Engine temperature - VTR

[DarylVTR]

Hey guys as you may know i bought my first vtr last week and noticed this week its been getting very hot, reading about 3mm off the red mark on the temp guage & every time i parked up the fan would come on for about 2mins, checked the coolent level and it was on min.

So i bought some coolent anti-freeze and topped it up 2 pints of water and 1/2 pint of coolent. Shes now running at about half temp on small roads and lower gears but when you drive in 5th on motorway at about 80mph, its running at about 3/4 temp.

Is this normal? if not what else could it be? cheers smileys/smiley12.gif

[WestyVTR]

u need to change the whole coolant as different types can mix & cause gunk shit in the pipes! get a garage to change the coolant & check for leaks for you.

job done

[DarylVTR]

that involves money thou haha


must be a simple way of draining it myself?

[WestyVTR]

there is yes but how r you going to rest it for headgasket failure & correct coolant mix & leaks & be completely sure its all ok!!! if its not then that will be more costly than a mere £50 MAX!! for the job to be done properly.... smileys/smiley14.gif

[DarylVTR]

hmmm ok i guess il have to book it in smileys/sad.gif


have already put new coolent in it thou - maybe i should drive to my g/f's and call the RAC to get them to sort it (thou they would prob just take it to a garage?)

[WestyVTR]

y is it that low!? has it not been checked? or servised properly? does it run lumpy or noisey? is it the thermostate thats playing up!? get the garage to look at it & get it sorted asap, the engine will die if it gets too hot all the time its run!

[DarylVTR]

i have no idea, it has a full service histroy and had a majour service at 49,500 miles (51k on clock now) and it was on min!!!


Car runs fine other than that, idle is abit bumpy (normal i think for a saxo) thats about it!

[wideboy]

smileys/smiley24.gif Flushing the system's a piss easy job!

Buy yourself a Haynes manual and do it yourself

If after a full flush and its still running hot, you may have a fucked radiator

[DarylVTR]

thats what i was thinking ^^^^^^


In all honesty looking at the radiator, alot of the fins are crushed, flattened and black patches on the rad, so could be fucked but not sure

WHAT IS THE NORMAL RUNNING TEMP OF A MK2 VTR????

[wideboy]

have you had a look at the radiator itself mate? Does it have a lot of corrosion or the element falling off?

Sometimes it looks a little green/red if it is

[wideboy]

My old vtr always ran under the half mark and in traffic it was just after half

[DarylVTR]

hang on il take a pic of the rad and upload it for you guys to look at

[wideboy]

Another symptom ive noticed with a fucked radiator is excess condensation in the car...? Do you get that?

I.e the windows seem to steam up quite often..?

[DarylVTR]

erugh looks abit shit.......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/darylrese/P1010648.jpg

red and black patches all over

[wideboy]

I'd say that was pretty done mate!

I dont suppose you or the guy you bought the car from stays on the coast?

My mate bought a 106 gti from blackpool and it looked identical to that...and need replacing

[WestyVTR]

oh! there we go!!! she needs to floss!! smileys/smiley5.gif

[DarylVTR]

well he lived in reading ands i live in portsmouth which is on the south coast of england so maybe, so you think i need a new radiator smileys/sad.gif


bet they aint cheap - There is alot of squashed fins all over it aswell, i dont get y it wasnt picked up on the service thou smileys/smiley19.gif

[wideboy]

As I say mate - try flushing the whole lot and see what happens, but it may be worth just buying a new rad - as that looks pretty done.

Try EuroCarParts.com (http://www.eurocarparts.com) - they do decent prices

heres a pic of the fins on mine (apologies about quality but u cant see the front cos the 2 fan mounting so i had to stick my phone down between the manifold and radiator smileys/smiley24.gif

/members/wideboy/AE781_26-03-06_1540.jpg

As you can see - most are in tact and still pretty shiney

[DarylVTR]

yer tad different, il book it in at the garage 2morrow get them to sort it i think as u said its quite important!!

