[istari]

Hi folks - happy new year.
I was spurred on by an earlier post on overheating of a TB42 to query what point on the temperature gauge most people see their TD42 safari running at.

I realise this will be entirely dependant on ambient temperature, driving conditions etc, however generally speaking, after 1/2hour to an hour of general city driving (1989 SWB safari) with ambient temperatures of between 20°C and 35°C, my temperature needle moves perhaps 5-10% of the way up the gauge.

This has been pretty consistent for the months I have owned the vehicle. The only time I have seen it really rise was pushing it at full throttle up a fairly steep hilll for a few minutes when the needle rose to perhaps 25-35% of the way up the gauge.

After a bush-bashing session of around 2hours solid driving at relatively low speeds, I had the engine idling for 10 minutes (30°C ambient temp) while refilling the tyres, and the gauge doesn't move much.

From people's experience - is this common or do you typically see much more movement in your temperature gauge? I don't want to spend money having my mechanic looking for a fault that isn't there. Is it just that the cooling system is oversized and doesn't struggle under average use?

Cheers
John

 

[FreddyN]

My guess is that you may have a faulty thermostat. My TD42 warms up in about 5 minutes, then gauge sits steady at about 1/2 way. With a very heavy load on a hot day (2 1/2 tonne boat) on a steep incline (Lewis Pass etc) after a 2nd gear grind for 15 minutes or so, it will go up to about 3/4, then drop back pretty fast. I've replaced a couple of thermostats in 11 years. Both times they failed stuck open (as I hope they should) with symptoms slow to warm up, then gauge sitting low - 10-20%.

 

[BeNos]

Yeah also sounds a bit low here for me. Should sit around 1/3 to half normal and will creep up when flogging te cuts out of it.
So get your mechanic to check your termostat and also wouldn't really be a bad idea to reseal the thermostat block below it as they can leak after many years and it's already half apart

 

[istari]

Cheers guys - exactly the info I needed. I will get it looked at ASAP if I can't be bothered doing it myself.

 

[Twinotter600]

Faulty thermostat for sure. I have run the standard and high temp with no issues in the winter or summer for either. (-30+ to +40)

 

[sudso]

Mine varies from 1/4 and up to 3/4 in the extreme. Even when it's 45C it stays under half just cruising around. Always goes up over halfway under high load eg: into a headwind on the the highways or up big highway hills no matter what the outside temp is.
At the halfway mark it is 90C according to my infrared thermometer pointed at the thermostat housing where the sender is and 85C at 1/3 on the gauge. In the manual it says that even 118C is within normal temp range.

Its a GQ LWB TD42 aftermarket turbo no i/c.

 

[turbo td4.2]

just rember too that there not the most reliable gauges. since ive got a 5l i put another gauge in just to be sure i dont cook it

 

[jcsafari]

Temperature readings

My safari indicates similar to yours, but don't believe it is an issue. I have owned it since 2004 and travelled 60,000km like that and towed a large caravan across Australia twice - no issues were evident at all.

 

[Jaido]

My temp gauge sits low aswell, i was thinking of putting a second one in anyways.

 

[FreddyN]

It's not the gauge sitting low that's necessarily indicative of a problem - there's probably some variation / calibration differences between senders and gauges in different vehicles.
What does indicate a potential problem is what the original poster stated - that it takes 1/2 hour of normal city driving to reach the "normal" temperature, and that indicates that the thermostat is stuck open (or has been removed by previous owner to butcher a "fix" for an overheating problem), then that "normal" temperature may be too low. Result is increased engine wear and reduced performance/economy - a high price to pay over the long term for a $10 thermostat which takes 10 minutes to change yourself. With correctly operating thermostat, normal (correct) operating temperature is reached in 5 minutes driving - not 1/2 hour.

 

[istari]

Well - replaced the thermostat and did a coolant flush and it is working fine by the feel of the top and bottom hoses.

The gauge is still reading very low so based on the common feedback above, it seems as if the calibration of the sender is just out and I will probably just live with it.

The vehicle does "feel" like it is warming up more quickly - it just doesn't show on the gauge - but that could be my overactive imagination.

