unusual over heating problem

Subarubrumbyfan1991 · Post by **Subarubrumbyfan1991** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:32 pm

hey guys, is there someone that can help me,

i own a 1991 subaru brumby, i have installed a new radiator, thermostat, water pump, hoses and new coolant, brumby ran well for a few weeks, now it over heats in a really strange way that has got me, dad and a few local mechanics baffled, so i thought id ask the subaru experts.

my brumby is overheating in a way i have never seen, when you slow down to take a corner or something like that the temp guage goes up, and when you are driving slow it goes up, yet at idle, and when the car is doing 40km/h or above, the heat guage stays under half, can anyone please tell me the cause of this? it has new head gaskets, 12,000 km ago also so i doubt its a head gasket.

the previous owner cooked it before i bought it, but everything on the cooling system, and the heads, n a few other pieces have been replaced since then, and when it got rebuilt the mechanics said the motor was perfect.

so what would be the casue of the heat??

thanks josh

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:12 pm

Is the electric fan blowing the right way?

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:25 pm

Does it feel hot when the gauge says it is? Almost sounds like the gauge is reading runny. Cant be related to air in the system?

tony · Post by **tony** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:46 am

you have had all the cooling apart, check for an airlock in the system including opening the heater

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 8:27 am

Sounds electrical as in the gauge is playing up due to some problem either with it or connection. An aftermarket temp gauge may be an option. I have noticed SCA have an alloy unit to mount gauge senders in now - you cut it into a hose, is like a joiner yet has a sender screw hole.

I use and trust the old enginewatchdog.com TM2

Subarubrumbyfan1991 · Post by **Subarubrumbyfan1991** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:35 am

thanks for the help guys

electric fan hasnt worked for years, never affected it at all, how do you clear an airlock?

it has a belt driven fan that is on all the time, and the sensor appears to work, as about 4 weeks prior to this problem, the guage said the car was over heating and it turned out to be a ruined radiator.

cheers, josh

Post by **TOONGA** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:56 am

Smokey wrote:Does it feel hot when the gauge says it is? Almost sounds like the gauge is reading runny.

+1

When the new radiator went in were the temp sender and the thermo switch (the big sensor in the radiator) replaced or are they the original 20 year old parts?

Don't ever trust the gauge in the dash as they are very inaccurate,(old electrics mean inaccurate readings) for between 30-60 dollars buy yourself a mechanical temp gauge and use that. it will always give a true reading as long as it is installed correctly.

TOONGA

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 7:10 pm

When my 91 brumby had low coolant if i wasn't moving or stuck in traffic etc. The temp would rise slightly, but when moving (ie. air going through the radiator) it was fine. topped it up it was fine when standing aswell.

Cheers Cam

Subarubrumbyfan1991 · Post by **Subarubrumbyfan1991** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:34 pm

i think its the electrics, as i discovered today, if im sitting there n i put the indicators on, while the car is running the temp rises, turn them off and it goes down, but tomorrow when the cars cold ill put it on accessories and indicate, if the te,p goes up then, then obviously its dodgy electrics and i will put in a new guage

cheerrs toonga for that idea

n brumby kid, ive dont the low coolant lol that almost fried my brumby also lol but that was due to a split radiator.

cheers josh

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:31 am

my brumby is overheating in a way i have never seen, when you slow down to take a corner or something like that the temp guage goes up, and when you are driving slow it goes up,

it has a belt driven fan that is on all the time, and the sensor appears to work, as about 4 weeks prior to this problem, the gauge said the car was over heating and it turned out to be a ruined radiator.

Did it 'overheat' in the above conditions or 'other'

lickabout · Post by **lickabout** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 3:17 pm

Subarubrumbyfan1991 wrote:i think its the electrics, as i discovered today, if im sitting there n i put the indicators on, while the car is running the temp rises, turn them off and it goes down, but tomorrow when the cars cold ill put it on accessories and indicate, if the te,p goes up then, then obviously its dodgy electrics and i will put in a new guage cheerrs toonga for that idea

n brumby kid, ive dont the low coolant lol that almost fried my brumby also lol but that was due to a split radiator.

cheers josh

Check the earth connections and make sure theres an earth from the battery to the frame/body and another earth from the battery to the engine

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 3:41 pm

lickabout wrote:Check the earth connections and make sure theres an earth from the battery to the frame/body and another earth from the battery to the engine

Earth connections are such a pain in the butt!

If it gets rusted you get intermittent faults or just no earth....gauge etc appears to be dead.

I always check the earths, if needed take it off & give contact patches a good sand. I'v never used it but i hear dielectric grease is exc to stop further corrosion AND give good contact.

Also take the earth clamp off the battery & give the clamp & battery pole a good sand then clean. You might even find starting is easier

Subarubrumbyfan1991 · Post by **Subarubrumbyfan1991** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 5:52 pm

mine did the same thing a month ago :/
the only problems ive had are the electrics

Subarubrumbyfan1991 · Post by **Subarubrumbyfan1991** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 5:56 pm

its earthing everything in the car is

the guage seems to be working again, it worked perfectly today. and yesterday i wired up th eelectric fan to a switch so i turn it on manuelly. but on the occasion my indicators go really odd, when you indicate right the right indicators come on but on the dash the left light flashes and vise versa. and that was happening when the temp guage said it was hotter, and was going up when you indicate.

cheers josh

Post by **TOONGA** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:00 pm

LOL you obviously have a short in your dash gauges

TOONGA

Smash1911 · Post by **Smash1911** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 12:08 am

Have you got a tow bar fitted? I have seen many electrical issues arise from shorts in trailer sockets.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:32 am

Beat me to it smash !