Hot Summer Days and the Overheating Engine!

17/12/2016 05:00AM


As you would imagine Australian owned and operated manufacturer, Davies Craig Pty Ltd, has dealt with a plethora of automotive engine overheating issues over the past 45+ years.

Depending on your full circumstances, there may be a number of issues that could be causing the engine to overheat and it’s a process of elimination to work one’s way through each in order to resolve the problem. Clearly when the vehicle left the factory it didn’t overheat so there has to be a solution.

If the engine has been modified to increased horsepower in various forms, this could be a contributing factor. Some of the issues listed below may appear to be very basic and elementary but you may be amazed how many of these actually fit the profile of an overheating engine.

We suggest you go through each, crossing them off as you go…

 

  1. Fan blade facing wrong direction
    2. Fan blade rotating wrong direction
    3. Fan wired to coil or alternator (only 8 Volts)
    4. No air conditioning condenser fan
    5. Temperature gauge faulty - disagrees with thermometer in radiator
    6. Towing a heavy caravan
    7. Inadequate fan kit fitted
    8. Oil cooler obstructing ram air
    9. Insect screen obstructing ram air
    10. Driving lights obstructing ram air
    11. Number plate obstructing ram air
    12. Battery/alternator not delivering 13+ Volts
    13. Insufficient water in radiator
    14. Radiator needs cleaning/flushing out
    15. Radiator cap faulty allowing water to boil at 100°C
    16. Faulty Thermostat
    17. Electric fan motor faulty
    18. Electric fan not mounted in ‘hot corner’ of the radiator
    19. Engine out of tune or idling too fastLack of a circular radiator fan blade shroud

Finally, you may find the mechanical water pump may not be offering sufficient coolant circulation at the higher engine revs while towing. Mechanical pumps were designed to be efficient at idle and the higher the engine revs the less efficient they become. As the manufacturer believes the ram air will be sufficient to assist cool the engine, this doesn’t always happen when the engine is under load and therefore an electric ‘booster’ pump may be the answer.

By simply fitting a Davies Craig Electric Water Pump with the LCD EWP/Fan Digital Controller (EWP Combo Pack) to your engine’s bottom radiator hose you may well solve your engine overheating issue - if you have managed to tick off all of the above.

Go to the Davies Craig website; www.daviescraig.com.au for more information.