205 Gti-6 Coolant Temperature

[r.u.sure 0]

I have tried searching but can't really find much that relates to GTi-6 running temps.

 

I bled the system a little while ago due to a different problem, this was done by running the car until the fan cut in with the expansion bottle cap off and the bleed screw on the thermostat housing open. This seemed to cure the problem of a fluctuating water level I was having at the time.

 

Anyway since then I've been a bit worried about the coolant temperature, I did read earlier on that the gauges are only a rough guide but would be interested as to how hot other peoples GTi-6's run, or wether people think mine's running ok or not.

 

On normal out of town driving the gauge normally sits between 80-85 degrees, between 4th and 5th line, when really booting it it nearly reaches the 6th line which is 100 degrees, as soon as I stop booting it the needle comes nearly straight back to 80-85 degrees.

 

However in slow traffic or if sat idling for a bit within about 30 seconds the needle's on the move and within a couple of minutes is nearly up to 100 degrees, the slow speed fan doesn't seem to do anything at all, but is working and the temperature only starts to come back down to about 95 degrees when the high speed fan cuts in and has been on for about 3-5 minutes. As soon as I get going again at a decent speed the needle goes back to about 80-85 degrees again.

 

Sorry if this has been covered and I couldn't find it, but would appreciate any help or advice.

 

Many thanks

 

Dave

[TurboSam 5]

Mine seems pretty much the same as that really, it seems happy enough.

[r.u.sure 0]

Nice one, thanks very much for the quick reply.

 

Will stop worrying about it now and get on and enjoy it.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Spiky 37]

sorry about this.

 

but mine stays at 4 around town and flat out on normal roads

 

stop in traffic and it rises to a maximum of 3/4 then falls with fans

 

 

 

on track it goes to about 5-6 max. remember thats flat out 5500-7500 for 20 mins on track

 

personnally think you have a air block, or rad not the best.

 

for the sake of 40quid i'd do what i did and fit a brand new nissens rad

[TurboSam 5]

Might just be down to different senders and gauges giving different readings.

 

I'm fairly confident that mines ok, its got a good radiatior and hasn't got any airlocks or anything.

 

Mine hasn't got the water/oil cooler and it is plumbed in as Alastair says if it makes any difference..

Edited November 7, 2007 by TurboSam

[Spiky 37]

agreed, different cars will probably show,

 

but the comment of it rising when he puts his foot down

 

does it rise instantly? what bout going up hills? does it climbe then???

[Garry 1]

Mine sits vertical during normal running (can't remember which lines) but does get very hot on track ie 3/4, although it doesn't get any hotter, if you know what I mean.

 

I used to find the same with the oil. I wasn't running any sort of oil cooler, but since fitting a 13 row x 235 one I have found the oil is a lot cooler and so is the water. Which may be worth trying?

[Spiky 37]

Mine sits vertical during normal running (can't remember which lines) but does get very hot on track ie 3/4, although it doesn't get any hotter, if you know what I mean.

 

I used to find the same with the oil. I wasn't running any sort of oil cooler, but since fitting a 13 row x 235 one I have found the oil is a lot cooler and so is the water. Which may be worth trying?

 

 

yours is almost identical to mine...

 

i'd just took delivery today in fact of a 16 rom 235 mocal cooler with stat,

 

 

at donnington sunday oil was half to 3/4 and water was just past half

 

 

crost in september,, both water and oil sat at 3/4 all day on track, bar cool down laps when they came down,

 

perfect if you ask me,

 

hoping to see cooler oil with the new cooler on though, and as you, the water temps drop too

[Alastairh 47]

Mine was similar to Garry's aswell

[Garry 1]

You may find you need to cover the oil cooler for normal driving, I use a Crunchy nut cornflakes box! Although it has an oil stat, oil still passes through. I find without the cornflakes the oil temp barely registers during normal driving, which isn't too good!

[Spiky 37]

You may find you need to cover the oil cooler for normal driving, I use a Crunchy nut cornflakes box! Although it has an oil stat, oil still passes through. I find without the cornflakes the oil temp barely registers during normal driving, which isn't too good!

 

 

surely that means it's faulty?

