Overheating?

[bradc]

After idling for a while, or just crawling through traffic I've noticed that the temperature gauge starts to go up, it probably climbs to about 80% of the way up the gauge (assuming 50% is where the car normally runs at). Of course I turn the heater on full as soon as I see this, hopefully it isn't causing any real damage.

I've only seen it happen twice, and both of these were after I had the radiator swapped when the top tank of it burst. I've checked that both radiator fans are spinning, and that it is full of water, so I'm a little bit lost as to what the problem could be.

As soon as the car starts moving again above say 50kph, then the temperature drops straight down again.

[zedy1]

has the system been bled?

[bradc]

yes it has been.

This morning when I got to work the temp gauge was slightly above normal, I popped the bonnet and found that neither radiator fan was going, I left it for another minute or so, and neither fan came on at all, by this stage the temp gauge was at about the 75% level, before I chickened out and shut the car off. This is a little strange, because I know that the fans have been going, I could hear them a little bit further up the road this morning.

The only thing I could think of is a loose connection to power the fans, or maybe the fan controller itself is playing up

[KiwiTT]

Take the car to Vercoe Radiators in Newmarket to have it checked. They did a good job on mine when it had to be replaced.

Is it still under warranty ?

[i3ooyah]

maybe get a lower temp thermostat? maybe they've put the wrong one in

[Kenneth]

Could have ferked the temp sensor some how... Thats what controls the fans yes? Never really looked myself but thats my assupmtion

[bernmc]

Does sound like a fan or controller problem - if it cools down when you get airflow across the rad (ie when moving at a decent speed), then it must be something to do with the fans. If you have a fiddle, you should be able to bypass the sensing circuit, and have the fans permanently on - try it and see if you still have the problem.