towing with 2.7 Terrano

[weatherman]

I purchase my Terrano 2 weeks ago to tow my caravan, It replaced my Frontera.
Had to be towed off M6 Thursday with constant overheating when towing. Otherwise all normal in non tow driving. All fans checked, Thermostat checked, water pump checked no problem found.

I am now at a loss?

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

Just a thought bu water pumps are a common problem with these, they seem to develope a tiny almost undetectable leak under neath that evaporates before you notice it, the viscous coupling for the fan is part of the pump, i have noticed when fitting a new pump the engine temperature seems lower and the fan seems to cut in and out like nevcer before!

so it stilll could be the pump/viscous coupling to blame

 

[Terranosaurus]

What sort of condition is the rad in? I'm about to replace mine - at first glance it looks ok but all the fins have corroded and if you touch them they crumble, instead of being fairly resilient aluminium. I suffer from over heating a bit when towing, driving hard etc not to the point that it boils but gauge does start to climb, I just put the heater on and it drops back.

When you say the stat, fans and pump have ben checked, what has been done? Can't rely check water pump without removing it to check the impeller is still in one piece.

Might be worth flushing your cooling system right through an refilling with correct mix of coolant and water. Try one of those rad flush additives to loosen any build up., its certainly a cheap first call, couple of quid for additive, run it for a few days than drop the water out of the system, you'll soon see if there was a build up of crud causing a problem, it will be evident in th water.

 

[weatherman]

overheating

I have had the water pump off all ok. I have flushed the radiator but have ordered a new one just in case. Have replaced fluid.

As regards viscoss fan I understand that this is used only at low speeds and does not work when car is moving along.

 

[weatherman]

Just to add to overheating when towing. The plastic thermostat housing melted. I have replaced with a metal one

 

[jace]

thats some serious heat to melt that was there any water left in engine!

 

[weatherman]

very little most off it has washed the m6. What suprises me is that it all happened so quickley

 

[jace]

wonder if thermostat duff locking water in to boil id replace/leave out on rebuild id put new pump on for sake £30

 

[Jocky]

Re: overheating

I have had the water pump off all ok. I have flushed the radiator but have ordered a new one just in case. Have replaced fluid.

As regards viscoss fan I understand that this is used only at low speeds and does not work when car is moving along.

It does work when moving. It should engage(kick in) when temp gets high. If this is not happening you'll overheat. The first time mine kicked in I thought something was wrong with my car, soon brought temp down and stopped.

If yours is working you would have heard it running.

Also if you boiled engine has the head gasket ok????

:smile:

 

[Deleted Member S]

I'm sure my fan is running all the time :?

 

[weatherman]

I think i will fit electric fans fron kenlow fans. Has any body any experience in doing this?

 

[JonathanM]

OK, I've towed with a 2.7TDI for a couple of years, without problems. Yep, uphill on the continent at m-way speeds means the temp guage climbs, but never over heated. the viscous fan cuts in, and once the climb is over, then everything colls down. i do use the auxillairy cooler method (ie put the heater on) sometimes, but not often.

Re thermostat cover, heat can get to these, mine was replaced at the last service as it had warped, and was weeping coolant.

re Kenlowe fan, I've read on here that they tend to advise refitting the viscous for towing abroad, so I've left mine alone. I'm not sure that the savings are really appreciable, and in some ways having a cooling system kept as standard seems a simpler step. From the amount of time I was able to hear the viscous fan when towing to the ardeche 7 back, and during driving in 30 + degree heat, then a kenlowe would probably have been on 75% of the time anyway.

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

i still stick with the new pump idea you will be suprised! instead of overheating the temp will climb and the fan cut in! I was suprised when i tried it!

 

[iandouglas]

OVER HEATING

hi i had simular over heating problems while towing caravan.
changed rad because vains were crumbling away and replaced water pump .now runs fine .
rgds.iandouglas
ps.
i can hear my fan cut in and out while climbing steep hills with caravan on.
and temp gauge rise`s and falls.
pps.
check and clean the 3 plug in sockets at side of thermostat, these are temp censors.for temp gauge and ecu.
rgds.iandouglas

 

[Deleted Member]

My fan runs all the time on mine,so no overheating when towing!!

 

[Terranosaurus]

My fan runs all the time on mine,so no overheating when towing!!

It will spin all the time with a viscous coupling but it should spin at less than engine speed when the engine is cold, just being dragged along not actually driven if it is operating correctly. As the engine warms up the fan drive "engages" fully so that it spins at engine speed. Check to see if the fan is free to rotate when the engine is cold.

 

[Deleted Member]

So it should move freely when the engine is not running,it seems to run all the time,don't know what speed though!!

 

[Terranosaurus]

It should move fairly freely when the engine is cold and not running, if the engine is hot it might not be possible to turn it, depends how hot.

 

[Deleted Member]

Yip..just checked it,moves freely when engine cold,you learn something new every day... :lol: :lol:

 

[Deleted Member S]

On mine you can move it with the engine off (cold) but you can feel resistance when doing so :?