Club 80-90 Forums

Hi, I am looking for some advice on running temperature. After testing the sensor I found this was faulty. So I replaced it and the temperature gauge now works. However if I am driving on the motorway it does not get out above the solid white line. Yesterday I was stuck in traffic and it went halfway and I heard the radiator fan kicking in and out. Is this normal?

Temp gauge should sit approximately in the centre of the gauge (where the LED is).

If, in heavy traffic, your gauge went up to 3/4 and the fan came on then that is good, but if the gauge is normally sitting over to the left (cool) side, then your symptoms are those of a thermostat that is stuck open.

If investigating the stat, take care of those 4 nuts / bolts / studs as they break PlusGas is your friend (NOT WD40!)

In traffic the gauge went in the middle just above the led and the fan kicked in back and forth. Driving normally but only max 10 miles since changing the sensor it stays cool.

Would I be doing any damage until I can investigate the thermostat

No damage will result from running a bit cool.

(The engine just won't be as "efficient" as it should be, especially if yours is the fuel injected version of the 2.1)

my temp gauge sits just to left of centre (5 to 12 ish if the temp gauge was a clock) it takes about 10mins of driving to reach this temp and if free flowing traffic will sit there and not move. if sat in traffic then the 1st speed of the cooling fan will start kicking in and out just past the led (at about 5 past 12 ish) this is enough to keep it cool in hot weather

mark

I was going to have a go at replacing the thermostat this weekend, i was wondering if i need to fully drain the coolant system or if it will be OK to remove the thermostat housing and replace then top-up the fluid i have lost? The whole drain and refill with venting seems a little daunting (maybe i have read to many posts)

thanks for any advice

Even if you don't drain the whole system you will have to go through the bleeding routine when you refill.

You may not even have a thermostat, they've sometimes been taken out by previous owners if there's been overheating issues. Reminds me that a mechanic took mine out, I need to fit another now the cooling issue is fixed.

You don't need to drain it.

You will lose some coolant, so a top up and bleed is normal and not hard to do at all.

Remember this bit =

ghost123uk wrote: If investigating the stat, take care of those 4 nuts / bolts / studs as they break PlusGas is your friend (NOT WD40!)

thanks ghost, I have that bit well and truly ingrained!!

Just open the bleed valve on the thermostat housing.
it will self bleed from there.
Later cooling systems are prety much self bleeding from the engine bay*.


*assuming your bleed ring isn't silted up

Thanks for the advice, I finally changed the thermostat, the cap came off very easily and the thermostat was stuck open. After changing, the vans temp is sitting at 1/2 way. Hopefully i have removed the air from the cooling system.

Hopefully you'll see an increase in mpg as well