[wideboy]

have you noticed the inside of your car steaming up more than normal?

I'd buy the part yourself if it is the radiator mate - garages will charge a shitload. It really isnt a hard job to do yourself...

[WestyVTR]

247 speares on the net....

sorted! smileys/smiley2.gif

[DarylVTR]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/darylrese/P1010651.jpg


that what it was reading after 5mins of driving on normal road, maybe isnt rad, should the new coolent work straight away?

[wideboy]

for 5mins driving that doesnt look right for a vtr at all.

If the system is flushed and topped up with fresh stuff you should notice straight away, but I think your best bet is to get a radiator sorted out sooner rather than later regardless

[DarylVTR]

been told not to worry unless it reaches red, hmmm, im just skint atm, just need to know if its really urgent or not

[vtrchris64]

My vtr's temp just goes up to the half way mark and stays there even with a bit of right foot, only time fan come was when waiting in a cue for 10 mins and then it was only slightly above half mark. So it does look like u have a problem mate.

[DarylVTR]

big problem, its gone onto nearly red now, steam out of bonnet when parked up smileys/smiley5.gif fuck sake only had it 5 days

[Scott]

air lock? bleed the system urgently and now hope you havent blown the headgasket and warped the ehad

[DarylVTR]

it aint damaged the head,

its not on red, just about 3mm off the top grey mark on the dial. still not good, im well pissed off smileys/sad.gif

[Scott]

it overheated to the point of steam escaping the bonnet, get over the "red" point the guages are inaccurate at the best of times. You stand a very real chance that you have blow the gasket and warped the heat by having it over heat so much

[DarylVTR]

ok well car runs ok other than guage reading its hot,

when i moved it just now, you can hear water running somewhere behind the dash (maybe in bonnet)

its running anywhere between 1/2 and 3/4 and just over

[DarylVTR]

every1 recons fucked radiator, can hear water running aswell now somewhere behind the dash, im rlly hoping it just needs a new radiator

[DarylVTR]

have taken it into the garage 2day, hopefully get it back tomorrow.


checked coolent / water level 2day without using the car and its gone back down to min, so ther must be a leak somewhere. When i started it up and gave it a revv, you can hear trickling water . Hopefully just a split hose / air lock or buggered rad! smileys/smiley11.gif smileys/smiley5.gif

[Scott]

probably buggered rad letting air into the sytem to

[DarylVTR]

yer lets hope so, they arnt too expensive smileys/happy.gif


other than the temp the car is sound so fingers crossed il hear about it 2morrow and let u lads know smileys/smiley4.gif

[samcook]

sounds like the head gasket to me mate coz there the sort of problems i was having with mine when the head gasket went. Did u notice any water marks on the block which could indicate the headgasket leaking and the reason why your water level keeps dropping?

[DarylVTR]

no? the car has only done 50,000 miles with a full history and has just had its half life major service, car is running ok, just high temperature, i can see greeny / yellow fluid below the pipe where it bolts into the engine block, think its just leeking in all honesty.


I know wot a head gasket issue is and its not that!

[samcook]

ooh so could be the thermostat housing leaking

[DarylVTR]

or most likely the radiator is fucked lol . Id say its only a hose or the rad, poss thermostat but dont scare me with HG issues, i sold my vts cos the head went and pissed oil!!


i got no problems with oil, or mayo or anything like that so hopefully just a radiator related issue

[ne_jam]

my temp sit just over half most time unless im on motorway, the it sits in middel of top half, rekon shud get it checked

[DarylVTR]

took it into garage, they phoned me this morning told me the radiator is fucked, its having a new 1 fitted now smileys/happy.gif

few smileys/smiley17.gif smileys/smiley14.gif

[DarylVTR]

ok garage replaced the radiator and flushed the system now running about half on B roads and about 3mm above half on motorways but it goes up and down a fair bit,


is this normal? im still concernd!!!! fan isnt comming on anymore thou....

