Water Temp advice R400D

[W2TKY]

Morning,

 

Just recently traded up from a K series 7 to a Duratec powered one.

 

After four years with the K and trips all over the UK and to France I became skilled in the management of water temp that my car struggled with.

 

Did a 200 mile round trip to Caffeine and Machine yesterday, one of the first bigger trips in the new 7 and I was watching the temps like a Hawk, in cold conditions and motorway speeds it was hovering around 80' but on the way back we got stuck on the M6 and the temps flew up to 93/96 within a minute of no air flow.

 

Is this normal? And I'm slightly worried about my planned trips to France in the summer, do I need an over ride switch like my K had, or could I update the cooling system.

 

Cheers guys. Mark

[Jonathan Kay]

...  and the temps flew up to 93/96 within a minute of no air flow. Is this normal?

And the fan cut in and then the temperature stayed there?

Happy Christmas

Jonathan

[aerobod - near CYYC]

This time of year it is probably over cooling on the motorway. The default fan activation temperature is around 95C, so as long as the temp stays within 5C above the fan activation temperature, everything is fine.

[W2TKY]

Yes Jonathan, traffic went to a slow crawl so she got some airflow. If I'm honest I didn't hear the fan cut in. Mark

[W2TKY]

Thanks for the info, regarding the fan activation temps. I'll keep an eye out for that now.

 

Mark

[Geoff Brown]

Cannot comment on the actions of your car but my R400D temp seems to be very stable at around 80c with the fan coming on at about 83c.

Even in hot South of France weather + slow traffic car kept its cool with fan on/off as required.

[John Vine]

Forgot to add:  What year is your car, and do you also measure oil temps (on the same gauge)?

My R400D (2008) behaves pretty much like Geoff's.

JV

[ScottR400D]

My 2015 R400D also runs around 80, in cold weather under acceleration after a steady run it will drop a few degrees below 80 then steadily climb back up. 

Never goes above 85 even on a hot track day or in traffic  

Later cars seem to have a 105c thermostat rather than the 82 that used to be fitted. It’s been discussed on here a number of times. 

How old is the OP’s car?

 

[Petethediesel]

My 2018 Duratec runs at 95C normally, and the fan cuts in at 105. All modern Duratecs are designed to run hotter that the old norm of 90C. The above temps are gauge readings though ,and I have not tested and verified accuracy of the sender/gauge.

[ScottR400D]

I don’t think the engines are designed any differently, the later ones simply have a higher running temperature for emissions reasons when used in Ford’s cars. 

As far as I am aware, they’ve always used the higher temperature in Fords but it used to be changed when used in Caterhams, now it’s not. 

More recently engines have, I understand, come directly from Ford in Mexico, where they used to be finished by Powertorque in Coventry.

There are quite a few threads about it all  

 

[CtrMint]

Hi,

My 420 which I received in kit Oct 2018 has a 105 fan setup.  I do however think the engine is still supplied by Powertorque as an invoice from Powertorque was supplied in my kit paperwork detailing 20 engines, and their serials, one of which was my engine.  Based on this I would assume they aren't direct supply from Ford.

[ScottR400D]

Could well be. It’s just that someone on one of the other threads on this topic said theirs had come direct from Ford Mexico. 

It seems unlikely that a Ford factory would modify to suit the Caterham range so maybe it’s Powertorque who now get them from Mexico rather than somewhere else and don’t change the stat as they used to. 

 

[ScottR400D]

Could well be. It’s just that someone on one of the other threads on this topic said theirs had come direct from Ford Mexico. 

It seems unlikely that a Ford factory would modify to suit the Caterham range so maybe it’s Powertorque who now get them from Mexico rather than somewhere else and don’t change the stat as they used to. 

 

[7 wonders of the world]

AFAIK all the Duratecs now run with an 82 degree stat, with the exception of the 620 which they deem does not need a stat - but we wont go there on this thread.

So to have a running temp of 80 and a fan cutting in at 83 shows something amiss with the rating of the fan switch.....

theyre usually marked with the on / off rating, the higher being the cut in temp - the fan must be on and off like a tarts knickers...

You will find the stock engine runs under temp at higher rpm as the waterpump pulley is sized for tin top engine speeds and therefore the pump is running fast than optimal in a Caterham set up, you can get oversized pump pulley's or underdrivien crank pulleys to cure this as on track at sustained high rpm you can cavitate the coolant whichs had a detremental effect on it ability to cool effectivley as this process indues air pockets into the system.

The 82 degree stat is a stock Ford part from the Ranger and is an easy swap, the OE engine from the factory comes with and 95 degree stat with electric heating.

[7 wonders of the world]

https://www.burtonpower.com/thermostat-housing-assy-ford-duratec-he-i4-82deg-pr6595.html

You can buy pattern versions on eBay for less