Cheers for the input everyone.

John

 

[john.parham]

Hi istari,
my TD42 manual has never gone above 1/4 in normal driving around Europe since I bought it new in '90... Only time it showed any higher was when the rad fins had rotted with all the salt and loads of A/C use in the summer in 30C temps...
It has always taken a while to warm up, I assume just because it's a big lump.
However, my TD42T auto gets up to half pretty quick as it has an integrated transcooler.
So, if it's a manual TD42, just accept it is my view.

 

[1TUFGQ]

My temp gauge acts the same as the op's, only moves a quarter to maybe a third on the gauge. Never gets to half way and I drive the same roads as FreddyN, Lewis/Arthurs pass. (Over the alps to the West Coast).

Also work on Banks Peninsula towing trailers etc and anyone from around here knows how steep those hills are. I can hear the viscous fan kick in when it has to. My thermostat is fine and functioning perfectly.

 

[Twinotter600]

Yeah no kidding my TD42s take forever to warm up after driving my TD42T.

 

[Gypsy]

Heating problem solved for td4.2 turbo

I live in Mount Isa which is not the coolest place to be running around in with over 40 degree in summer. I too had an issue with overheating when i bought my beast 10 years ago. Had thermo replaced, fan Viscous hub lube increased by 2 bottles, water pump replaced,both cores cleaned out every 12mths ( i drive a lot of dirt road and bush ) and even put a new 3 core radiator in place of standard 2 core 8 years ago. All to no avail.
I had put up with the ol' girl's issue and drove to the ambient temp as required while travelling about with a load or towing 95% of the time. Most times unable to get above 105km without heating issue.
While travelling down to bundy my 3 core radiator had split so i manage to solder her up and got to my destination.
I chased around for a new radiator asking for another 3 core but struck issues with time frame and costs.
Bundy AutoKool (ph. 4153 3111) had talked me into getting a new type of 2 core radiator saying how much more efficient it was and with extra cooling fins over standard.
At first i was skeptical but time constraints demanded i needed something so in it went and i have been happy ever since.
From originally sitting just above half around town and 2/3rds on the hi-way with 3/4 on hilly terrain the improvement was out of sight with only the radiator being changed, nothing else.
She now sits 1/3 around town and only getting to half way on hi- way when sitting on 110km. Has made it to 2/3 when climbing hilly terrain with a load (towing) or driving thru long stretches of soft sand. Best part is i get to keep the aircon running all the time and not having to turn it off on those 40 degree days as the temp rises towards 3/4. Makes for a crappy drive on those 19 hr stints.
If anyone has a drama with over-heating and has tried all else, give AutoKool a ring and have a discussion as you maybe pleasently surprised as i am.

 

[spud027]

I have got an aftermarket mechanical VDO gauge.. normal winter running (Perth) sits at 65-70 as the weather warms up by say 15 degrees so will the engine temp to about 80 and running on the open road with the camper goes to 95...pushing pretty hard, occasonally back off or turn the aircon off at that point just for peace of mind (note the comment though about being able to run to near 118 degrees)

65 is third 80 near half and 95 sitting just below 3/4 on the factory gauge in mine..

Edit TD42 turbo, non safari with lightforce 240's in front of the radiator..

 

[Jacket_1985]

Hmm, just driving to Melbourne.... Stopped at servo, temp on 93-95 thinking that was hot enough.... Went and had A cold drink, come back to car......

 

[Jacket_1985]

Soon as I started car it went straight back down.... But far out it's hot...

 

[skivvia]

Hey,

similar to when EGR figures are given, I think we should stipulate where we are reading our coolant temps. I guess most are reading them near the thermostat, but best to be sure.

I measure mine in the middle of the top radiator hose.

Around town and cruising on flat highways at 100kph, the temp sits at 78 degrees. Up hills etc it will rise to 95. If the hill is many km long, and steep, it will rise to 105+ if I keep the boot in. I'm mindful of this (audible warnings help), and ease off so as not to overheat it.

 

[Shanfari]

Big aftermarket radiator + big extra fans would freeze is