| Author |
Message |
Jack (Gilles27)
Member
Username: Gilles27
Post Number: 637
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, November 29, 2002 - 3:27 pm: | |
I think the most enjoyable part was seeing the looks on peoples' faces as they saw a steaming Ferrari drive by. Sort of a poetic-justice-type thing. Actually, the holiday, plus a wedding I'm standing up in this weekend, have put the car on hold. I called the dealership where I bought it, and spoke with the head of service. He was of the "small things first" approach as well, and also gave me his cell # to use 24-7 in the future. I thought that was pretty cool. Thanks again for all the suggestions. |
KCCK (Kenneth)
New member
Username: Kenneth
Post Number: 43
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 - 9:05 am: | |
If you could still drive home, it might just be the fan's thermostatic sensor.
In my good old student days, I had a Jenseon Interceptor. Its sensor kept going wrong, apparently because of engine heat.
It was not a good feeling as you sat in traffic, only to suddenly realise in horror that your engine temperature was going up, whilst your petrol gauge was going down. |
Ken (Allyn)
Member
Username: Allyn
Post Number: 569
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 - 7:23 am: | |
Sorry you're having cooling problems. That was a big deal for me last summer too. I finally realized my otter switch was fried so my fan never went on. $30 for a Lotus...try what Lawrence suggested and test yours. The coffee colored water doesn't sound good though. |
magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member
Username: Magoo
Post Number: 3590
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 11:22 pm: | |
Like Rob says, check the fans. Start with the small things and work toward the larger potential problem. |
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Intermediate Member
Username: Peter
Post Number: 2219
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 11:01 pm: | |
Maybe the cause was/is a stuck thermostat. That would allow coolant to only circulate in the engine and not through the pipework to the rad...
With blown fans, I doubt there'd be a thermal meltdown, there's still plenty of metal to absorb and dissipate heat from the pipework and the rad (although yes, it would get damn hot and pretty fast...). |
Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member
Username: Lawrence
Post Number: 410
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 4:30 pm: | |
With ignition off, bridge a wire across the two bare prongs on the thermostat switch. The fans should come on when you turn the ignition key to run. You don't have to start the engine. Just place ignition where it is when engine is running. |
Jack (Gilles27)
Member
Username: Gilles27
Post Number: 633
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 4:14 pm: | |
Rob, I took a look at the fans, but I'm not 100% clear on what I'm supposed to do. I pulled the fuses just to be sure, but they looked good. |
Jack (Gilles27)
Member
Username: Gilles27
Post Number: 632
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 4:12 pm: | |
The water was coffee colored, but it had no feel or smell of oil to it. Not sure if it necessarily would. All the other systems were fine. Oil pressure and temp remained normal. Being in motion had no effect on the water reading, which was what I was hoping for. I'll try the fan override, but do they engage without the engine running? |
Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator
Username: Rob328gts
Post Number: 2836
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 2:14 pm: | |
Have your radiator fans been working and did the water temp go down once you were moving? If the thermostatic sensor is bad, then your fans won't come on when the temp requires them to. Idling and no air movement is obviously when you need those fans the most. You can bypass the thermostatic sensor by touching the ends and see if your fans work properly. It's located at the bottom of your right side fan. |
TomD (Tifosi)
Intermediate Member
Username: Tifosi
Post Number: 1900
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 2:02 pm: | |
did you lose oil pressure? |
Reiner Kaiser (Reinerkaiser)
New member
Username: Reinerkaiser
Post Number: 39
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 1:53 pm: | |
Jack, let's be constructive!!
I suggest you check to see if there's oil in
the water (coolant turns coffee brown).
Then, not sure about the 328, but on the
348 there are electric fans, and if those
are not running, you will overheat at slow
speed/idling. Do your electric fans come on? |
Jack (Gilles27)
Member
Username: Gilles27
Post Number: 628
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 1:25 pm: | |
Thanks guys. I was kidding about the "piling on". I was sort of between a rock and a hard place, because there was nowhere at all to park it on the rush hour city streets, and I was close to home already. I considered pushing it, but the streets were too congested. BTW, I didn't leave it while it was idling. I was talking to someone next to the car. I've done some stupid things, but not that bad! |
Philip Airey (Pma1010)
Junior Member
Username: Pma1010
Post Number: 53
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 10:27 am: | |
BTDT in my MGB in the 80s. Valve seats used to be heat shrunk into the head. Same issue as Jack describes. Seat in #3 came loose, went through the piston crown. Another cylinder (#2 I think) had the rings welded to the bore. Bottom line is cars do not like to overheat. The only consolation was a replacement motor was a couple of hundred pounds from a junk yard in England.
I hope your experience is better than mine, Jack, good luck. |
Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Junior Member
Username: Mitch_alsup
Post Number: 232
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 10:21 am: | |
Leaving a car idling is an invitation to it being stolen.
While I would not think twice about doing what you did in my corvette, I would never do the same in my F355. The difference is in cost to repair: Vette <$1000;>$6000 |
Joel Belser (Driver)
New member
Username: Driver
Post Number: 17
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 9:52 am: | |
My 308 has gotten air into the cooling system, causing the temp to vary wildly. It may need a simple "burping". Open (slightly) the valve near the top of the radiator, and with the engine running add coolant until it drips out from the radiator valve. This will remove any air in the system. Be careful not to overfill the system. |
JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member
Username: Jrvall
Post Number: 181
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 2:28 am: | |
I don't think anyone is piling on, sorry if you felt that was the case, it's just that stark realization that a Tow Truck costs about $100, Head Gaskits about $7K. |
Jack (Gilles27)
Member
Username: Gilles27
Post Number: 627
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 8:52 pm: | |
OK guys, no piling on here. |
JRV (Jrvall)
Junior Member
Username: Jrvall
Post Number: 180
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 8:45 pm: | |
>>>you drove the car home with the water temp maxed?
hello head gaskets<<<
yep...ouch. |
Jack (Gilles27)
Member
Username: Gilles27
Post Number: 626
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 7:30 pm: | |
I was wondering about the belt (thanks for the welcome, Bob). It was squealing a little. I'll check that, but also have the mechanic come get it and check it out. Hope for the best, brace for the worst, right? |
Matt Lemus (Mlemus)
Member
Username: Mlemus
Post Number: 668
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 7:08 pm: | |
Jack.
Bad bad bad. You should have pushed the car if it was a short distance. I would be more concerned about engine block damage now then about an overheat. Have you had your water pump replaced or rebuilt lately? When was the last time you changed your coolant? Have you bleed the system? |
Bob Campen (Bob308gts)
Member
Username: Bob308gts
Post Number: 379
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 6:57 pm: | |
First place to start, make sure the belt is still on the pump pulley and is tight. Next would be the thermostat.
Good to have you back where it is COLD |
Jack (Gilles27)
Member
Username: Gilles27
Post Number: 623
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 6:05 pm: | |
It was only a couple blocks, and there wasn't anywhere in between to leave it. We're trying to keep positive hopes here ;) |
Tom Bakowsky (Tbakowsky)
Junior Member
Username: Tbakowsky
Post Number: 51
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 6:03 pm: | |
you drove the car home with the water temp maxed?
hello head gaskets |
Jack (Gilles27)
Member
Username: Gilles27
Post Number: 621
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 5:08 pm: | |
Well, it finally happened. Had an "experience" today with my 328. I drove a short distance and got out, leaving the car idling for a couple minutes. It began smoking from the right side of the engine bay, and water started boiling out. I returned home, smoking all the way. Obviously, the water gauge was maxed. No oil issues, just water. Could the pump be out? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. |