dg motor getting hot

Post by **dink** » 19 Apr 2007, 21:58

i'm not sure that the fan on the radiator is working
my temp guage gets hot when i'm stuck in traffic, i can't hear the fan cutting in, should i be able to
how can i test the system
the weathers getting warmer and i want my t3 running OK in the heat
is it worth my while fitting a switch so i an switch the fan on when i feel the need

Post by **kyleewyleecoyote** » 19 Apr 2007, 22:39

Fan has two speeds and the procedure for testing is in the Haynes manual.

owlets · Post by **owlets** » 20 Apr 2007, 07:56

my dg used to run with the temp guage really low down, it'd get to about halfway just over the warning like and then the fan would kick in.

Run your van at home and let it get hot, should take about 15 mins, you can stand at the front and listen for the fan kicking in

Post by **T'Onion** » 20 Apr 2007, 08:23

take it for a really good drive around , make sure that the thermostat has opened , then let it tick over for a while and then like owen says listen at the front of the van for the fan kicking in

Post by **dink** » 20 Apr 2007, 09:31

i'm not 100% sure that there is a thermostat in the system
when i bought the vanthere was a new one with it
most of the rest of the system had been changed to try and cure a coolant leak, the van has only leaked on me twice in a year, i was told that it might well be a head gasket, although i have not seen any sign of it yet
it's had a new rad, hoses, pipes, water pump, yet there was a thermostat there
hear that coolant bleeding is a pain, i've not been tempted to open it up and have a look
the coolant is nice and clear blue and the as i've said the level has not changed for probably 4000 miles at least

Post by **Mocki** » 20 Apr 2007, 10:45

its the norm with these vans that the temp guage gets to about 3/4 before the fan at the rad starts, only later vans and dervs have two stage, earlys only have single stage......

just how hot is it getting on your gauge and where is normal running, as owne says some run lower on the gauge( wrong sender fitted) so would kick in sooner, but 3/4 is correct.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 23 Apr 2007, 08:20

Some early vans have 2 stage, but could be "hot climate" vehicles, (my 83 velle fromt Italy has 2 stage)

But as Mr M says.. they tend to sens the gauge up to 3/4 before switching on.. my 1983 does.. but my late (1992) one switches on much earlier..
if water levels are not changing and its not getting to 3/4 then it sounds ok...

Post by **dink** » 23 Apr 2007, 09:33

i followed the haynes book
shorted out different pairs of the socket for the thermoswitch
could only get the fan to pin full speed
once the engine got hot the fan ran slower
it has the 2 speed fan on it
i'm wondering if to change the two wires around so that it blows fast when it should be blowing slow

also i'm now pretty sure that doesn't have a thermostat in it, as it took ages and ages to get hot

once or twice last summer it spat out the water, when it got real hot stuck in traffic, although it's not dropped any since

Post by **toomanytoys** » 23 Apr 2007, 10:31

Could be a stuck stat, they generally dont like no stat.. Yes you could swap the wires round so the fast speed runs first, but if it got real hot (for whatever reason) it would run slow when very hot....

If its spat water out somthing isnt quite right.. maybe a bleed is worth doing just to make sure no air is trapped..

Post by **Other-Power** » 23 Apr 2007, 12:36

Its a standard VW thermostat, if you belive its getting to hot then you could put in a lower temprature one?

My van is an 81 D that has two fan speeds and two therostats but when i got the van both thermostats were the same temprature. so if it got really hot it tried to turn on both windings on the motor

Prior to this, coming back from wales going to DF i lost some water after one of the spider pipes split a little, needless to say i couldnt change the thermostat on the side of the road so just had the heater fans on full blast and the windows down.

Just an idea if the temp gage starts to creep up again

Jon

Post by **futurecut** » 24 Apr 2007, 15:12

Mine's never kicked in on the high setting, even under in hot conditions on long climbs or after fast (relatively speaking) motorway and then 10 miles of queues. It does work though 'cos i tested it when i got the rustbucket just to make sure. Kicks in on low when it's a couple of mm past the right hand side of the led. Never gone past that and i don't usually raise the front to bleed and it's always been fine. You could always take out the stat and boil it in a pan and see if it works or block the rad with some cardboard but it sound like it's probably working ok. i am no expert though!