Alan Archer Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Has anyone had a problem with there VVC engine running too cool, it reaches temperature and the fan cuts in at idle but on a journey it struggles to get above 60! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted March 22, 2017 Member Share Posted March 22, 2017 Don't know specifically about VVCs but I think we're seeing more and more reports of overcooling on Ks. Mine does it after the engine rebuild but didn't before.Does that only happen on cold days and what thermostat do you have... and is it working?Beyond that it's a radiator blind.Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Drive faster .... or wait for warmer weather. In cold weather I blank off 1/3 or 2/3 of the nose cone opening with black closed cell foam between the 7 grille and the mesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Archer Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 Jonathan, don't know what thermostat as it is a brand new VVC lump so stat as from factory I would presume. I have only had the engine in a few weeks so no hot weather driving yet, at idle the temp rises. Ian, if I blank off some of the nose cone I would be worried about it overheating at idle. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonL Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I blank off two thirds of my grill also in the winter. I can here the fan kick in when stationary in traffic, but the temperature never gets above 80°C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Archer Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 Okay, so how many VVC owners are seeing normal temps without blanking off any of the grill, I can't say I am happy in doing this as it does not seem right!Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted March 22, 2017 Member Share Posted March 22, 2017 Would it help if you thought of the car as having a very efficient radiator and cooling system with lots in reserve?But I'd want to know that the thermostat closes and at what temperature it opens.Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Alan, as I mentioned to you off the forum, mine is a VVC 160, pretty much standard but with a recently fitted oil cooler. Before fitting the oil cooler the water would run at 80°C once it warmed up, warm weather or cold. Pushing it hard it may rise to 85°C. Since fitting the oil cooler, the water tends to sit around 80°C whether I push it or not in warmer weather and drops to maybe 75°C in cold weather if I back off and take it easily, say if I get stuck behind traffic. I have a thermostatic sandwich plate with the oil cooler but even so it does prolong the warmup just a little in cold weather, but even with all that extra cooling I certainly don't get it stuck below 60°C as you describe. I've been driving it a lot over the last few weeks, mostly on pretty cold mornings before work, and I've had no problem whatsoever getting the oil and water to both get up to 80°C and stay there. My cooling system is entirely standard, standard radiator, no replumbing mods. The only "modification" is a 2mm hole in the 82°C thermostat to aid air escape when filling it. I don't blank anything in winter. And for various long and tedious reasons I've had three different engines in the car since I bought it, all same spec and basically identical to yours and all behaved pretty much exactly the same. If yours is overcooling to that extent I would suggest replacing the thermostat with a known good 82°C stat. I know your engine is "new" from the factory and very clean and shiny too, but it did leave the factory at least 12 years ago so even if the thermostat was working correctly when it was manufactured it might have degraded somehow in the intervening years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Jonathan, no matter how efficient the radiator it shouldn't be getting any water through it with the engine at 60°C as the thermostat should be well and truly closed. A friend recently had quite severe overcooling issues and tried various "mods" before going back to an essentially OEM setup and replacing the thermostat. The thermostat that was causing the problem had a hole in the flange that was maybe 4mm diameter. He drilled the new one with a 2mm hole and the overcooling disappeared completely. I think the "drill a hole in the flange to let air escape" mod has become quite popular and works well but I think some people are drilling larger holes than absolutely necessary (not the case for my friend, his thermostat was.manufactured with a larger hole fitted with a little metal jiggle valve),and it does seem to make quite a difference, allowing a more significant water flow than I would intuitively expect when the thermostat is closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Archer Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 Well problem hopefully solved, looks like somebody had robbed the stat out of the brand new engine!!!!!Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted March 22, 2017 Member Share Posted March 22, 2017 So it might be closing perfectly... but in the wrong engine!© Morecambe E, Atkinson R...Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Done a bit of digging for Alan. His brand new factory engine was destined for an MG TF 160 which used a remotely mounted Pressure Relief Remote Thermostat and was therefore fitted with a blank flange and seal where the normal thermostat would go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 The emperor's new thermostat. Standard was 88C I believe. I changed mine to 82C .... which has been great ..... even driving in 41C shade temperatures in southern Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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