[Sean]

just above halfway on motorways is normal maybe a bit more during town driving. the fan kicks in when the gauge reaches around 3/4 so unless your warning light is coming on then you've nothing to worry about. just make sure you check your rad levels regularly.

[DarylVTR]

well its goin upto about nearly 3/4 when u put some rite foot down on motorway but soon as u lay off and do 70mhp again it goes back down to just over half way . will keep checking the level but its just been bled and raiator has been replaced!


this is the n running temp on my vtr doesnt change much but fan isnt kicking in atall anymore and no steam like it was be4,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/darylrese/P1010651.jpg

I bet the guages arnt 100% either being french n all smileys/smiley5.gif

[Sean]

no the gauges aren't 100% but when you say running temp what do you mean exactly? is it just sitting still or is that after a drive?

[DarylVTR]

when u start it cold it will go to the above temperature after about 5mins and pritty much stay there, it will go up more than that and drop back down again at different points of driving.

A roads, Motorways, country lanes ect. It doesnt go below 1/2 or above 3/4 but does change regualy!!


By running temp i mean wot is normal for a vtr 1/2 way or what? i wanna know if my temperature is normal or if it needs looking at yet again by the garage, they said all was fine but heyho

[Sean]

shouldn't go that high after 5mins, mine doesn't. could be the thermostat is on it's way out or more likely you may have cooked the headgasket by running for a while with a fucked radiator. if the warning light isn't coming on then i'd leave it and run the car for a few days then check the coolant levels. if it's losing water then you've buggered the headgasket.

[DarylVTR]

head gasket wasnt mentioned at the garage they said it would have damaged it if i didnt get it sorted, not once did it enter the red zone at any point be4 or after the new radiator. It was loosing all its water, this was tested and found to be the radiator. Nothing else come up on the compression / pressure test.


i will check the coolent levels every day see how it is 2morrow , i think its normal to be honest


i was taking a guess at saying after 5mins

[DarylVTR]

still havnt been told by any1 wot their vtr's run at temp wise (on the guage) smileys/smiley19.gif smileys/smiley19.gif smileys/smiley19.gif

[DarylVTR]

come on u lot

[slammed_vtr]

just about the 1/4 mark...mine was always up for ages there...found the problem was the bottom heater hose had fallen off its bracket when removed the inner arches and was rubbin on the drivers side drive shaft casuin a massive hole in the hose and needed replacein...hose is a dealer only part and costs roughly 40 bux....after this was fixed and head gasket had been done its now sittin at just around the quater mark.

if thats any help

[davtr]

I have a 2001 vtr n my temp normally runs at one quarter, no matter how long i drive for. If i'm stood still in traffic, it goes to one half and i can hear the fan kick in soon after, that may help

[DarylVTR]

hmmm strange, i phoned the garage and said but he said long as it doesnt touch the red zone it will be fine smileys/smiley5.gif


they recon nothing else is wrong with it smileys/smiley5.gif

[Bake]

my 98VTR usually runs at around 3/4 since i've had it (nearly 2 years now) + i've had it serviced often + i've had a new radiator. i would say as long as it doesn't touch red it'll be ok

[garyk]

my 98 sax runs around 3/4 mark aswell i thot ther was sumthing wrong with mine too but im gettin it serviced at weekend anyway!

[DarylVTR]

its been fine so farr even on the 1/2 way mark so im happy got another problem now with speedo i wanna sort haha


dam french cars

[Jamie]

Hi, My Vtrs almost sky high on the temp gauge too, it has lots of water, + i bled the radiator and used some sort of system flushing liquid was recommended to me by a mate, but the cars just roasting away sits 3/4s of the way up oh the temp guage sometimes higher! also i had gave it some oil recently and it still smells like its roasting,

3/4s and a lil aboves what im gettin on temp guage...

Any ideas people?

