another temperature problem

1. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

   #1 27th December 2012, 23:07

   I seem to have a problem with my temperature gauge and fan, when I start the car the gauge is showing about half way but after approx 3 mins its down to the bottom and this is where it stays, the fan is also not kicking in. I have hard wired the fan and it works, but will not kick in while driving.
   Any help would be appreciated.
   
   2001 vtr
2. user_39461 Super Moderator Joined: Nov 2009 Cambridge(ish), UK. Posts: 10581 BMW 5x M50d.

   #2 27th December 2012, 23:39

   Thermostat sounds like its stuck open. Easy fix, easy to test. Pull it out. Should be closed. Drop it in a cup of boiled water. You should see it open.
   
   If its open when you remove it it's fucked. If it doesn't move in the cup of water, it's fucked.
3. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

   #3 27th December 2012, 23:47

   I will try this in the morning, will this stop the fan kicking in as well
4. user_39461 Super Moderator Joined: Nov 2009 Cambridge(ish), UK. Posts: 10581 BMW 5x M50d.

   #4 27th December 2012, 23:48

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by jimdavis3584 I will try this in the morning, will this stop the fan kicking in as well

   Yes. If the engine temperature never reaches the temperature required for the fan to come on (90 degrees or whatever it is as standard) it won't ever come on.
5. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

   #5 27th December 2012, 23:49

   Forgot to say the car did overheat in traffic the other day
6. user_39461 Super Moderator Joined: Nov 2009 Cambridge(ish), UK. Posts: 10581 BMW 5x M50d.

   #6 27th December 2012, 23:52

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by jimdavis3584 Forgot to say the car did overheat in traffic the other day

   And the fan didn't kick in? How do you know it overheated? Was the temp gauge working correctly then (did it rise, into the red, light on, what?)
   
   It could be as simple as an airlock in that case. Might not even be the thermostat. Have you tried bleeding it properly?
7. mattfinch Infrequent Poster Joined: Dec 2007 Kent Posts: 146 Silver Saxo 1.6 16v Gunmetel Grey Nissan 350z GT

   #7 28th December 2012, 09:14

   I recon you have an air lock. But its very strange that when you start the car it goes straight to half way. I would check the thermostat as said before and when you put it back in you will have to bleed it all anyway, If not then it might be a sensor.
8. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

   #8 28th December 2012, 11:16

   I had steam bellowing out of the engine bay when it over heated, I have tried bleeding the system but cannot get coolant out of all 3 bleed points only the one by the rad.
9. user_39461 Super Moderator Joined: Nov 2009 Cambridge(ish), UK. Posts: 10581 BMW 5x M50d.

   #9 28th December 2012, 11:18

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by jimdavis3584 I had steam bellowing out of the engine bay when it over heated, I have tried bleeding the system but cannot get coolant out of all 3 bleed points only the one by the rad.

   http://www.saxosportsclub.com/index.php?topic=27128.0
10. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

    #10 28th December 2012, 11:22

    Thanks for the link, do you have the engine running while doing this
11. mattfinch Infrequent Poster Joined: Dec 2007 Kent Posts: 146 Silver Saxo 1.6 16v Gunmetel Grey Nissan 350z GT

    #11 28th December 2012, 12:02

    Best way is to fill the rad bottle up and then blow down it with one of the bleed holes open and wait till a good flow of water comes out and then do the same with the others. Do the one at the back of the engine first on drives side, then do the thermostat one on the right side of the block. Then the one on the rad. Make sure the heater inside is put over to the red position so it flows through the heater matrix
12. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

    #12 28th December 2012, 12:25

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mattfinch Best way is to fill the rad bottle up and then blow down it with one of the bleed holes open and wait till a good flow of water comes out and then do the same with the others. Do the one at the back of the engine first on drives side, then do the thermostat one on the right side of the block. Then the one on the rad. Make sure the heater inside is put over to the red position so it flows through the heater matrix

    
    Wouldn't this just put more air into the system by blowing into the radiator, plus you must have strong lungs to do this lol.
13. mattfinch Infrequent Poster Joined: Dec 2007 Kent Posts: 146 Silver Saxo 1.6 16v Gunmetel Grey Nissan 350z GT

    #13 28th December 2012, 13:45

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jimdavis3584 Wouldn't this just put more air into the system by blowing into the radiator, plus you must have strong lungs to do this lol.

    I always do it this may. you need bloody strong lungs to get air right to the bottom of the rad bottle with having all that water in there. You only need to blow a bit till water comes out the bleed hole. If you run out of breath just pop ur finger over the hole or do it up and then take another breath. Or if you get a 2L coke bottle and cut it in half it fits right in the rad bottle and if you keep it filled up the presure will be the same as blowing
    
    Hope this help/makes sense
14. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

    #14 28th December 2012, 14:10

    yer, i will give it a try and see what happens, i have the thermostat off at the moment to see if its working ok.
15. mattfinch Infrequent Poster Joined: Dec 2007 Kent Posts: 146 Silver Saxo 1.6 16v Gunmetel Grey Nissan 350z GT

    #15 28th December 2012, 14:55

    nice one. As said before just drop it in some boiling hot water and see if it opens up or not
16. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

    #16 28th December 2012, 16:38

    Right the thermostat was closed when i took it off, i put in a bowl of boiling water it seemed to open enough to allow water to filter through when poured into the pipe, it also closed when i put cold water in it.
17. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

    #17 10th January 2013, 16:09

    well I have changed the thermostat, put a new 3 pin sensor into the thermostat housing and a blue/yellow ring sensor into the head underneath the thermostat housing.
    
    Followed up by bleeding the coolant system
    
    The problem is this has not helped the temperature guage is still reading approx half way on start up, it goes down while engine is running.
18. user_39461 Super Moderator Joined: Nov 2009 Cambridge(ish), UK. Posts: 10581 BMW 5x M50d.

    #18 10th January 2013, 16:23

    possibly a borked dial itself then, although this is unusual.
19. MartinObviously Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2012 Perth Posts: 3665 Peugeot 106 1.1 Turbo Peugeot 106 1.5D Turbo Peuge

    #19 10th January 2013, 16:36

    guage failure isn't unheard of.
    
    Starting at half way then dropping is odd.
    
    unplug the guage sensor, if the guage then moves something isn't right.
    
    maybe behind the dials, there is an issue with wiring? seems unlikely on digi dash mdoels though.
20. jimdavis3584 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 80 2001 Saxo VTR

    #20 10th January 2013, 17:15

    I have a feeling i may have a wrong sensor in here somewhere, the top sensor on the thermostat housing is blue with three pins/two wires (green+pink), the sensor in the head underneath the thermostat housing is Blue with yellow ring 2pins/1 wire (green).
    
    Does this sound right???