Cooling System

[Myfocus]

You picking a fight with the cooling system? :-P

 

How old is the car?

 

I assume you never run tap water, nor without coolant?

 

I've seen "rust"-like stuff from radiators, core covered with scale (tap water or blown gasket) etc. All preventing efficient heat transfer from water to fins. Then, the fins, are they clean, are they stuffed with bugs

meeting at 200+kmph? Reverse spray to get them out.

 

Solution is to increase heat transfer from water to fins, and to increase air flow over the fins (remember your thermodynamics?)

 

Adding a 2nd fan or shorting the resistor so that the fan is at high speed, or shorting the fan to always on, addresses the air flow problem esp at low speed (symptoms, not the root cause). Just a thot, your existing fan may be aging and not drawing the correct airflow (what's the spec'd cfm?).

check brushes etc.

 

In the old days, used to recore radiators, or even convert form 2 to3 core version, very effective. Now, modern radiators use plastic ends, so very simple, new radiator. This addresses the root cause if indeed the radiator interior is coated. Chk first though.

 

My recommendation, if the other stuff like thermostat, pinched water hoses, blockage etc check out, then change the radiator (worked for me!) before you add the fan (also worked b4 I changed the radiator).

 

(has anyone messed with the cooling system components b4? depending on the system, the water flow may need a _restrictor_, usually found in the thermostat. Leaving thermostat permanently open may not always be a good idea either)

 

gud luck.

 

as always, the ramblings above are for pure entertainment only and is worth what you paid :-)

 

Lack of cooling? Now that's a tot, must process a bit longer and stare at my brick's cooling system a little more....

Edited January 9, 2002 by Turbobrick

[Turbobrick]

Not picking a fight lah, just giving it more TLC

 

My brick is 4.5yrs and going strong. Flush cooling system every year and replace with 30/70 coolant water mix. Coolant is standard ethyl-glycol green/blue type. I've used cheapo malaysia (big mistake), Merc and CITGO coolants. Only the malaysian one created some jelly like contaniments in my cooling system. Flushed it all out and never looked back.

 

My brick's cooling setup is kinda weird, picture this:

 

3 layers (from outside-in):

- condenser core

- intercooler

- radiator

 

Quite a tight fit up front. An alternative for me is to use low temp thermostat, but only available through US tuner, lecheh lah.

[Myfocus]

aiyah, cooling system see you staring, also T L :-P

 

I used to use either mercedes benz in Singapore (looks like ATE), and

Prestone 5/150 in US. You can't find the grey bottle Prestone here, just the std yellow bottle. The grey one is extended use, 5/150 (5 years, 150Kmiles).

 

Yet to try Citgo.

 

Did you do reverse-flush? Flush the engine portion and not just the radiator?

 

Your 3layer setup is not strange, quite typical for conti car. Mine is NA, and they used to stack radiator and a/c condensor with only 1 fan. So even when cold, but a/c on, the fan also comes on. Strange feeling. Personally I prefer the 2 to be side by side each with separate fan.

 

The stacked arrangement is not good for airflow (front grille blocks the next). Assuming your radiator interior is still good, try putting a 2nd fan

in front (push air).

 

B4 you put in a low-temp thermostat, what is the specified operating temp?

What is the opening (ie start to open) temp on the thermostat?

What is the operating (ie fully open) temp on the thermostat?

Is your thermostat working correctly?

 

Try taking it out and test it first. Dun troubleshoot by just replacing parts. You gotta know the specs so you know if you have a real or perceived problem. You gotta know why you're replacing it and know what to expect after the change, and if it dun behave as expected, you gotta know where to look next. Just changing parts at random is not systematic troubleshooting :-) yeah, yeah, too many years in engineering and its showing.....

 

When you flushed out the jelly, how did you verify that indeed all was gone?

 

Did the overheating problems start after you used the jelly? After any particular change in coolant? Any particular event?

 

 

man, 1am, time to go sleep!

 

Not picking a fight lah, just giving it more TLC

 

My brick is 4.5yrs and going strong. Flush cooling system every year and replace with 30/70 coolant water mix. Coolant is standard ethyl-glycol green/blue type. I've used cheapo malaysia (big mistake), Merc and CITGO coolants. Only the malaysian one created some jelly like contaniments in my cooling system. Flushed it all out and never looked back.

 

My brick's cooling setup is kinda weird, picture this:

 

3 layers (from outside-in):

- condenser core

- intercooler

- radiator

 

Quite a tight fit up front. An alternative for me is to use low temp thermostat, but only available through US tuner, lecheh lah.