[Anthony 1,003]

Are people mentioning high coolant temperatures on track still using the standard GTi-6 oil-water heat exchanger? If so, that's likely to be part of the problem - my experience of them on 205/309's is that on track they just drag the coolant temperature up as the oil gets hot, and without the heat exchanger fitted, the coolant temperature stays noticeably lower.

 

With regards the original poster, I'd certainly be suspicious of the condition of the radiator if the coolant temperature is climbing to 100 degrees under acceleration, as really on a cooling system in good condition and with sufficient cooling capacity there shouldn't be a noticeable rise in temperature with brief acceleration and high-rev blats - especially during road use with the ambient temperature struggling to reach 10 degrees at this time of year.

 

Certainly my ZX TD coolant temperature climbs a good 10-15 degrees if you keep it on full boost or during prolonged high-speed motorway driving, and that's down to the radiator which is in terrible condition with about half the fins badly corroded or missing! Reminds me that I really should get around to swapping that....

[Spiky 37]

Are people mentioning high coolant temperatures on track still using the standard GTi-6 oil-water heat exchanger? If so, that's likely to be part of the problem - my experience of them on 205/309's is that on track they just drag the coolant temperature up as the oil gets hot, and without the heat exchanger fitted, the coolant temperature stays noticeably lower.

 

yeah i am, hence i just bought a oil cooler, and agree about dragging the coolant level up

 

With regards the original poster, I'd certainly be suspicious of the condition of the radiator if the coolant temperature is climbing to 100 degrees under acceleration, as really on a cooling system in good condition and with sufficient cooling capacity there shouldn't be a noticeable rise in temperature with brief acceleration and high-rev blats - especially during road use with the ambient temperature struggling to reach 10 degrees at this time of year.

 

yeah, also agree, hence buy a new rad

 

Certainly my ZX TD coolant temperature climbs a good 10-15 degrees if you keep it on full boost or during prolonged high-speed motorway driving, and that's down to the radiator which is in terrible condition with about half the fins badly corroded or missing! Reminds me that I really should get around to swapping that....

 

my 306 TD is exactly the same, there are NO fins on the bottom of my rad, it's it next job after the rear subframe mounts(knocking)

[Garry 1]

surely that means it's faulty?

 

I don't think so, it just doesn't fully close and seal. It has been mentioned before so I assumed it was the norm. I have a sandwich plate one, maybe a separate oil stat may be better?

 

I don't have the heat exchanger thing and my car has always run 'hot' when pushing on.

[Matt Holley 11]

Mine runs 3 from the end on normal driving 2 from the end on hard road driving and I have had it 1 from the end on track.

 

I have got a new nissens rad to go in before my next track day in december and I might bypass the oil cooler to see if that helps things.

 

Does anyone see a problem with joining the to pipes together that go through the oil cooler for now? or would I be better just blanking them? I have one coming from the top hose and the other comes off the bottom hose.

 

I will be running an air to oil cooler later on but money is tight at the moment.

[Spiky 37]

when i fit my oil cooler, i'm going to blank them,

 

i think you should too

[Matt Holley 11]

Yes I think I will, I was hoping the group buy on the stat housing would come together and then run a normal 205 top hose and get a new bottom hose without the take off on it to take it all out but not looking good at the moment

[Spiky 37]

 

i know of a plan

[r.u.sure 0]

Thanks for the replies regarding this, the situation at the moment is I'm going to have the system drained and refilled at a garage and they're going to take the thermostat out and see what it runs like from there.

 

The rad is only 4 months old and I've only done about 3,000 miles with it, I have got another rad to use if needed.

 

Litlle test I did the other day, If I boot it in 3rd up to 6500 rpm by the time I get to 5,000 rpm in 4th the temp is up to about 90 degrees and still climbing and if I sit idling within 2 and a half minutes the gauge is up to nearly 100 degrees, going uphill does'nt seem to make any difference.

 

The garage said to give his idea a go and see what happens, suggested that if it still overheats it could be the water pump.

 

Think I'll ask him to change the rad as a precaution anyway.

 

Will see what happens and post any news.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

Edited November 10, 2007 by r.u.sure

[Spiky 37]

or your head gasket has gone, or cracked block/head

[r.u.sure 0]

or your head gasket has gone, or cracked block/head

 

Really hope not.

 

See how it goes

Edited November 10, 2007 by r.u.sure