Overheating

[Baydriver]

2007 Grand Voyager 2.8 CRD 

 

Has anybody had overheating problems when towing a caravan on long hills? The temperature gauge rises steadily and would go into the red zone if I didn't slow down considerably. When the top of the hill is reached the gauge returns to normal very quickly. Friends who pull heavier caravans with smaller engine cars ( not Chrysler)

don't seem to have a problem, they can maintain 60 mph or so while I have to slow below 40. 

[Dazandtrace]

Hi i had the same problem. I needed new radiator. Also possible thermostat. The radiators are prone for blocking up.

[bignev]

Replaced the rad on my 3.3 sourced from ebay for £71 in mid 2014

Mine was leaking not overheating though!

Edited October 21, 2015 by bignev

[Baydriver]

Thanks for the replies. 

 

Dazandtrace, when you say you had the same problem, were you towing? I don't have a problem without the caravan, it'll normally go all day without any rise in temp. I suppose it could depend on the degree of blocking.

[Dazandtrace]

Hi the only time i had a problem was when car was under load. Yes towing. Snd we live close to the Dales so even up some of the steep hills without caravan on. But if you turn heater to full it wouldn't happen as the heater matrix would act as a radiator. Iv changed radiator and now all good the only other problem i have is the thermostat car doesnt go above a quarter on temp unless sitting in traffic the it creeps up slowly to just under half, but as soon as i drive it goes back down. So new stat needed

[Baydriver]

Cheers, I will look into that. Is there a way I can prove the radiator is blocked or just bite the bullet and hope the replacement cures the problem?

[Dazandtrace]

I took top hose off and bottom hose off. Put a hose pise into top hose and see how much flow there is. It should pee through it if it backs up into top hose then its blocked. If you do replace stay away from Chinese rubbish. Ifitted a nissans rad only cost 115 as got it trade from my local suppliers. Plus dont forget decent antifreeze i used 7ltrs so roughly a 50/50 mix

[QinteQ]

Stat

 

I cut a couple of inches from the top transverse hose and put an online stat in, two jubilee clips and it worked ok. I've never pulled a van or a trailer. The vehicle never reached above a 1/4 on temp even with a Webasto running in the cold winter. After the mod it runs where is should be at 1/2, reaches working temp very quickly and has never overheated in the hot summers.

 

Antifreeze

 

Hoat Go5 antfreeze, never mix it, never back flush alloy rads, rem to open the heater matrix full, always burp. I drained from the bottom rad hose, Hosepipe flushed clean tapwater in at the expansion bottle and out at the bottom rad hose. Used a 1/2 & 1/2 G05 & distilled water to refill. Tickover with the matrix open and the top expansion bottle burped it.