maxcaddy

Usually by the time the light comes on you're already down to a few PSI pressure, from memory something like 8-10 psi. If by then you haven't stopped immediately,you'll wreck the engine. The fact that yours has been on for a few days does suggest that it's just a bad sender unit. The only other thought is that if your oil level is very low and you're sucking up air, that could put the light on.

Any vehicle that's sat for years is liable to be a total dogs dinner of things now gone wrong which worked fine before it was taken off the road. The list can be endless including electricals, seals, brakes, contacts, etc, etc. Whilst its okay to spend some time/effort/cash saving an old beasty, unless there's something very special about that particular GV you could be wasting a lot of time/effort/cash for nothing . Had it been an E Type, TR, Series 1 Landie, etc the effort would be more understandable.

Got to admit that in actual fact the Yuasa I’ve been using is a 096 type which fits well by moving the connectors over a bit, and had a second use as my toy of the time was a SLK280 which also used the 096, so it gave me the benefit of being able to swap over if needs be. I checked how old the Battery actually was and found it was nearly 3 years, which (for a 5 year guarantee) wasn’t marvellous, but it has had a few ‘going flat sessions’ so yes, a replacement could well be in-order. However within my ‘Voyager’ file I also found a Chrysler Workshop Manual DVD which I must have got when I first bought it (2014), but had forgotten about and hadn’t used/seen since. This would have all been great other than I needed to then dig out an old Laptop which played DVDs, which after buying a new Battery for, and stopping it keep trying to upgrade from Win 7 professional, I now have it up and running. A quick perusal said that the IOD fuse could come out (which confirmed what Qinteq said at #3). The only other discovery made was that while the Radio/Satnav/CD still turns itself off, if I press the ‘Time’ button on it, the Chrysler emblem comes up on the display for 10 secs and then goes. This anomaly is repeatable, but doesn’t get me any further forward , but as it’s more used as a Van than a people carrier, I don’t actually miss it. At the same time I’ve now put back in the 30A pink, and so far it’s all working fine with no Alarm going off, and the Battery not flattening when left for a week. Which brings me full circle back to where all this started, and waiting for the next thing to go wrong

Well I did a quick check over and apart from the Radio (which can be a bit iffy anyway) everything worked, i.e. heated seat, lights, windows, wipers etc. After connecting the Battery, I put the key in the ignition and the Speedo and Rev counter did a full sweep, which is what happens when trying to start when the Battery gets flat, only this time it cranked well and started straight away. The Heater Plug light didn't come on, but it started fine all the same. I was going to try putting the 'Fuse' back in, but it was a lovely afternoon and I didn't have the nerve to upset the locals , however I will go out over the next few days, and try it putting it back in when I find a quiet spot. I'm still wading through the mass of light bedtime reading a.k.a the links to the manuals

Okay, I will refit the fuse, but beforehand do a bit of an audit on what does/doesn't work without that fuse in. I'm not sure of when the Key goes in ?, do I put the Key in the Ignition before I reconnect the battery, or as I have been doing, lift the bonnet reconnect the battery then put the key in to start ? I'll try another Battery as the current one (Yuasa 5000) has now had a few sessions of going flat. So, why is 'alarm disable a nono' ?, I am confident any thief/joy rider would want to nick something other than a battered 13 year old V'ger with 125,000 on the clock, and if they did I'd worry about insurance issues as and when it happens. Lastly, I've not changed/messed with the electrics at all, especially as it's more than capable of being temperamental on its own. I do have the issue of the Radio/Clock turning itself off after 10 mins/a few miles, which sometimes comes back again, mostly not, but that's been going on for more than a year or so.

Yo Nev, Sorry, I'm getting old and rambling. What happened was ............. (1) In order to stop the battery discharging due to it standing and not being used, I bought a 'dis-connecting clamp' for the Battery. (2) That all worked fine for a couple of weeks (i.e. every time I was back home I disconnected it) until I left the car for about a week 'disconnected'. (3) As soon as I reconnected the Battery, the Alarm went off. It kept going off whether the Battery was connected or not, and whatever I did to the fob made no difference. By then as people were coming out their houses I started pulling fuses and relays until it stopped, which it did when the 'pink 30A fuse 'came out. (4) I then put all the fuses and relays back in (apart from the 'pink 30A') and the car started, stopped, i.e it ran okay (Hence Post 7 says "With everything else back in place except the pink 30A it all seems to run OK now"). However the words 'run OK now' is limited to the fact that the car works, to be honest I've not fully checked everything it can do, so there could be a 'feature' or two that isn't working (cos pink 30A isn't in). (5). Because 'modern' cars are so inter dependant on their electronics (i.e. the reversing lamp bulb blows so the compass stops working) I have the concern of what other damage I might be inadvertently causing by continuing to use the car with the pink 30A fuse missing. (6) It could be that if I now put that fuse back in everything would be fine, but so I don't piss off the neighbourhood with my alarm belting out I'd sooner leave it out unless, as I say, its going to cause further damage to the car further down on the line. (7) All this happening lead to my question as to is there a way I can 'silence' the alarm permanently (and then put the pink 30A back in). Hopefully, you're now up to speed, or fallen asleep For Mr Qinteq, thanks for the links, I am going through them to see if I can ascertain what else that Fuse does, and to see if I can shut the Alarm up permanently, but it could take some time .

