Over Heating problem

[matthaa]

Hi guys

I own a 6.0L SS ex cop car & it keeps over heating
any ideas on how to keep this beast cool???

[swingtan]

The best method is to not start the car. It's then most likely that it will remain within a couple of degrees of ambient temps.

Simon

[diabolic]

Just remove the police-spec engine heaters mate and she'll run sweet.

Dan

[JBonDSS]

if the did't fix it for you , try the basic.

Take out the thermosat & top up the coolant,
If its a jammed thermosat the car will no run cold, - order new one & coolant
If you are still have dramas you have a couple of choices, take the radiator out & take to get pulled apart & cleaned & flushed , else replace the water pump

[macca33]

Very cruel you blokes...:hide:

matthaa - I'd get the entire cooling system checked and flushed, it may be a leak somewhere, or a faulty thermostat, or the thermofans may be buggered, or not working correctly, water pump, etc, etc....

Cheers,

Macca

[S2VYSS]

How many kms has the car done?

There might be a simple leak in one of the hoses you cant see because its underneath

[redvxr8clubby]

At risk of an obvious reply - thermostat is first thing - either change it or remove to test if any different (wouldn't suggest running with no thermostat on a permanent basis), also are the electric fans working. You may have a problem with the fans especially if overheating is in slow traffic situations rather than highway running. Just a starting point for what it's worth. Hopefully hasn't got to the stage of blown head gasket or worse. I guess another possibility is water pump, radiator or collapsing hose (wouldn't think so on a newish car though).

[shep]

Take the water out mate thats what is making the guage read hot..

[smokey777]

Take the water out mate thats what is making the gauge read hot..

lol... i was trying to explain this to a work mate. if theres no temp reading more than likely theres no water :confused:

[Micks]

It would have nothing to do with the floggins it had as patrol car off course.:nyuk:

Cheers
VYT

[swingtan]

OK, all joking aside there a a couple of fairly basic tests, but there is an assumption that you can use a spanner.....


Thermostat: As already mentioned, this is the most likely cause. Given it's an ex-police car, it's probably gone past its 100,000 KM limit so there will be no claims on Holden. So it's up to you to fix or send the car to someone to do the work.

JBonDSS is on the right track with testing the thermostat. Personally I'd remove it and inspect it cold. It should look pretty clean and the large round section should be sealing completely. Then stick it in a mug of boiling water and it should open up. If the water cools down too quick, it won't open up so you can put the mug ( with the thermostat still immersed ) in the microwave and give it a blast. Once it's boiling again, the thermostat should open right up.

If the thermostat fails to open fully, then it needs a new one. If it operates fine, the problem lies else where.

The radiator may be full of dirt, bugs, remains of criminals run down ( in the course of normal duties.... ). Have a look at the radiator and see if it's blocked at all. If so you may be lucky and be able to blow it through with a high pressure air nozzle or even the garden hose. To do it properly you will need to remove the fan assembly and may even need to remove the radiator.

Don't forget to check the air conditioner condenser as well. It sits in front of the radiator and if it's blocked, will stop air passing through the radiator as well.

If it runs OK on a non stop 80+ KMH run, but gets hot in traffic, your thermo fans may not be running. Check the fuses and the relays to ensure the fans are switching on. If they are running when it's hot, they should be OK, but they should be checked.

The radiator may be blocked with gunk. Ensure that the correct coolant is in the radiator and that it looks clean. Providing the coolant is OK, the radiator should be fine, but again, it's worth a check. Ensure there is sufficient coolant in the system.

Ensure that the serpentine belt is tight and in good condition. This belt turns the water pump and it the pump is slipping, it will not circulate water correctly. There is a possibility that the pump has failed, so loosen the belt tensioner and make sure you can spin the pump freely by hand. It should run smooth and quietly.

If all the above are OK, then you are left with more serious problems. There only other things that are likely to be causing over heating are an engine running very poorly due to mechanical failure. It could be a blown head gasket, burnt valves or serious air leaks resulting an a lean mixture. However if the engine runs fine it's unlikely to be the cause.


Whatever the problem is, get it fixed fast. Alloy blocks and heads don't like getting too hot and have a tendency to warp. If you don't think you're up to finding the cause, take it to a reputable shop.

Oh, and for anyone wondering about putting a metal thermostat in the microwave, don't worry. The water surrounding the metal absorbs the microwaves before they hit the metal. That's why it needs to be submersed before going in.

Simon.

[VX2VESS]

lol... i was trying to explain this to a work mate. if theres no temp reading more than likely theres no water :confused:

thats why it was a dumb idea to get rid of the low level warning the early models had, that the best indication to a coolant loss

[SSV8TE]

Air locks are common too. Have you had the water pump changed by any chance?
Cheers,

Andy.