Keeping cooler- Redline water wetter??
All,
have been told about a product from Redline called 'Water Wetter', its suppost to lower coolant temps?? anybody tried it or heard good / bad things about this type of product?
regards Andy :?:
If it's the product I think it is, it does work, though it doesn't actually reduce the coolant temperature. What it does do is break up the miniscus and allow the coolant to "wet" the interior surfaces of the radiator more efficiently. This enables a much more effective transfer of heat out of the coolant into the radiator from where it is dispersed into the airflow. So, whilst the same amount of heat is generated by the engine - that is a product of the work done - it is dispersed more efficiently by treated coolant. Like all these products though, it shouldn't be relied upon to rescue components that are passed their sell-by date.
Q
Eighty-five to ninety degrees Centigrade is fine for normal operating conditions. Assuming the pressure cap isn't leaking and radiator pressure can build up, then it is quite reasonable for the temperature to rise above 100 degrees, the pressure preventing it from boiling, within the constraints of the system.
What exactly are the fault symptoms that you are trying to deal with?
Q
Well, the temp seems to sit at the 3/4 and then occasionally when working hard rise to just before the start of red zone.
Not had the G long so am concerned that maybe running too hot (and given the tendency for radiators to block) I am trying to establish if I have a problem with the gauge of the cooling system?
The fluctuation on the gauge when electrical items are switched also points me towards the electrical gauge....
(F.Y.I The radiator was rebuilt about 4 years ago approx. 20k miles since. I have fitted a new thermostat and washed crud from external of radiator)
It does sound as if the radiator is failing to disperse the heat as efficiently as it should. Have you tried thoroughly flushing it out after a treatment with "Radflush" or similar product. At a guess, I suspect you have already gone down this path.
Do you live in a hard water area? If so, it's preferable to use water that has gone through a softener or filter in your coolant mix.
Yes, I know, :roll: I can suck eggs too! Though why anybody would suck :shock: when you should be blowing has always eluded me :wink:
Q
Not had chance to investigate further - but a couple of things occured to me....
1. I replaced the thermostat with a none genuine item - maybe it's not opening enough so not all water is being directed through rad?
2. How can you test the flow through radiator? - Should I be able to see some 'flow' when radiator cap removed?
3. No idea how old rad cap is - if its not sealing properly this will effect boiling point and maybe temp reading?
4. If a viscous coupling is faulty surely it will overcool not undercool?
Your views would be appreciated.
once engine is warm and you take off rad cap you can see flow rushing past via top hose.
if viscous is faulty then it does stay on so will over cool. Why dont you leave out thermostat and run like that then you will know if it was operating effectively.
if the rad caps not sealing I can only see that you will lose water over a period of time but cant see it effecting the temp reading.
Well just replaced thermostat, rad cap and temp sender in block (all genuine MB parts). No difference what so ever!
PP - you mentioned seeing flow in rad - there is little evidence too me that much flow is happening?? Maybe water pump? or blocked rad??
...Bottom hose and most of rad feels cold to me (only top tank seems to get warm)
Any thoughts?
when the thermostat opens it then pumps water through top hose and you should see it flowing passed the filler cap. Is the centre of the rad cold when temp gauge shows 3/4. If it is then rad is blocked.
When gauge is about 3/4 only the top 10% of rad fins are hot (excluding header tank).
When I stop engine (and fan stops) then the whole surface area heats up quickly - now either may rad is doing a super job or there is a blockage?
Have drained water and flushed - water seems to flow through core very easily (both top to bottom and bottom to top) Very confused???
Still think the gauge is wrong and have borrowed another for further tests this weekend!
I'm having similar problems myself, i had convinced myself that the guage was wrong as the guage always went through the red sitting in heavy trafic but never seemed to get to boiling point. Took it out on Sunday, was sitting in a jam & it started to steam, not the best position to be in when waiting to drive through a safari park full of Lions & Tigers :cry: Took out thermostat & continued, still getting too hot, managed to get it home & through the park OK though with no head gasket failure signs so far. I jet washed the outer core in a garage on the way home which helped very slightly as it was full of dried mud from off roading, still showing too hot in Jams but no sign of boiling.
Last night i flushed the whole rad through with my jet wash, refilled with rad flush & followed instructions. Drained it again, flushed it & jet washed it through again including through the easy to reach top hose for the heated unit & through the top hose in the direction of the thermostat housing. I haven't managed to make it go through the red since so i am hoping that i've cured the problem, still don't trust the guage 100% so will fit a temp one to try. I will fit a new thermostat at the weekend, without it, there is little flow looking in the rad cap so time will tell now if its cured.
My radiator was re-cored and now the temp gauge never goes above the half way mark. Before it would go into the red. Scaling can be a problem on all radiators and reduces the heat transfer.
All, can you tell me if your bottom hose gets warm when engine temp is up at 1/2 to 3/4?
Mine is cool - not even warm as are rad fins from about halfway down - pretty convinced I have a blockage within rad!
Any comments appreciated
Andy
My rad has been getting hot all over sugesting all is well but definately still problems with it, it now keeps a lot cooler than it did most of the time but still goes way to far into the red in heavy traffic jams so a re-core is next on the agenda
The gauge of my older 300 GD always seemed to exagerate the actual temperature of the engine. But for the price of a new complete instrument (they don´t sell the gauge only) I could not be bothered...
Have temporarily fitted a rad from a 280CE (as the engines are the same) just to see what happens to the temp before spending out money as the engines are the same. Temp now reads as i would expect, ie just under the red in a long traffic jam, but about three quarters normally.
So re core of old rad on the cards now.
May have some relevence to this thread, ergo -- I have been aware for some time that the needle on our 300GD quite frequently went into the red, though when bonnet lifted no sense of excessive heat & when radiator cap loosened -- nothing amiss.
So as I am getting her ready for MOT anyway I absolutly threshed her round and round the local circuit, intermittently stopping to let her idle -- on a nice hot August afternoon, nett conclusion was that there was no signs of overheating despite what the gauge was telling me. Next highly scientific investigation -- twiddle with the wires at the rear of the instrument cluster -- AH ha -- clear cause & effect -- jumping wildly into red & sometimes staying there -- so pulled plug -- scraped pins with penknife -- and result -- a well behaved temp gauge -- fingers crossed I have not bollixed sommat else in the process.
Marcus
Have to agree.....
after much fiddling with thermostats / senders / rad caps etc I had the radiator rebuilt.
The guy told me that old one was reasonable but was about 70% efficient (because of scale build) and that it leaked and would not hold pressure.
Took out for a test run.....according to standard gauge NO DIFFERENCE!
Replaced rev counter with proper MB scaled temp gauge - 85 to 90 degrees soild!! spent all afternoon thrashing around never went above 90degrees.
SO CHECK GAUGE FIRST!! you may not have the problem you percieve.
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Hi,
been tinkering yesterday - have installed a temperature adjustable electric fan swithch in top hose. This tells me that when my G's gauge reads 3/4 that the temp is between 85-90 degrees C. The (new) thermostat is definately opening and viscous fan seems to follow engine speed as it should (the rad surface sure heats up when you switch the motor off).
What is the 'safe' operating coolant temps?? Should I suspect the gauge?
cheers Andy