Thread: Running Hot

step 1, flush the radiator :wink:

Beyond that, check that the right temperature sender is installed, might be sending the guage the wrong signal and may be running at the perfect temp :wink:

I have a 173 in mine, but I haven't got the temp guage hooked up yet, it hasn't got an earth at this stage ops:

I've a 186 with the standard rover radiator. The thermostat is an 85º and have a thermo fan set up to blow off a nissan skyline regulated by a thermo switch preset to 90ºC in the back of the engine head. Has a commodore belt driven fan (6 blade) on the water pump pulley as usual. Use green stuff in the cooling system and have a 7.5 psi radiator cap.

Never boils, even in summer on the beach. Gauge wanders anywhere from below N in winter to just below the hot mark in summer sitting at the lights.

I'd agree with Phoenix, take it to a rad. shop and get them to clean and test.

I've done the lot, changed senders, thermos and gauges until I realised the red for the landie motor is about 95ºC which your 202 should cope with the same as my 186. Landie radiators are low pressure so check the cap isn't a 15 pounder as if it is I'd recommend you change back to a 7.5psi. Makes no difference to the Holden but you'll find at least 10ºC cooler on the gauge alone. If you're still worried change the thermostat back to a 71ºC which is about as cold as you can go, which isn't good in winter as your heater doesn't work as well either.

Hi Lucy
I would go with checking the temp sender in the motor. If a different ohms sender is fitted the reading will be in acurate.Temp senders are pretty cheap,if you check the recomended landy sender ohms and cross reference it with the holden size should work out being correct.If you still have a problem you will need to look into the radiator flushout.
I have a 71deg thermostat and heavy duty 4 core landy radiator and standard 4 blade fan (202 motor).As Jay said too cold in winter,heater is pretty useless,in summer hottest it has gone is 1/2 on the gauge,towing an EA falcon on a 40 deg day.
Goodluck
Andrew

Lucy
In your post you virtually answered your own question. You said the motor took a long time to warm up before you put a thermostat in. Was the motor getting to the temperature it is now before you installed the thermostat? If it was then your radiator is suspect, but I suspect that your only problem is that you installed the correct thermostat for that engine, which is out of range for the original gauge. By putting in a lower temperature thermostat, the efficiency of the engine will be affected, as engines are designed to run at specific temperatures to get the greatest efficiency. If the radiator was faulty or partially blocked then the engine would overheat very quickly with the installation of a thernostat. Normal operation requires the radiator to keep the engine at the thermostat temperature, or very near it, under all operating conditions. If this is the way it is then all is well, even if the temperature runs just under the red as you say it is. Also, Landrover heaters are not the best at any time, and require all the help they can get to keep you warm and the windows defrosted.

I have just been through all this too, but on an original Leyland 6 engine.

Temp was up and down like a yo yo - replaced thermostat and see without draining and flushing radiator. Temp again up and down, flushed raidator over the weekend, and took out the thermostat to check that it was working and opening at the proper temperature (it opened when I poured boiling water on it.

Conclusion I have come to is that generally, my thermostat sticks if not allowed to open up when starting - If I leave the engine to warm up before putiing load on it (driving), the temp remians fine.

Sorry this is not that technical, but sometimes it's just a character thing - 50% say take out the thermostat, 50% say leav it in. I reckon - in for the winter and our for the summer - everyone wins.