Hi All.

I have a 4x4 petrol Royal Lounge and recently it started to run very hot. I have a Mason alarm and it did bleep on a few runs forcing me to pull over and let the engine cool. I did all the usual things to try and find the cause of the overheating such as checking the water level, belt tension, fan operation etc and all was fine. However, yesterday I changed the engine oil and filter and today the Townie has been fine. I did a 50 mile trip in her and there was no sign of her overheating. The temp gauge did not go any higher than three quarters. I don't know if the old engine oil was passed its sell by date so to speak and had thickened causing the engine to labour more than it should which led to it overheating but its certainly been OK today. Fingers crossed that the change of oil has solved my problem.


- (#376) Bill, 28 Mar 05 17:31

Great if the temp gauge mod/alarm averted a problem. It saound as if it did, but this comment may help other users ...

The alarm is VERY sensitive and if you fitted the mod. in winter, or if you backed off the setting in the colder ambient temperatures, then as we move into spring and the ambient temperatures are a bit higher, then the engine will run just slightly hotter and the alarm may go off for that reason alone.

Remember that the alarm feature is just to alert you to look at the gauge. The modified gauge will tell you if the temperature is higher than it usually is.

- (#376) Dave Mason (Sussex), 29 Mar 05 08:33

Dave,

Your alarm was doing its job and alerting me to the fact that my Ace was overheating.Before the oil change the temp gauge needle was on occassions just below the red and setting of the alarm but now that the oil has been changed the needle is going no higher that three quarters which is normal for my Ace. I have been for a run in the Ace this afternoon and again all was fine so it looks as if the change of oil has cured my overheating problem. A mechanic friend has told me that it might have been lack of oil in the engine that caused the overheating and not the oil condition. From now on I will check my oil and water levels weekly.

- (#376) Bill, 29 Mar 05 09:56

Good result then.

- (#376) Dave Mason (Sussex), 30 Mar 05 01:27

Instead of stopping to cool engine try slowing with heater and fan on full. Cools quicker unless REALLY hot and needing water, or low oil level as may have been you case.

- (#376) Frank, 11 Apr 05 19:19