having been cooled. All I know is that exit water from the engine is now sitting happily at 80 to 90c not 95 to 105c. Maybe I should have gone for an 82 OEM BUT I chickened out. Lots of people in USA find it works. I trust landrovers before BMWs. Time will tell BUT I am much happier and for me that's the test.
Cheers and thanks for the discusssions

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

....

I have absolutely NO inclination to have my block go
hot-cold-hot-cold-hot-cold,
because however you describe the new system, the manufacturers system is all about a constant engine block temperature,,
....

---

Is the 3.9/4.0 L version of the block really all that much different to the older 3.5 L engine?
Heads?
While the twiddled and tweaked a bit here and there, the same basic materials and technology of the castings remained the same.

So how did they get away with the cold-hot-cold-hot-... routine for all those years prior to the new fangled way?
600+ K klms from my old RRC with nothing done to the engine and it still went OK.
(A front main seal would have stopped the Exxon Valdez like oil slick after a long hot quick run .. but the car was well past it's use by date by then anyhow).

I just inherited a V8 D2 myself and have a plan to get it back on the road (if it's economical enough)
It's apparent history is the familiar story of one of the previous owners getting fed up with the overheating issues it gave them, and got rid of it cheaply. Various hands later and now it's in my drive waiting for a resurrection.
If the overheating issue turns out as bad as the previous owner had to deal with, I'll be looking to do the same mod too.