Overheating

[Richy-dick]

My Elan used to always run cool. By that I mean bearly, if ever, getting
above 80/85 degrees....and by 'used to' I mean ten to fifteen years ago. I
don't know what I've done to change the situation (if anything) but now, if
the engine is under heavy load (for instance, running above 70 mph or lots
of high revving) the temperature rises from its now usual 89 degrees and
keeps on rising. I'm getting a bit pissed off at having to slow down to
allow the temperature to drop before I can carry on enjoying myself. If I
do slow down then the temperature returns to 89 degrees but only until FUN
kicks in again. I've had a couple of suggestions as to what might be the
cause and cure but what do the people on this list think? The weather seems
to play a part in it but only in as much as the temperature rises sooner if
the ambient temperature is high, if not it rises anyway but takes a bit more
time about it.

Richard A Clifton
Wakefield

[rodney]

At 12:09 AM 7/6/99 +0100, you wrote:


Richard

If you are not loosing fluid (blown head gasket, leaky hose) then I would
suggest a broken thermostat, blocked radiator or blocked water jacket (mud
in block). The easiest to check is the thermostat.

Rod Steven
Elan SS s/e 45/7616

["SMITH, THOMAS B. (J]

Maybe this is stating the obvious, but have you checked the belt tension
(slipping at high speed)?

Tom 'staying-cool-in-Houston' Smith

[abstamaria]

Richard,

In my other car, the problem was traced to retarded ignition, so the car got
hotter as revs rose. Perhaps the distributor was nudged the wrong way.

The Elan also has a cardboard cover for the rack housing at the base of the
radiator and a foam sealing strip on the bonnet to force the air through the
radiator. Could you have removed yours?

Regards,

Andres
Manila

[sprinterdave]

In message <005001bec742$1963ea60$cbfdabc3@default>, Richard Clifton
<[email protected]> writes

cored and the difference is startling, no more overheating, don't need
to use the fan as much.

--
David Shiers

[rodbean]

Rodney Stevens wrote:


I agree with this one as the most likely reason. The radiators aren't the
most efficient design in the first place and then, when they get a little
mung (technical term) buildup too.... This stuff generally finds its way to
the thermostat and various water jackets too.

I would, on general principles....

Have the radiator refurbished by a radiator shop.

Replace the thermostat.

Clean out the entire cooling system.

Rod Bean
California

[Richy-dick]

Rod Steven responded with:

I would suggest a broken thermostat, blocked radiator or blocked water
jacket (mud
in block).

Andres in Manila then suggested:

...retarded ignition, so the car got hotter as revs rose. Perhaps the
distributor was nudged the wrong way.

and

The Elan also has a cardboard cover for the rack housing at the base of the
radiator and a foam sealing strip on the bonnet to force the air through the
radiator.

THOMAS B. SMITH (stating the obvious) said

Maybe this is stating the obvious, but have you checked the belt tension
(slipping at high speed)?

and David Shiers had his re-cored:


cored and the difference is startling, no more overheating, don't need
to use the fan as much.

and then Rod Bean finished off by with:

I agree with this one as the most likely reason. The radiators aren't the
most efficient design in the first place and then, when they get a little
mung (technical term) buildup too.... This stuff generally finds its way to
the thermostat and various water jackets too.

I would, on general principles....

Have the radiator refurbished by a radiator shop.

Replace the thermostat.

Clean out the entire cooling system.

Now me:
Thanks for the world-wide response. I imagine places like Manilla, Houston
and California test an Elan's cooling to the limits so mine in chilly old
England should be a cinch!

I have checked the thermostat and it is OK.
This afternoon I checked the ignition timing. Mine is the earlier front
cover with three unidentified marks. I assume the rightmost one is TDC and
guess that the other two are 10 and 20 degrees BTDC. At idle the timing is
at the 10? degree mark and when the revs increase the notch in the
crankshaft pulley is a blur between 15?degrees and 25?degrees. Does this
sound good or bad?
There is foam sealing the area above the radiator but no blanking plate
below it. This obviously needs remedying as it should aid cooling but was
never there before, it wasn't originally available for the S3 (which mine
is).
The car has a Kenlowe electric fan.
The radiator was re-cored about nine years ago (Ah! Didn't my first post
say it had been OK ten+ years ago!!). The rad is a two row affair. I can't
say whether it was three core before that but this sounds like it could be
the reason....
How does one clean out the entire cooling system? Is there a proprietary
product or does it involve stripping the engine and using a bit of wire?
Thanks for your comments. I think a three row re-core, accurate ignition
timing and the lower blanking plate should help a bit. Where can I get a
pattern for the blanking plate?

