Club 80-90 Forums

Hello All,

Not that long ago my water temperature gauge virtually stopped working so I got a new thermostat fitted (2.1 waterbox, fuel injected engine). Unlike the earlier thermostat, before it packed up, the needle in the gauge now sits almost in the center of the gauge, or just by the left edge of the indicator light, when the engine is at running temperature, so my first question is, is this the right position for the needle to be in? The needle, now, only has to move a relatively short distance to the right for the fan to come on.

My other question is: Just the other day, I arrived home, and I heard very distinctive creaking noises coming from the engine, they were very obvious and I don't recall hearing them before. Now the weather hasn't been that hot here in mid Wales, but I thought that the noise could be due to the engine cooling down. Well, I looked at the top-up water tank, and it was full to the top of the cap. Now I know that the water is supposed to expand, but I've looked at the top-up tank before, after a drive, and I don't recall it being that high. When the engine cooled down, it dropped to about three quarters above the minimum water level mark in the top-up tank. So, was that normal?

I'm probably concerned over nothing?

Ta ra,
Sal

Everything sounds about right to me. Gauge is doing what it should. Is the header tank full to the brim? Only take any notice of the expansion tank when it's stone cold.

Yes, the header tank is totally full. I'd just never noticed the top-up tank get so high, especially on a day that was far from warm.

Ta,
sal

salgarfi wrote:Not that long ago my water temperature gauge virtually stopped working so I got a new thermostat fitted (2.1 waterbox, fuel injected engine). Unlike the earlier thermostat, before it packed up, the needle in the gauge now sits almost in the center of the gauge, or just by the left edge of the indicator light, when the engine is at running temperature, so my first question is, is this the right position for the needle to be in?

It's the same as ours.

The needle, now, only has to move a relatively short distance to the right for the fan to come on.

Again, it's the same as ours.

The "normal" temperature range for the engine is limited at the lower end by the thermostat, and the upper end by the fan switch. The two need to match, with the operating temperature for the switch a bit above that of the 'stat. If they're too close, the fan'll be on and off all the time, instead of just occasionally. If all is healthy, then the only time you should have the fan coming on is when it's working hard - high ambients and dragging up big hills - or when there's no airflow over the rad, such as in traffic.

Well Adrian and Ellie, if you say that my thermostat etc, is running just like yours, and I can see from your blog that you're both in SE Europe at this very moment - the wonders of the internet - and you're probably going up some high inclines in the Balkans, then I can only sit back and feel comforted. I was just a wee bit worried 'cos it's obvious that the old thermostat was apparently running the engine cooler than the new one. And yes, the fan only comes on when the engine is pushed, or I'm in traffic.

Good luck on your travels,
Sal