Engine temperature with AC on?

[TexasTJ]

Back in Late June my Rover started to leak coolant from the water pump. I ordered all the parts to fix it but before I could the rover started to over heat waiting to pick up a friend. Never got to the red and I turned it off quick. As soon as I started moving again the temp went back down. The next day the parts came in and I set to work fixing my leak. I replaced the water pump and seal, at the same time I put in all new hoses and a new thermostat. All done. I only driver the Rover on the weekend and I really don’t use the AC much even in Texas I just like the windows down. Last night while driving my Girlfriend to dinner with the Ac on, I looked down to check the temp and it was up a little from normal. Not much but enough to catch my eye. With the AC off the marker sits just touching the bottom of the water graphic under the center of the ark. While in the parking lot with the AC set to power level 3 it was setting a little above center make of the ark. Is this normal since I don’t run the AC much I’m just not sure. Also what’s the normal engine temp suppose to be?

Thanks

Nate

:beer:

 

[burn_e]

Sounds alright for me, but never never never trust the dash gauge.

Have a aux gouge for water temps and this read 75-78 C without AC - any time.

With AC 78 - 83C regular city driving and max at a 89-90C on extented highway or idle in traffic.

Outside temperature ranged from 25C-55C for these observations

 

[David Harris]

That's too hot, I think. That factory gauge doesn't even start moving from the center until you're up to about 240F. You don't want these aluminum motors to run that hot consistently. I installed an auxiliary gauge on mine and with the A/C on, it never gets above about 205 idling in 90-100 degree temps. The factory gauge never budges from it's normal point in the center of the dial. Even when I was loaded up and climbing over 10,000 foot passes in Colorado this Summer, it never moved, and the temp never got above about 215F. Mine ran hot sometimes like yours until I had the radiator cleaned out. Then it ran nice and cool. Also check the fan clutch. After the motor warms up, shut it off and check the fan's resistance to turning. It shouldn't freewheel. If it does then the clutch needs replacement.

 

[burn_e]

never never never trust the dash gauge.

aliastel, Your readings are the more or less the same like mine (just in the wired units )

The trouble with the dash gauge is that it only knows 3 levels:

1 Level: engine cold
2 Level: engine warm - everythings fine
3 Level: engine gone (touching the red area)

Otherwise it never moves

 

[TexasTJ]

Well it never leaves the center of the guage it just moves up and down about a 1/4 of an inch right over the temp graphic.

 

[David Harris]

Well it never leaves the center of the guage it just moves up and down about a 1/4 of an inch right over the temp graphic.

Yes, but once it starts moving up, you're already too hot.

 

[SpencerFitch]

Yes, but once it starts moving up, you're already too hot.

not in the little bit he is experiencing.

Im going to say, that gauge is HELLA unaccurate and Ill explain right, but once it really starts to move past about half its getting really hot.

In my discovery, new headgaskets and new thermostat.

Temperature cruising at 60mph is 186-191 with a/c off. With a/c on it is about 195-206.

Before my head gasket the A/C made a HUGE difference, of about 20 degrees.

Now the strangest thing is, sometimes my temperature gauge sits lower and my digital reads 209 sometimes its sits higher and its only 186.

So the gauge is absolutly unaccurate.

 

[David Harris]

not in the little bit he is experiencing.

Im going to say, that gauge is HELLA unaccurate and Ill explain right, but once it really starts to move past about half its getting really hot.

In my discovery, new headgaskets and new thermostat.

Temperature cruising at 60mph is 186-191 with a/c off. With a/c on it is about 195-206.

Before my head gasket the A/C made a HUGE difference, of about 20 degrees.

Now the strangest thing is, sometimes my temperature gauge sits lower and my digital reads 209 sometimes its sits higher and its only 186.

So the gauge is absolutly unaccurate.

All I can say is that I once had a hose leaking and the aftermarket gauge got up to 232F. At that temperature, the factory gauge hadn't even budged from the center yet. 232F is already too hot in my opinion.

