Patrol Overheating
Submitted: Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 at 22:06
ThreadID:
35818
Views:
5437
Replies:
5
FollowUps:
12
This Thread has been Archived
Peter
There's been a bit of discussion about Patrols and the overheating problem. I noticed when I towed the van that the temperature climbed from the normal 82 deg C to around 100 deg C. I had replaced all the hoses and belts and flushed the system with Muk Owt and all new coolant. I noticed there was a bit of rubbish in the radiator fins so decided to get it cleaned properly at a radiator dealer.
'Overheating is common in these vehicles because of the fan' he advised me. He then went on to tell me that the fan itself is very efficient, in fact too efficient. They have found that in the area of the radiator directly in line with the fan, the coolant (over a period of time), seperates into
water and the chemical compound, this lead to blocking of the core.
They removed the header
tank (2003 4.5 Patrol with 98,000km) and found that 50% of the radiator was blocked. They had to pass wire down through each tube to clear them. Apparently they have found this to be a very common problem and weren't surprised with their findings. All is back together now. I'm taking the van down to Victoria and back for the next month so will be keeping an eye on the temperature guage under different driving conditions. Might be something for Patrol drivers to consider. I'll post my findings here after a few hundred ks of towing
Peter
Reply By: Brew69(SA) - Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 at 22:13
Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 at 22:13
Hi Peter ........a couple of things......... 100 is not too hot as under pressure coolant will not boil until much higher. Where are you getting your temperature reading from? What model Patrol do you own? Interesting to read what they have told you as it may help a few on here.
AnswerID:
183418
Reply By: awill4x4 - Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 at 22:54
Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 at 22:54
Hmmm, the coolant separating into
water and its glycol additives, I say Bulltish.
If your radiator was 50% blocked internally I'd put my money on a mix of coolants problem. Unfortunately, too many workshops have little understanding about the problems that mixing coolants of different brands can cause and if the customers car needs the coolant topped up for any reason they just use what they have to hand. This mixing can and does cause chemical reactions to take place and severely impact on the cars cooling system.
Regards Andrew.
AnswerID:
183429
Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 at 23:24
Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 at 23:24
agree!!
and 50% blocked with under 100k klms ?? Bovine Faeces..
me thinks you was reamed.
FollowupID:
440016
Follow Up By: Member - Boo (ACT) - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 00:43
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 00:43
Must agree with Truckster... the majority of what the workshop told you was 'quote' "Bovine Faeces" .
Have fixed hundreds of radiators (family buisness) and have found it very common for newish vehicles to get partly blocked radiators which is largely due (not necessaraly (spelling) in your case) to the radiator not being flushed correctly during its early life. During manufacture there are a lot of impurities left in the block etc that need effective flushing during the early kl's, that combined with possibly mixing of the coolants which could have compounded the problem and caused the contaminents to clot and block the radiator tubes. As for the coolant seperating into its different compounds... would like to see that one... at worst it may get a little thicker and cause dirt etc to clot together. This problem is much more common in newish vehicles than people realise. As for the fan being tooo efficient... the guy was clueless and telling complete bull@#$t.
Boo
FollowupID:
440033
Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 08:30
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 08:30
Strewth....bugga, bugga......
On the strength of the original message, I've just been out and cut off every second blade from my fan, cos it's just tooooo efficient!!! Now I come back inside, clean myself up only to find that you blokes are now saying that this could be bullchit???!!! WTF????? hahahahahaha ;-)))
FollowupID:
440063
Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 09:03
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 09:03
Roachie,
With that super efficient radiator you have, the fan could do nothing and still not be a problem surely????
Trevor.
FollowupID:
440068
Follow Up By: Nick R - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 13:41
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 13:41
agree with truckie and the others. We have a refrigeration setup which combines direct expansion cooling with an ethylene glycol system ie very similar to radiator coolant. this will operate at below zero easily, we see no signs of separation at -4. No matter how good a patrol is the radiator wouldn't get that cold under normal operating conditions.
one for experience.......