Richard A Clifton
Wakefield

["Paul Lane, Jr."]

Having had similar problems in the past, I agree. The most likely fix
will be replacing the thermostat.

Paul

[email protected] wrote:

[rodney]

Richard at 12:55 AM 7/7/99 +0100, you wrote:

snip


I havn't had a blanking plate for years in sunny Sydney. I wouldn't think
that this is worth the effort.

Rod
Rodney Stevens
Home Phone: 61 2 42942428
Email: [email protected]

Work Phone: 61 2 97106701
Work Fax: 61 2 97106789
Email: [email protected]

Elan SS s/e 45/7616
http://sites.netscape.net/rodjohnstevens/homepage

[cliveyboy]

Hello Richard.
I have just had a cover fitted on the bottom of the radiator when the Lotus
was at Paul Mattys at Bromsgrove it only cost a fiver for the bit as it is
only cardboard.
If you need more info give me an E.mail
Clive
Oxford. England

[paul_adamson]

<This afternoon I checked the ignition timing. Mine is the earlier front
cover with three unidentified marks. I assume the rightmost one is TDC and
guess that the other two are 10 and 20 degrees BTDC. At idle the timing is
at the 10? degree mark and when the revs increase the notch in the
crankshaft pulley is a blur between 15?degrees and 25?degrees. Does this
sound good or bad?>

Yep the timing is OK... but if i read the blurry bit you are getting a 10 degree jitter in your timing. THIS IS BAD and will contribute to warming. You are due a distributor rebuild. This line should wabble maximum of about a degree or maybe 2. (well
thats what I get on my cars, I havent bought a Elan yet!) This level will cost you power and fuel consumption, and increase heating none of which you want!

Brian
---------------------o0o------------------
Brian Scally - Philips Semiconductors Systems Lab. Southampton UK
tel : +44 2380 312654 fax : +44 2380 316303
mailto:[email protected] seri : bscally@ukpsshp1

[JKING]

I added a homemade device to my S1 Elan which I think aids cooler running
here in California. A front license plate is required here and the most
unobtrusive place to mount it is right in the middle of the opening to the
radiator. This undoubtedly causes some disruption in the ram air flowing
through the radiator so, when I first got the car 35 years ago, I fashioned a
spring loaded hinge at the bottom of the plate mount. For a while I had a
flexible cable (boden?) with a knob mounted beneath the instrument panel
which, when pulled, would pull the plate down out of the air stream. Later,
I found out that the cable was not needed because the force of the ram air
would lay the plate back. I don't have the grill mounted in my car but I am
considering installing it on the plate mount and let it lay back when at
speed as well.
Twice I have been stopped by highway patrol cars that were traveling the
opposite direction (they U-turned and caught up to me) for not having a front
plate but in each case they took a look and apologized saying they guessed
they just missed seeing it from the other side of the road.
J King - Pacific Grove,CA

[Richy-dick]

----- Original Message -----
From: A. Sta. Maria
Subject: Radiator blanking




Andres.
I'll let you know if I need the tracing. Someone emailed me to say that
Paul Matty Sportscars here in England can supply one so I'll try there
first. I have also checked out the price and ease of replacing the 2-row
core with a 3-row core in my original radiator shell. It is quite cheap
(60UKP) and can be done in a couple of days so I shall be doing that too.
I'll let the list know if it is successful. We are currently enjoying
temperatures either side of 30 degrees C so now is a good time to check it
out.

Thanks

Richard A Clifton
Wakefield

[abstamaria]

Richard,

You wrote: "Where can I get a pattern for the blanking plate?"

If you haven't found one yet, I will be happy to trace this on paper and
mail it to you.

If you look through the Elan's front inlet, you will see that most of the
radiator is above the inlet and that the straight path of air is actually
underneath the radiator (the steering rack helps block this path to some
extent). The blanking plate covers the rack completely and just has a small
hole for the bonnet spring. Then all the air is directed upwards. Lotus
seemed to think it was useful. You probably don't need a pattern, but, as I
said I can trace mine and send the tracing to you.

I since installed an aluminum radiator with swirl pot on my Elan, 26R style.
This seems to have brought down temperatures some more. The 26R radiator
sits further forward than the original radiator, so I am unable to use the
original Type 45 blanking plate. However, my radiator came with very
fiberglass blanking plates for the sides, which, together with a new bottom
blanking plate and the top foam strip, seal off the front compartment and
direct all air to the radiator.

Water Wetter works very well too.

Regards,

Andres
Manila (now 30 degrees C)
Type 45 DHC