keeping it cool

[Muzza]

Hi folk im having a bit of bother trying to keep my 5 cool. Have the fan wired on a switch have had the head of over the winter new gasket and new water pump. Do any of you use that waterless coolant?? Or do u leave the stat out i must be doing sum thing wrong?? :coffee: Cheers

[Trevhib]

If weather of 14-18 degrees is overheating the 5 then you definitely have a problem somewhere.


Was the coolant circuit bled properly after the head was refitted?
Was the car overheating in this way (or at all) before the head was taken off?
What was the reason the head had to come off?
How old is the radiator?
When you say you're having trouble keeping it cool, where on the temp gauge is it reaching?


Don't take the stat out. If the coolant circuit is working properly there's absolutely no need to remove it.

[James5]

In addition to Trev's advices

You got the fan spinning the correct way?

[Alex]

How hot is it getting? The fan should cut in on or around the 3rd line on the temp gauge and bring it down to between the 2nd and 3rd mark (I'm counting the 1st line as the stone cold line)

[Mr Raider]

Check a diagram for the coolant hoses as someone may have routed them incorrectly.

When was the coolant was changed?

Check radiator for leaks, ideally remove the rad and give it a good flush through, the whole of the cooling system would benefit from this, if coolant is brown with rust remove bottom rad hose and blow into header tank to get it all out. Fill with tap water and pop a dishwasher tablet in header tank and run it up. Flush thoroughly with tap water, blow it all out blowing through header tank and finally fill up with renault type D coolant, £15 delivered from ebay and bleed up. :)

[Muzza]

Sorry folks took the stat out and its only opening about 2mm if even. So need to get one off them sorted. Do they do low temp stats or just stick with a renault one?? Should i put a temperature switch in or just leave it with a manual switch?? Cheers for the reply folks.

[Alex]

Just a standard 'stat is fine, don't bother with a low temp one - not needed. I wouldn't bother with a manual fan switch either, just leave the radiator switch to control the fan :)

[Trevhib]

Sorry folks took the stat out and its only opening about 2mm if even. So need to get one off them sorted.

Good effort checking that, I didn't think of that one! :) Did you stick it in boiling water then?

As regards everything else - what Alex says :agree:

[J$£5GTT]

As Alex says keep it original no need for a fan over ride switch.
:agree:

[Muzza]

Just trying to get all the parts i need then going to put it on the ramp and get stuck into it. Got a fan switch a stat renault coolant need to wire it up to a relay but thats not a big problem. Which oil you guys using because millers says 10w40 then auto data say 15w50 both say semi synthetic??

[Alex]

10w40 is fine for standard and fast road. Consider something like 10w50/60 if you're doing track days.

[Mr Raider]

10w-40 or 15w-40 Semi Synthetic is fine, mineral oil was specified when new or when running in a freshly re-built engine. Some people run fully synthetic depending upon preference or state of tune, personally 10W-40 or 15W-40 Semi Synthetic is fine. Also ensure you have a Purflux LS590 or Fram PH4546 oil filter as these are the correct size/spec and help keep decent oil pressure instead of random oversize filters that are readily available. ;)