NickR
FollowupID:
440092
Reply By: Trevor R (QLD) - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 09:11
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 09:11
Peter,
I have had my radiator out 4 times with top and bottm tanks taken off and cleaned out with wire also. The first time they did find heaps of crap inside but since then they have found NOTHING to be concerned about. They have however found plenty of bugs and seeds in the fins to be concerned about.
Each time this has been done it has made sweet bugger all difference to the overheating, only my driving style makes a difference to my overheating Patrol. Slowing
mine down just a little is all that fix's my drama's.
This is one of the first times I have heard of a petrol GU overheating so I hope the radiator cleanout is all your probs. Someone has already said it, but 100c is not too hot but if you start running constantly above this (and up to 115-120c) then you should start to be really concerned.
Good luck and keep us informed.
Trevor.
AnswerID:
183455
Reply By: guy (sydney) - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 09:18
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 09:18
You may need your block flushed as
well because as the other lads have said a mixture of coolants will cause your coolant to sludge up, and some maybe left in the block, so when it gets filled again with another coolant it will cause it to sludge again.
AnswerID:
183458
Reply By: Robin - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 09:46
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 09:46
Hi Peter
There is no 2003 4.5lt Patrol model.
Mines a 2002 4800 , its has so much reseve cooling capacity , that I removed 1 of the twin electric fans as un-necessary weight.
Robin Miller
AnswerID:
183463
Follow Up By: Peter - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 10:22
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 10:22
Yep sorry all. I meant a 4.2 turbo diesel (slip of the finger). The cleanout was done by Red Devil Radiators so I hope they know what they are talking about! If not then who do you go to that you can feel confident in their knowledge of radiator systems.
There were some grass seeds etc in the fins and that's all been cleaned out. I wasn't worried about the temp getting up to 100 - just stating the difference the van made. I have 3 pillar mounted guages (oil, temp, volts) so that's where my readings came from. I believe it's not a real problem until the
water gets to around 130.
As i stated I'm not sure if what was done yesterday has made any difference, running around town won't prove anything. I hook the van up tomorrow (almost 3t) and then head off down south so that will give me a better indication.
If the info I was given is c**p then ignore it, it was just put up to give people something else that they may consider. Maybe if a fit a Hiclone and a Fitch things will be much better!!!
Peter
FollowupID:
440074
Follow Up By: datto311 - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 13:45
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 13:45
Given the mix of different metals in any modern engine I'd be very concerned about even getting up to 100.
Remember that aluminium and cast iron expand and contract at different rates and gaskets can take a bit of the slack, but ...
Noel
FollowupID:
440093
Follow Up By: Exploder - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 17:03
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 17:03
Maybe if a fit a Hiclone and a Fitch things will be much better!!!> I don’t know we will need to what for the hot word from BILLS on what the Fitch can do now.
On last count the new additions were
No leaking seals ever!!
Keeps the oil in your diesel from turning black past 3000K’s
+ All the other stuff this mystical devise can do
The problem with the 4.2 diesels in the patrols is in the internal
water Jacket design, so there is really stuff all that can be done about it. IMO
Cheers.
FollowupID:
440116
Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 18:51
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 18:51
Peter,
Where are you, Red Devil do
mine regularly at Toombul rd Northgate.
Trevor.
FollowupID:
440145
Follow Up By: Peter - Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 20:35
Friday, Jul 14, 2006 at 20:35
Trevor
In Bald Hills, had the radiator done a Lawnton.
FollowupID:
440161
Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 at 09:12
Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 at 09:12
Peter,
If you want, drop me a line at dieseldrifter at bigpond dot com
I am just down at Virginia.
Regards, Trevor.
FollowupID:
440201
Follow Up By: dj Patrol - Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 at 17:12
Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 at 17:12
Cant possibly see how it will overheat going to VIC this time of year cause its too cold down there so dont expect it to get to hot.
dj
FollowupID:
440269