Having bought my liteace in March last year realy pleased it spent 4 months after July putting in and taking out the engine due to overheating. After much money and heartache i'm not convinced I made the right decision to keep her.(Any one else out there had problems with Jap Auto Parts,Birmingham)
I have just come back from London to N Wales I did it in about 4 hours each way.One slight draw back to keep the temperature down in the engine we had heaters on full and the sun roof open and I looked like I had just spent 2 weeks in the desert and a redhead to boot.
A sensor has been fitted and came on about 3 times I droped my speed to about 60 and that did the job.
I love the space and comfort I have even mastered parking the thing in a space.
Any comments would be greatly recieved as I plan to use it a lot more this coming summer than the last Ha Ha Ha.
- (#7563) sheri stott, 6 Jan 04 17:47
We need a bit more info to go on.
How high does the temp guage go? Do you lose any water, I suspect not as the heaters work? What sensor have you fitted?
- (#7563) Clive (Brisrol), 7 Jan 04 03:00
I take it that the sensor is one of Dave Mason’s alarms.
Overheating on motorways, at motorway speeds sounds awfully familiar. It could be that the viscous coupling that drives the main cooling fan, is beginning to fail. Its not unheard of on the Ace’s, and its difficult to prove without changing the VC. Perhaps someone who has recently converted to electric fans could supply you with one cheap?
Regards
dave Bright
- (#7563) dave Bright (Bournemouth), 7 Jan 04 03:40
Yes, that 60mph limit sounds familiar for a viscous coupling.
I could travel indefinately below 60mph or 3000rpm but as I took it further mine would overheat and force water out of the expansion tank.
Mark
- (#7563) Mark, 7 Jan 04 05:09
I have a complete viscous coupling & fan off my townace if any one wants it as i have converted to electric yours for £20 plus postage.
- (#7563) Russell, 7 Jan 04 17:36
I don't think the "sensor" is one of mine. So it is unclear exactly what the symptoms of overheating are.
If it is one of mine, which does make the gauge pointer move around more up towards the red and has a user-adjustable trip level for when the audible alarm "comes on" then it's still not clear what are the actual syptoms of overheating - the trip level may just be set below the acceptable "normal" temperature.
- (#7563) Dave (Sussex), 8 Jan 04 07:35
I have one of Daves Temp alarm/gauge expander fitted to my new shape Townie. It reads between 1/2 and 7/8 FSD, I have never had it into the red. At speed (LOL) around 70mph+, 3600rpm+ it looks like it is going into the red, but viscous fans kicks in a bit more (is that right?) and temp gauge drops back.No beeps.
I have had passengers enquiring (unaware of this mod) if the engines alright. To the unfamiliar it may seem something is wrong, but I can see the behaviour of the cooling system is working OK. Mine will intermittently beep a gnats @8&* just before red (set to 4), even this means it is nowhere near a critical temp.Only once since fitted (7 weeks, 1000 miles).
I would concur with Dave, and if it is the same, the sensor may need readjusting. If it doesnt hit the red, I wouldnt worry. If this is the prob/sympton.
- (#7563) Marcus Rogers, 8 Jan 04 14:29
hi sheri
i got a 4x4 1989 2ct and had it since 1998,my ace blow it head and after having the head replaced it blow again due to the over heating problem,this was last summer,my main rad had a leak and i put the over heating down to this rad so i had a new head fitted (not second hand)and my garage advised me to have both rads recored,i was told that my bottom rad was well blocked and this was the problem with my ace over heating,the whole job set me back £1600,the new head alone cost me £650,both rads recored and fitted £350
and the rest was labour to fit new head,alot of ace owners only think about the main rad but the bottom rad is well worth checking,it may not be the case with your van,since i had both rads recored over heating is not a problem now.
- (#7563) dennis, 8 Jan 04 18:10