Higher running temp, am I being paranoid?

[Brucey]

I went for a 40 mile blat today to pick up some free g/box oil (thanks Goochy!). About 6 months ago I fitted an alloy rad & 82 deg stat to my 1400Kss after it started running near 100 deg on motorways.

 

I also flushed the system which seemed quite mucky. Everything was peachy with the temp sitting at just over 80 on a run and just over 90 when stationary (until the fan kicked in).

 

It has been o.k for the last 1000+ miles but today I noticed the temp starting to creep up to 88 whilst driving even though it was bloody cold outside!

 

Nothing seems to be boiling over, the heater is working o.k (thank god!) and I havn't changed anything (apart from the steering wheel!). The car rolls easily, so I assume the brakes arn't binding.

 

The only thing I have noticed is the car has developed a slight squeek when the engine gets up to temp. I had assumed this was the alternator, but I'm now wondering if it's the waterpump (although there is no sign of water leaking).

 

Has anyone experience of a failed water pump on a k series?

 

Any help, advice or reassurance appreciated.

 

Bruce.

[Mark Durrant]

I have not experienced water pump failure on a K but as it is driven by the cambelt I would take the cambelt cover off and take a closer look. Does the squeak rise with engine revs and have you lost any coolant 🤔

 

Mark D

Comp Sec

 

[CageyH]

Have you checked the hoses, to see if they are heating up properly?

The crucial one is the bottom rad hose. If you have an airlock, this will remain cold, the temperature will rocket on the gauge, and the fan will still cut in, but you will not have the correct flow in the cooling system.

 

Leave the car running for a while, and see if the hoses heat up correctly. Top rad hose, heater etc, and monitor the bottom hose to see if this gets hot when the thermostat opens.

 

You may just find that your water temperature sender is faulty.

[Brucey]

Thanks for your reply Mark (written at 4am )

 

Squeak does change with engine speed but the car is not loosing water.

 

I guess I should bite the bullit at 35K miles and fit a new cambelt, water pump & vernier pulleys (sitting in my shed). I'm just a bit worried if I have the ability to time the pulley's (I've collected most of the tools). I was thinking about setting them both to zero and taking the car somewhere else to have them timed properly.

 

I would also be a bit gutted to do all this and then find the head gaskit is gone!

 

Bruce.

[stephen grant]

 

Take it all up to DVA and get Mr. Andrews to take a look.....

 

stephen

 

[Brucey]

Cagey,

 

Bought the T shirt on bleeding the system (or should that be 'the bleeding system 😬). I'm pretty confident there are no air locks as all the hoses get hot in the right sequence.

 

I would like to think I've got an iffy gauge, but in my heart, I'm pretty sure it's reading o.k from the previous readings I got just after changing the stat. (got to just over 80 and stopped when on the move)

 

At the end of the day, I guess I can always wait and see if it gets worse, but I'm hopefully booked for the Dunsfold handling day and don't want the car to fail on my first ever event!

 

 

Stephen,

 

Isn't DVA in Milton Keynes? Hythe to Milton Keynes is a bit of a treck. Maybe I should have a chat with him on the phone. I guess his number is on his website.

[dangerous_bryan]

I had very much a similar issue, and have it again now.

 

Built the car, was bled fine and ran at just over 80 with the fan clicking in at 90 (next white line on the dial right?)

 

Then on the run to Le Mans it was running at 88 (just under the white line) and higher in traffic even with the fan on.

The 30degree heat out there seemed to help as what ever the problem was dissapeared before coming home and the temp stayed at just over 80.....and it has been like that ever since, raising in traffic and the fan coming on.

 

Always been a temp gauge watcher since then to be honest.

 

NOW - I have just replaced the lower hose as it was rubbin on the chassis and of course now I have the 'bleeding problem again! Ran the car and it gets past 80 and to the next line (90 right?) but no further and the fan doesn't kick in......so now I am not sure whether it is hunky dorey or there is a problem! GGRRRRR the only think on the car to give me a headache (so far).

[Kevsta]

Brucey, I agree with stephen, if you take it there he will let you do all the work and advise you and you only have to pay for what he actually does to the car! If head comes off then he can do a rough port for you while it's off 😬, plus he can time your verniers to be spot on the dot! Can't recommend him enough!

 

[stephen grant]

 

Brucey. DVA are indeed in Milton Keynes, so it's a couple of hours each way. A quick scan of the archives will reveal what people think of his service - I doubt that anyone else comes as universally recommended in the Caterham world. He's a busy man, but well worth seeing and I will always use him for my engine work.

 

www.dvapower.com

 

stephen