New Barbie Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 My 1600K SS on Roller Barrells gets too hot. On the Stack it shows 86c ish on the run but climbs to 90c if the weather is hot and I'm e.g. in a lower gear climb. The trouble is that as soon as I hit traffic, the temp climbs quickly to 100c. The fan kicks in about 98c but doesn't lower the temp. Often when I drive off from being stuck in traffic, the Stack is warning of Hi Water temp and I'm as high as 104c. I have the ali road radiator, standard fitment to the Superlight with the fan mounted on the rear of the rad. I now have the R500 MBE ECU which can control the fan rather than the crude thermostat in place now. My questions are: Are my temps too high or should I not worry. 🤔 Is there a quick mod to have the fan cut in earlier 🤔 Can I run the fan easily from the ECU 🤔 Should I consider a different rad 🤔 Is Water Wetter snake oil 🤔 Thanks, I promise to like Led Zepplin if I get some sensible replies shrewdcookie - my site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCM Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 Put a lower temp switch in, but one that does not cut in to early as it will be all the time. Once you get to a certain higher temp it becomes very difficult to get the temp down, if you get it in slightly earlier the fan seems to cope better. Make sure you have a good strong mix of summer coolant in, this can help keep the temp down also. Wetter water is okay if you find its getting to hot on the track, but for road use I would balance the system better first. I dont run a k but the ideas the same for most. I would say you should get the exact switch temp advice quite easly here as it seems to be an onging issue. I run 80/82 normal road, 87/90 in traffic. Last week my kenlow fan went out of shape and packed up. Sitting on the M25 on thursday my stack was showing 114 without any probs in static traffic. Highest ive ever seen it 120, I began to sweat more than the engine till it came down. Regards anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug phillips Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 Count, 1.8 VVC roadsport, the stack reads at about 86 when on a run. The fan kicks at 95, in traffic it can run upto about 105. But all seams happy . I just hate looking at the stack when in traffic, it gets me worried . Doug, Su77on Se7ens See our web site here. Bugger...... I aint done it yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Chilton Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 Count, What ❗ You need an incentive to like Led Zep Just play it louder 😬 😬 😬 Mark CATCH THE WIND Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Day Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 Similar situation to you until I switched to an 82 deg thermostat (Halfords HTK 605). My GEMS ECU switches fan on at 87 deg & off at 85. Temps even in hot France & in traffic are v stable. MBE ECU should enable you to program fan switch on to whatever you want. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Day Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 & what's wrong with Led Zep. When you're dazed & confused for so long it's not true, reading blatchat is useful!! Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 water wetter does seem to work. but a modern rad (ie not the ancient black painted thing) and a healthy car should mean no problems. perhaps you have an airlock or a dodgy rad switch. slightly worse could be the thermoostat sticking. On an Emerald you just plug the fan into the ECU (can;'t remember the pin out) via a relay. should be as simple on any other pin compaitble ECU. HOOPY R706KGU Hoopylight R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 Forgot to add - water wetter does seem to work. HOOPY R706KGU Hoopylight R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 The standard thermostat only starts to open at 88 degrees, so your temps indicate that the entire system is working as intended. My experienece suggests that there is no harm in attempting to ditch heat before the temperatures climb so high , so an 82 degree thermostat (my favourite) and some sort of system to bring in the rad fan sooner wpuld be ideal. Do not move the fan from the back tp the front of the rad. Bad idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve-B Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 i've dropped to a 76-78C thermostat. engine still gets hot, but disapates heat very quickly when moving. so it may climb to 98 stopped on warm day/traffic, but drops back to 85C very quickly once moving (about a minute to drop). the 76-78C is a rover part GTS1102 and has a bleed hole in it to work better. 1 head gasket was more than enough, thank you very much. Steve 210Bhp Sinister Version-VHPD here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridgway Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Also the temp sender may not that that accurate! I had a dodgy stack sender which scared the willies off me! Can be tested in a kettle of course (take appropriate care). Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted June 19, 2003 Leadership Team Share Posted June 19, 2003 One of the problems that causes the temperature readings as stated is the location of the temperture senders on the K-series units - ie. too close to the block and exhaust - they also suffer from the radiated heat through the steel water rail, which again is located directly above the exhaust. Fine for accurate readings on the move, but stopped in traffic and the readings sore - but not necessarily the actual coolant temp. Speak to Caterham - they do a small kit of parts intended for the race cars that enables the temperature senders to be mounted further back in the heater hose or by-pass hose if you dont have a heater. they supply the blanking plugs to blank of the old holes in th ewater rail. Can't find the invoice with the part no.s, but if I do I'll let you know. Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted June 20, 2003 Leadership Team Share Posted June 20, 2003 73161 cooling submarine Rover 2 £23.13 +vat 1/8 NPTT Plug-XF oil gallery small £0.77 +vat PM12 x 1.5 T Plug-M12x1.5 Thread Vaux. £1.10 +vat Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Barbie Posted June 21, 2003 Author Share Posted June 21, 2003 Thanks for that, I'll give it a try Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted June 21, 2003 Share Posted June 21, 2003 Useful thread - thanks for putting inthe part numbers I have just changed to a RadTec radiator (today) but my fan does not seem to cut in anymore? The fan works if I touch the wires from the sender switch, so I guess it is a) the switch b) the coolant by the switch not getting hot enough to trigger the switch, despite the temp needle showing a high temperature. I notice the switch is mounted near the bottom of the rad, where as on our original standard rad it was at the top/centre. The rad gets hot from the top down, so would that suggest that my thermostat is not opening properly and so letting the coolant circulate to the bottom of the rad? Am I on the right track here? I am going to get teh 82 degree thermostat fromhalfords tomorrow anyway. thanks in advance! New site! mycaterham.com here 42,000 in 23 months! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted June 21, 2003 Share Posted June 21, 2003 Angus the switch doesn't control the Thermostat, that is self governing, the Switch controls the fan Have oyu put the Rad in the right way up it's more normal to find the Switch near the top of the Radiator Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted June 22, 2003 Leadership Team Share Posted June 22, 2003 It is normal on a K for the rad to get hot from top down. Therefore when it gets "hotter" it will also be from the top down - ie. fan switch should be at the top. Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 Stu, you could post those part no.s in the FAQ for future ref, as search is disabled. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 You know you might be right chaps - I fitted the rad a certain way up so the nice 'race equipment' sticker was at the top, as I have seen in some photo's - of course RadTec may put the sticker anywhere..... New site! mycaterham.com here 42,000 in 23 months! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 Ok - put the rad the right way up now (duh), and changed to an 82 degree thermostat - testing in drive, water temp reaches indicated 100 degrees - fan does not come on Annoying thing is, it worked before - surely the fan switch cannot have broken just being taken out of one rad and put into another?! Am I missing something else?! Is the fan switch a standard part - i.e. Halfords? If so, anyone know the part number? cheers angus New site! mycaterham.com here 42,000 in 23 months! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridgway Posted June 22, 2003 Share Posted June 22, 2003 check that there is no air trapped in the top of the rad, that's a common prob. Also you can (carefully) test the fan switch in a kettle as you know that will get to 100 degrees. Graham PS yes it could break! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 the fan switches are a pile of rubbish and break often. I had one that seemed to work when tested in a pan of water but didn't work in the car.... I have the ECU controlling the fan but also have an override. On Emma's car I fitted an override but have cured it with a new switch in the rad as well. And airlock in the rad will stop it working as well. HOOPY R706KGU Hoopylight R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 Thanks again! Pretty sure thereis no airlock as I was pretty thorough, lifting teh car as high as I could etc. I think it is just the switch not working, as they seem to be prone to breaking. Following a suggestion from Peter C I will fit an override switch anyway, as you have suggested Hoopy, but also get a new switch. Anyone know what he switch is/where it is from? thanks New site! mycaterham.com here 42,000 in 23 months! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 Rumour suggest its a VW thing... But Caterham sell it. Make sure you call it a switch and don't even mention the word thermostatic - or they send you a thermostat... Sometimes air seems to gather in the rad over time - I guess it gets driven out of solution... Its worth parking the nose in the air/on a slope, run it up and just loosen the top bleed screw. HOOPY R706KGU Hoopylight R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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