11 replies to this topic

[Vendeta44]

Finally got my mini back on the road and I noticed the other day when it was 28c i ended up getting pretty hot in a drive through (hit red on my gauge) so I've been reluctantly driving it on cooler days and today (about 24c) I was doing some highway driving and it was getting close to red when I took my exit and immediately upon slowing down the gauge dropped 1/4 of the way down very suddenly and stayed there for the most part until I stopped at my next location. The rest of the day it seemed to hover at about 3/4-5/6th of the gauge. Just curious on how reliable the gauge is in this cluster are normally since it seems to act a bit sporadic. It has a new thermostat i put in before winter last year.

 

[nicklouse]

check the actual temp.

 

check the voltage from the voltage regulator. 10V

[cal844]

Check the thermostat rating....

[nicklouse]

Check the thermostat rating....

also that it is not sticking. or just change it with a known working one.

[cal844]

It could be that there is an 88° stat fitted but the guage needs an 82°? Or am I thinking out loud

[nicklouse]

It could be that there is an 88° stat fitted but the guage needs an 82°? Or am I thinking out loud

makes no difference.

[minitman]

I know you probably didn't want to try it but how was your heater? I am thinking air in the system which may need bleeding out.

I have had erratic temperature readings before now, and low water and air can give false temperatures at the stat. Could you actually touch the engine when it was showing hot? (I know it would be hot anyway, but was it unusually hot?)

Health and safety disclaimer DO NOT touch hot engines they will be hot. Oh and there are lots of whizzy things spinning around too. Safe now.

Just a thought

[Vendeta44]

I'll check the voltage regulator but I haven't noticed anything weird with any of my other gauges as of yet. I'll have to see what I can set up to get a reliable alternative reading from the radiator, might just put a inline temp sensor in. 

 

Thermostat is 82c. I also purged the system when I put that in as well as replaced the hoses with silicon hoses.

 

The heater isn't throwing any hot air from what I can tell. Though I was pretty confident I got all the air out of the system, perhaps my heater core is junked up from sitting.

 

I didn't touch the engine when it was hot, but the radiator and main hose were hot to the touch but not abnormally hot (though this is my first mini so just comparing to other vehicles i've owned)

[Dusky]

2 situations that demand a lot of the cooling system. Idling ( almost 0 flow through the rad) and highway driving ( needs all the cooling capacity possible). Sounds like your rad is plugged, especially with the heater not putting out anything.

[minitman]

Remember to turn the heater onto 'Hot' when bleeding the system. run the engine up to temp and allow the stat to open. top up as required. (NOT COLD WATER)

Holding the heater inlet pipe (drivers footwell and outlet pipe inside the car will tell you if you have flow through the heater matrix. Especially if you do this as it warms up.

Don't idle the car for too long once hot if you are having troubles. with over temperature.

[beardylondon]

Also a good tip I read recently, when refilling with antifreeze, best not to overkill with antifreeze versus water. Because apparently antifreeze itself isn’t as good as dispersing heat as plain water. So follow the mixture instructions on the bottle.

[viz139]

As you have just put the car back on the road, did you own/drive it previously, how was it on hot days?

Any issue with the regulator will usually show also in the fuel gauge at the same time.

What work was done when off the road, fuel mixture or timing can cause overheating?