Thread: D4 Cooling system differences?

Originally Posted by DiscoJeffster

Mesh in front of the rad blocks flow hugely. Worst thing you can do. You can look up online the difference in flow between mesh and no mesh of various grades. It acts as a blind to flow and most air builds up and flows around it. I’m not surprised it nearly overheated.

That has been the only time, and believe me there were heaps of other cars on the side of the road with bonnets up. I even have a discrete winch which required taking away an air scoup to fit, and other than that one time never anything remotely close to overheat. The mesh has saved me I believe a blocked radiator as I have driven through a number of locust swarms and its easier to clean flywire than a clogged radiator.

Originally Posted by dirvine

Mine has never overheated but got close a few years ago going up Adelaide Hills towing Van and 45C.temp. Car went into a sort of limp model and dropped the gears to keep revs up and the car cooled down. Also I put some flywire mesh in front of radiators. I change it every year. Simple to do when front grill is removed. Its amazing the number of flies, bugs and mud collects there, but it tends to keep the core clear and clean.

Fly mesh is half the problem - it’s extremely good at restricting airflow and making things worse.

(I see this has been a discussion)

If you need mesh to deal with swarms - way out front only - and larger aperture.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Fly mesh is half the problem - it’s extremely good at restricting airflow and making things worse.

(I see this has been a discussion)

If you need mesh to deal with swarms - way out front only - and larger aperture.

100% re mesh of any description.
Always check open vs total area, you will be surprised.

I used to use 15/350 or coarser air conditioning filter media for paddock use or bug plagues, less restrictive and more protection than most any mesh or any sarlon cloth

Originally Posted by DiscoJeffster

Mesh in front of the rad blocks flow hugely. Worst thing you can do. You can look up online the difference in flow between mesh and no mesh of various grades. It acts as a blind to flow and most air builds up and flows around it. I’m not surprised it nearly overheated.

One old mate concurred with this and did a partial fix by putting the mesh on front of the bull bar. This stopped most of the bugs etc, but still allowed airflow around and over the bar.

Back to the washing idea. Alloy corrodes external and internal. The external corrosion builds up and stops the alloy being able to dissipate heat as well as clean new alloy.

I did a valve cover gasket on dad's car last night, and washed it at the car wash today. I used the wheel and engine cleaner setting. I sprayed his condenser, radiator and top mount intercooler first then did the engine bay. They were the last things I washed off. All three look great now. The alcali compound for cleaning works great. Previously I have used Cummins restore plus in a spray bottle and applied it externally and been very happy.

The car wash solution is easy when you are on the road. Maybe take out the grille when you get there. Hopefully it's a $7 fix

Originally Posted by INter674

We've run brass fly screen mesh in front of rads in several cars for years inc Patrols..D1. D2s and not suffered overheating in fact we've avoided it compared to others on same trips...eg 1000 dollar track last year we were the only car not to have to pull/hose/blow out the rad to clean it due to overheating. We simply pulled the mesh and shook off the crap. Patrols are also known as kettles and whilst it was not a 40 deg day we have done the same on trips on hot days with no overheating probs.

Would be interested in the studies that show issues with this approach.

You did the $1000 dollar track in a 4WD???!!!
I did it about 3 yrs ago on a quad bike and said "never again".!
Must introduce you to Cumberland Lake track above Trial Harbour.............is quite possibly worse than $1000 dollar but shorter.
Oh yes, and Dunkleys Railway line outside Zeehan, another one about as difficult.
My friend took his highly modified D3 with Llams etc up Cumberland and outperformed all others incl Toyos with 35's etc

NB: for those that want to know..... $1000 Track means you'll do $1000 damage on it every time..........

Yep...been doing all those tracks for over 30 years.. first in a zook..last year in son's swb tb gq with 37s.. which shows you how they've deteriorated due to demand. Lots of other brilliant west coast tracks are unfortunately closed due to green pressure and indigenous sensitivities. Did Cumberland in a D1 with 37s some years ago...but had to bail out cause a Toyota broke his steering at the switchback😆

Cumberland I suspect will be closed too due to idiots carving up the top section. And yes we did about 1k panel damage last year..but others had worse eg. 80s auto gearbox fail. Hilux tray fell off and engine overheated..another 80s front hub sheared off...gu with v8. ..overheating (no surprise)..lots of panel damage too...rear lights fell out etc.

I would not recommend anyone do it in a good 4wd. Vic 4wders lost 2 thirds of their holiday here last year due to that one track...girls were naturally unimpressed...we had to provide some spare parts🙄

Originally Posted by Discodicky

You did the $1000 dollar track in a 4WD???!!!
I did it about 3 yrs ago on a quad bike and said "never again".!
Must introduce you to Cumberland Lake track above Trial Harbour.............is quite possibly worse than $1000 dollar but shorter.
Oh yes, and Dunkleys Railway line outside Zeehan, another one about as difficult.
My friend took his highly modified D3 with Llams etc up Cumberland and outperformed all others incl Toyos with 35's etc

NB: for those that want to know..... $1000 Track means you'll do $1000 damage on it every time..........

Actually we have renamed it the 5000 dollar track
did it it 3 times in the last 12 months in 4wd. Live pretty close.