Well, Option 2 is what I wanted to follow, but not if it's going to cause further problems down the line due to whatever that fuse protects/powers not getting its 12V. If that (Pink) Fuse were to only cover the Alarm system then I'm very happy with no Alarm at all. Ideally does anyone know how to isolate/cut whatever wire/connector it is which powers the Alarm Horn ?. At least that way I can put the Fuse back and not worry that the Alarm will go off again if I disconnect the Battery for a long while.

Wow many thanks Guys . However what I was trying to ascertain was (because I have removed the 'pink 30A fuse'), what effect is there/will there be on the rest of the car if I were to carry on using it with the fuse permanently removed ?. When I removed the Fuse (yesterday) to shut the Alarm up, the car started okay, I then went for a drive and it stopped and started okay, just been out now and it started okay, so it can't have anything to do with the immobiliser ? Unfortunately I don't have a handbook/wiring diagram to know whats what

Well an interesting morning, after I raised the bonnet and tightened the isolated battery terminal, the alarm went off . It didn't seem to matter what I pressed on the fob, or whether the battery was connected or not, it just wouldn't shut up . By taking the fuse cover off and pulling out the fuses and relays it eventually stopped when the pink '30A CENTRAL' fuse was pulled. With everything else back in place except the pink 30A it all seems to run OK now, so I don't know what else that fuse covers or whether having it permanently out has any other effects ? I'm optimistic Mr Qinteq has an answer ?

I would go with another pair of originals if I thought they were affordable, and the car was worth it. Or I would seek out a pair of used (original) ones in decent nick. Depends on how long you're keeping the car, and how many miles you intend to do. To go for something different at this stage of the game is risky at best.

Btw, thought about the 'shelf fuse' idea, but concluded it would be easier to spin a 'big knob' then delve into the Fuse Box every time I left it for a while. If the car were newer/worth more I would consider doing more, but as its on its last year or two I'm happy just to keep it running .

Tried fitting the Isolator to find it only fits to the narrower 'neg' terminal and not the 'pos' terminal, which I'm sure is different from before as I am now breaking the 'Earth' and not the supply . Anyway I suppose it does the same function, and it certainly 'Isolated' my battery . Not sure if there's any long term effects by not having a Battery powering the car inasmuch as Radio Codes, etc, but if it stops the inconvenience of finding the Battery flat when you east expect it, it'll be a job well done.

During this enforced period of lock down, I find the battery (which struggles when its not used regularly) really suffers as it's now a few days between use. Consequently top ups from the charger are the order of the day. However as an alternative I've now bought one of these :- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Quick-Release-Battery-Isolator-Car-Motorhome-Terminal-Clamp-12V-Fused/111036600160?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649 with the aim that when I've used the car, and know I'm not going to use it for a while, I can stop the drain. I did have something similar many moons ago on an old Landie, but this new one has a fused loop wire, the purpose of which I do not know, other than is it a bypass to keep the alarm powered ? If anyone who knows what the wire is actually for, please let me know

Yeah totally agree with all the Stow n Go benefits, it's the question what to get next short of a small panel van with windows. One of the benefits I've gained from having S&G is that it takes full 2.4 x 1.2 sheets of plasterboard/OSB. Although not so good in France as their's are 2.5 x 1.2 which means the seats are pushed forward, and the tailgate can't be shut . That said, at just over 5M, I have to pay extra on the Ferries .

Yeah if only , I took my 'translucent bottle' off last year and did everything known to man, short of a sulphuric acid bath to clean it up, but it's still too dark to see anything other than a rough idea of the water level . To be honest at this stage of my GV's life, I'm just happy to keep it running and if I can get another 10 - 20 K out of her, I'll be more than content to remember her as a good old workhorse. My bigger concern is what to replace it with as 'Stow n Go' is such a benefit there's not much other than a full size van that would offer the same capabilities .

Absolutely, but my response was actually to the 'novel' advice to pull the bottom hose off in order to empty the Rad . .

Wow, I never thought of that

Hopefully as advised its the bushes , and if so very easy to do. One of mine failed at last MoT, so bought 2 bushes from https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-REAR-SHOCK-ABSORBER-BUSH-CHRYSLER-GRAND-VOYAGER-2001-2007-SELF-LEVELLING-ONLY/332167075184?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Shock came off very easy considering how long it had been on there for, removed the old bushes with a mixture of bignevs hacksaw technique and a small chisel, and had the local MoT garage press in the new ones, and bolted it all together.

