Ultraguage, 185 deg. T-stat, and ramblings
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Mudding
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Ultraguage, 185 deg. T-stat, and ramblings
So I got my ultra guage and some cooling overhaul parts this weekend. Stuck the ultra-guage on and drove up a moderate incline at 45MPH, ambient outside temps around 95F and saw my coolant read over 220F with idle hovering around 215-220F.
I was terrified I'd not only need the T-stat but also a radiator and fan clutch. I was roasting my engine and if I didn't do something, big repairs were only a few heat-cycles away. As many here already know and countlessly tell new owners: THE TEMP NEEDLE WAS IN THE CENTER THE ENTIRE TIME!
I cringe to think what my temps reached when the gauge slowly went above the middle last week at a McDonalds drive through that prompted me to order the ultra gauge. I was probably risking a $2k head gasket repair right there waiting for my kids' Happy Meals.
Since I had the parts and it was a weekend, I decided to install the TD5 T-stat and seeing what would happen before dropping $400 on radiator and fan clutch the following Monday.
After the install, Idle temps went right up to 185F and sat there with an occasional burst to 188F. Remember, this is dry Utah heat, 100F ambient, and I'm lucky enough to have a Black Rover.
A stress test up a dirt-road mountain got the temps up to near 210F, but more importantly, they quickly dropped back to 185F as soon as I began my decent.
A 30-45MPH off-road excursion in the West Desert, with temps over 100F (at one point the IAT was reporting 155F in the intake duct), the Ultraguage reported the engine nicely running between 188F and 196F. The only time I have ever got above the low 200s was the previous steep, slow, under-load, off-road incline in 100F ambient.
Those seem like very sweet numbers to me. My T-stat was an original (marked '98, my disco is a '99). The top was brown, baked brown. I didn't realize it was supposed to be green until I pulled it out and looked at the bottom half.
The high-tech dex-cool sludge was baked on the springs. Ports were open, but corrosion was evident. I'm a little upset that Great Basin Rovers didn't replace the T-stat when they did the Head-Gasket change. I'll give GBR the benefit of the doubt that it was the original owner who opted out, as nobody wants to get "taken" by the shop..
Long story short: New owners of DISCOs: You MUST replace the front shaft with a serviceable unit, buy an ultra guage, AND install a 185F T-stat before doing any kind of extended driving. If you don't, you are risking losing the engine, tranny, and/or both. Frankly, plan on $1000 above the already cheap purchase price of a used disco 2 in order to save your self from $4k repairs and head aches in the future.
It's only a matter of time folks. It's looking to me like most of the Rover's faults can be easily fixed with a little bit of TLC and awareness.
Now I can monitor things and HOPEFULLY my disco will end up in the 200k mile club, like a few of you lucky owners, and not end up in the junkyard like so many unlucky and neglected trucks.
I was terrified I'd not only need the T-stat but also a radiator and fan clutch. I was roasting my engine and if I didn't do something, big repairs were only a few heat-cycles away. As many here already know and countlessly tell new owners: THE TEMP NEEDLE WAS IN THE CENTER THE ENTIRE TIME!
I cringe to think what my temps reached when the gauge slowly went above the middle last week at a McDonalds drive through that prompted me to order the ultra gauge. I was probably risking a $2k head gasket repair right there waiting for my kids' Happy Meals.
Since I had the parts and it was a weekend, I decided to install the TD5 T-stat and seeing what would happen before dropping $400 on radiator and fan clutch the following Monday.
After the install, Idle temps went right up to 185F and sat there with an occasional burst to 188F. Remember, this is dry Utah heat, 100F ambient, and I'm lucky enough to have a Black Rover.
A stress test up a dirt-road mountain got the temps up to near 210F, but more importantly, they quickly dropped back to 185F as soon as I began my decent.
A 30-45MPH off-road excursion in the West Desert, with temps over 100F (at one point the IAT was reporting 155F in the intake duct), the Ultraguage reported the engine nicely running between 188F and 196F. The only time I have ever got above the low 200s was the previous steep, slow, under-load, off-road incline in 100F ambient.
Those seem like very sweet numbers to me. My T-stat was an original (marked '98, my disco is a '99). The top was brown, baked brown. I didn't realize it was supposed to be green until I pulled it out and looked at the bottom half.
The high-tech dex-cool sludge was baked on the springs. Ports were open, but corrosion was evident. I'm a little upset that Great Basin Rovers didn't replace the T-stat when they did the Head-Gasket change. I'll give GBR the benefit of the doubt that it was the original owner who opted out, as nobody wants to get "taken" by the shop..
Long story short: New owners of DISCOs: You MUST replace the front shaft with a serviceable unit, buy an ultra guage, AND install a 185F T-stat before doing any kind of extended driving. If you don't, you are risking losing the engine, tranny, and/or both. Frankly, plan on $1000 above the already cheap purchase price of a used disco 2 in order to save your self from $4k repairs and head aches in the future.
It's only a matter of time folks. It's looking to me like most of the Rover's faults can be easily fixed with a little bit of TLC and awareness.
Now I can monitor things and HOPEFULLY my disco will end up in the 200k mile club, like a few of you lucky owners, and not end up in the junkyard like so many unlucky and neglected trucks.
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ljdiscovery
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Aug 9, 2009 11:17 AM