[DarylVTR]

well i replaced the radiator and coolent and its now between 1/2 and a 3/4 garage have told me its normal, car has been running fine so im not fussed as its quite alright. try replacing the radiator m8 and check ur hoses

[Jamie]

Radiator isnt that old tbh, the guy i bought it off bought a replacement one,

[huggy54]

its ur fan trust me, i had the same problem 4 ages. check to see ur fan is cuming on. if it is the fan then its the wiring is probably damaged.

[Jamie]

Yeh, The car eats oil too!!! the fan Kicks in, dno if its meant to or not at that time when are they actually meant to kick in? any one know cos id love to know lol cheers,

[Reef]

I have a 2001 vtr n my temp normally runs at one quarter, no matter how long i drive for. If i'm stood still in traffic, it goes to one half and i can hear the fan kick in soon after, that may help

Same happens to mine.

[DarylVTR]

hmmm im still abit concerned, it runs at 1/2 when running about B roads and normal roads, but as SOON as you go onto a motorway it shoots upto 3/4 and just over. Then it goes up and down! If you cruise at 80mph, it will sit at just under 3/4 and as soon as u lay off to 70mph it drops back down to half!!!



The second you come off the motorway and slow down and change down through the gears it goes straight back down to 1/2!


this is annoying, only heard the fan once so farr when i parked up but it is working. Im thinking maybe the guage is just dodgy?

Took it to a garage and they said aslong as it doesnt go into red it will be fine?!?!?

[wideboy]

Sounds like your just paranoid.

Put it out of your head, just keep an eye on all the levels - water oil etc

[potatopete]

Well, my 2000 VTR runs at a couple of millimeters above the cold mark ALL the time, except when stuck in slow traffic for ten mins or more, so I'm happy all is well.

Before I had the VTR I had an Astra, which developed a leak in the water pump. After a few weeks of it overheating the head gasket went. The car was fine on slower roads but overheated badly at higher speed. Cost of new HG was about £350, and problem sorted.

Just watch out if you get high temps at motorway speeds. Very bad sign, in my experience.

[Mattvtr]

After warming up my vttr sits about 2mm above the halfway mark,whatever i do, whether my foot is down or cruising.

[adzvtr]

are you still getting the running water noise behind the dash. cause i had that and it turned out i needed a new heater matrix, my temp is always at about 3/4, but i was told that was normal by citreon.

[DarylVTR]

After warming up my vttr sits about 2mm above the halfway mark,whatever i do, whether my foot is down or cruising.

as a rule this is correct with my vtr. but when u plant ur right foor down she goes upto 3/4. (but never rlly over).





are you still getting the running water noise behind the dash.

no..... no strange noises atall, not loosing any water now either the tank on the radiator is still on the max level! It runs just about half mostly just on motorways it rlly quickly shoots up and stays on 3/4 , literally the second u slow down on the slip road it drops back down to a few mm above half again. Dont think its overheating as fan has only ever come on once sinse the radiator was replaced with a new 1 and the system was bleed.

[DarylVTR]

most people say the fan kicks in just after half so why is mine only cutting in when it goes over 3/4

[BLUE_DEVIL]

Good to hear your fan is working! smileys/smiley2.gif

[DarylVTR]

well that is normally a plus lol

but why it isnt comming on at the correct time is another matter lol

[WelshSaxo]

my 2001 vtr sits @ 1/4 no matter how i drive it! fan will kick in as the gauge gets to 1/2 way!

my m8 had the same problem as ur sayin he took the car bk new rad & everything woz fine after that!

is the new rad brand new or is it a used 1? any chance that it could b faulty??? it could happen!

i'd say if any of ur m8s got a saxo & u fancy it swop rads c if it makes a diff!!! abit of work i know but it could make the difference u neva know!

[DarylVTR]

radiator was brand new yes. Its not faulty because the water noise stopped and its running fine but the temp guage just goes abit mad sometimes. Been told its more than likely to be a dodgy sensor