 

[TexasTJ]

well I checked the fan clutch today and its working right. Not free spinning. I on getting the radiator cleaned out. Should I pull it to have it clean or can I just use a flush kit form auto zone? I'm ordered a Jegs Water temp gauge today as well, now I just need to get a T junction that will work on the Rover Motor.

thanks for all the help

Nate

 

[David Harris]

well I checked the fan clutch today and its working right. Not free spinning. I on getting the radiator cleaned out. Should I pull it to have it clean or can I just use a flush kit form auto zone? I'm ordered a Jegs Water temp gauge today as well, now I just need to get a T junction that will work on the Rover Motor.

thanks for all the help

Nate

Definitely remove the radiator and take it to a shop that can boil it out and flow test it. Good move on the water temp. You might think about adding an oil pressure gauge too. I tapped my mechanical temp sender into the heater hose coming out of the intake with parts bought at Home Depot. 3/4" hose size. For oil pressure I also used a mechanical gauge tapped into the oil cooler line entering the top of the radiator on the battery side. I cut the oil line and installed it with 1/2" compression fittings. I've attached some photos of both and the gauge placement on the dash. I recently bought some single gauge pods to put them in. I like the positioning right up next to the instrument cluster where they are always in plain site without moving my eyes from the road.

 

[TexasTJ]

aliastel,

What did you use to seal your brass fittings. I would assume that Teflon tape would not get the job done. Is the heater hose a good place for it as far as temp accuracy? Also when I put the fan off can I just get a universal fan too at the parts store or go i need to get a special one for a rover???

Nate

 

[David Harris]

aliastel,

What did you use to seal your brass fittings. I would assume that Teflon tape would not get the job done. Is the heater hose a good place for it as far as temp accuracy? Also when I put the fan off can I just get a universal fan too at the parts store or go i need to get a special one for a rover???

Nate

For the threads use some Permatex High Temp Thread Sealer. The heater hose coming out of the manifold is by far the best place for a temp reading, because the water there is at its hottest point in the whole system, having just run through the coolant passages in the engine and now flowing to the heater core before returning to be cooled in the radiator. Also, water is always flowing at this point whereas it won't be at, say, the upper radiator hose or thermostat area, when the thermostat isn't open yet. So, if you have a stuck thermostat, you could already be overheating in the engine itself before a sensor in the water neck or radiator hose will register it. It's also easy to put it there. No drilling and tapping required. I like the mechanical water temp gauges for reliability, but you could also use an electrical one.

On the fan clutch, I replaced mine with an Imperial one spec'd for a Chevy.

The following parts and procedures are required:

Imperial Fan Clutch Part number 215157
4 Bolts (Help! kit # 14040 10x1.5x15mm four pack)
10mm drill bit or reamer

Installation:
Remove your fan blade assembly from the old clutch. Use an impact wrench with a 6mm bit for very easy removal of stuck bolts without harming the fan.
Ream out the 4 mounting holes on fan blade assembly to fit the 10mm bolts from the Help! kit
Bolt your fan blade assembly onto the new clutch with your Help! bolts
Reinstall onto your water pump and you are good to go

On electric fans as replacements for the stock mechanical one, they certainly aren't required for good cooling, but I think electric fans would be great for water crossings, because you can wire them in such a way that they can be switched off at will to keep from spraying water all over the engine electrics when it is submerged. I set my old CJ5 up this way and it worked great. I would still rig them to a stand alone thermostat of some sort when in normal use. Also saves power draw on the engine from the stock fan.

David

 

[TexasTJ]

Thanks for all the help I got the new gauge put in tonight and it works great. Going to pull the Readator next weekend and take it to get boiled out! I think im going to do the GM Cluch at the same time.

Nate

 

[burn_e]

here's my set up for a temp gauge:

 

[High Center]

Gents,
Is there a "knockout" somewhere on the block that has access to the Jacket water?

**I bought a gauge on the way home from work after reading this thread...:sombrero:

Best,
DB