Thread: 200Tdi Running Hot

Hi, nothing worse than worry on a holiday!

I found my 300Tdi behaved like yours when towing up hills. I am going to Tassie in a few days and bit the bullet.... a new radiator core and all is good. It had done 265 000 kms on the original one and it was in a state. Fine around town and when towing on the flat but throw in a hill and up went the needle!

So at least a rodding and flush/clean of the radiator.

Good luck

Sean

yep all that

check the thermostat, and depending on KMs and history, have the waterpump checked.

Originally Posted by sjd70

Hi, nothing worse than worry on a holiday!

I found my 300Tdi behaved like yours when towing up hills. I am going to Tassie in a few days and bit the bullet.... a new radiator core and all is good. It had done 265 000 kms on the original one and it was in a state. Fine around town and when towing on the flat but throw in a hill and up went the needle!

So at least a rodding and flush/clean of the radiator.

Good luck

Sean

Give us a hoy when you're down the south of this island, we may be able to hook up and do a few tracks etc.

JC

1. Towing a camper - was there any problem with the camper, binding brakes, bearings etc.
2. Fuel gauge read almost to red - it would have been good to have a gauge that read in degrees to compare it. Guages aren't always 'linear' in their readout. Most probably a radiator issue as mentioned, have it cleaned, run new coolant, make sure it's not clogged with mud or insects.
3. Lacking performance on hills and with speed - could be a fuel delivery issue. Are your fuel filters new / clean? Is your fuel clean? Try running a Diesel conditioner if you may have picked up dodgy fuel.
   
4. Other contributing factors - air cleaner; engine oil; driving style (are you trying to change gears as soon as you would unladen?); intercooler needing a clean.

Before spending time & money on big mods, make sure that all the basics are working well and are well serviced. Given the age of the vehicle a radiator flush and intercooler clean are probably due. Give it a good service and then see how it goes before you start pulling things apart.

Let us know what eventuates.

I had similar problem with my 200tdi Disco with much the same symptoms when towing the boat last year. Overheating proved to be caused by a failing viscous coupling on the fan and the water pump was replaced at the same time. Problem solved. Temp gauge now sits just below half regardless of what I'm towing or the ambient temp. Lack of power was a result of the engine running hot and the turbo being fed with hot air.

Sean, Dave, Justin, Michael and Martin, thanks very much for your suggestions all will be investigated as soon as I finish repairing the damage to the camper. Did I mention we had a small hurricane blow through on the last night? Just for interests sake the car has just turned over 150,000k's and has NEVER been off road in it's life. I bought it a year ago and have been slowly rescuing it from it's past life as a tow car. So far there's been a gearbox rebuild and diffs relapped. More to come of course but it should be ready for it's first sea trials soon.
Thanks again,
Graeme

I've got a 200Tdi and had the same problem, changed the thermo, doing it just masks the problem, take the radiator out and get it checked by a radiator place. I had mine re-cored and now the radiator runs below 1/4 and cant get it above, check the other areas as suggested but most probably the radiator.

adrian