Thanks Andy, yes there is a bleed for the Radiator at the bottom left which has a 12mm type hose fitted to it. However how in hell you can get your fingers down there to unscrew the tap that releases it, God only knows. I could only get to it once I got the old Rad out . It was actually a bleed on the Block itself that I was asking about. I seem to remember that years ago all cars had them, although probably a thing of the past nowadays

So, 3 years on and today's answer to the OP would be different to what it was then. The correct Thermostat (2006, 2007 years) is available at around £55 inc new sensor, which isn't too bad. However changing it is an absolute bitch of a job to do, and if a garage/mechanic wants a lots £'s don't be surprised. A new Thermostat made mine initially run better (presumably by either opening earlier or allowing better flow), but it still built up too much heat. Whereas with the new Radiator it totally solved the problem. Okay, I could have done some sort of flow test to quantify how much more water was going through the new Rad, or maybe it was because mine was also caked in 12 years of thick oily road dirt residue, but once fitted my problems seem to have disappeared . Conclusion is that if you can do it yourself, then it's a worth while fix, but I suspect if it had to go into a Garage and pay mechanics and full part prices, the old girl would be now scrapped .

So it was a nice day today, and I finally got the Rad out. Whoever the Clown was at Chrysler who thought it was a good idea to put steel bolts into steel nuts in-order to hold the Rad in place, but then have those nuts only retained by the plastic around the Rad, which after 13 years had all rusted solid and allowed the nuts to spin in the plastic, making me drill and cut each of them off, doesn't deserve rewarding . It wasn't a 5 minute job . Anyway, the old Rad was half blocked with oily crap, so I'm now optimistic the new one will work better. The other benefit is that the Rad off of eBay must have been wrongly priced as its now for sale at £136.90, and not the £36.90 that I paid

Is there a coolant drain point on the 2.8 CRD engine ?. I've had a look but can't see one, although I would have thought there would be one fitted somewhere. Trying to do anything down the back on the engine is next to impossible due to access, so that's where it possibly is .

In 2014 when I tried towing a significant load in my 2.8CRD on a trip of 600 miles it was disastrous, and caused severe overheating to the extent of at one point, cutting back the motor and an alarm going off (probably why 5 years later I get the overheating issues now ). Consequently since then I have only pulled a small <750Kg trailer when needed. The main problem was that the load on Hills immediately made the box change down, and with no lock you could hold the gear/use the torque, so ended up on a long hill going down to 1st or 2nd with the engine revving its nuts off. Some cars have an option for a 'towing pack' which includes uprated/extra Radiator which may be available, but in my case, it was something for the memory bank to hold and to be brought out for when the next car comes along.

At last, later type Thermostat fitted and it was as much a pig to do as getting it off. This later (expensive) Thermostat seem to have come down in price, and mine was £56.78 incuding sensor and gasket https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-THERMOSTAT-PACKAGE-68045469AA-CHRYSLER-GRAND-VOYAGER-2007-2-8crd/273885211824?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 It was exactly the same as the one already on there, and unfortunately seemed too difficult to test in a saucepan, so I fitted it hoping it would work well. So all fitted refilled with new antifreeze, fired it up to check for leaks, and out on a test run , which of course it half past and half failed . It's definitely running cooler, and there's flow in the top hose whereas before it was solid, but when provoked, it still gets hotter than it should Which leaves the Rad as the only area left to try. It wasn't fully blocked but equally wasn't gushing out either, making me think its too restrictive. So rather than strip that out to find it's not that easy to clean/empty out, I've spotted a new rad on eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHRYSLER-GRAND-VOYAGER-VOYAGER-MK3-2-8-CRD-DIESEL-RADIATOR-2004-2008/163907916266?hash=item2629ac51ea%3Ag%3A3qUAAOSwWktdytoH&LH_ItemCondition=3&shqty=1&isGTR=1#shId being sold for £36.90, which seems too good to be true ?. If anyone's still awake after all this, I'm always open to better analysis/suggestions .

Well I've got the old one off after a mammoth effort and what an absolute sod of a job it was to do, I see now why I put it off for so long. In the end the only way was to break the Inlet air pipe off of the Thermostat as there was no way I could get in there to unbolt it, short of taking the engine out. Okay dead easy when its being assembled on an engine stand, but 12 years later and buried in the engine bay, not so simple. Next, without expending an awful lot of effort I'm unsure that trying to get the guts out of the old one would have been that easy, so I've ordered a new one instead in the belief that if that were to last another 12 years/120,000, it'd be the only bit left working on the car . In my spare time I've been playing with a an old FIAT, and some of that is beyond belief, like you have to virtually completely strip the front end to change a Bulb, but in comparison it's straightforward compared to the GV Thermostat .