Still having trouble with my 306. After driving for between five and six miles on a morning, with air con & internal recirculation both turned on and the heater on full, the car temp gauge is almost hitting the red bar. If I'm on the motorway and it goes up to the red bar I can bring the temperature down by braking sharply, or speeding up!! Any ideas, anyone? The car is a 1.4 306, 2000X with 45,000mls. It was last serviced at 35,500mls.
I've also got a clonking gearbox - when it is in 3rd or 5th I can press the gear stick to the side and it makes a harsh vibration.
I know I've asked some of these questions before, but I don't want to take it in to the garage unless really pushed...!
|
PhilDews
First problem could be the instrument voltage regulator on the dashboard printed circuit. Check also for loose connectors to the temp sender or an intermittently earthed sender wire
Second problem is not something IMHO to worry about. When you are moving gearstick away from it's normal position when under load it's going to protest in some way.
As long as when the gearstick is in it's natural position for the gear selected there's no unusual noises or vibrations then I wouldn't worry.
HTH
Charles
|
On the first point, there was a trailing wire with a short (2/3 inch) metal spike on the end, in the footwell area that. I found a hole and plugged it in (ooer missus!).
The second point is also (I think its from the gearbox) causing a vibration when the car is moving over 30mph and the accelerator is not being touched. Its a clonky metallic vibration. It doesn't happen very often when the clutch is down.
Any further ideas. Thanks for response already!
|
|
|
|
I presume you've done the obvious and checked that the cooling system is Ok ?
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
|
|
Mechanicals/Technical aren't my thing - how do I check and what do I check - are there some pipes that take in the air and cool the engine? Could one of these have a tear or something in it?
|
first thing to do would be to identify the filler cap for the cooling system header tank (if you aren't certain, check the handbook or get a haynes manual).
Wait until the engine is cold, and take the cap off to check if there is any coolant in it.
If there isn't, you need to top it up and keep checking it regularly.
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
|
|
Cooling system 'header tank' on a 306 is part of the radiator, on the left-hand side as you look under the bonnet. Level should be withn a couple of inches of the top.
|
Phil - After you have driven your 5 - 6 miles and the water temp has fallen back to normal, is it then OK for the rest of your journey?
If so, it could be an air lock in the cooling system preventing hot water flowing through the thermostat. The thermostat stays closed until enough heat to open it is conducted through the engine's metalwork. Once opened, hot water flows through the thermostat and everything works normally.
If this is right, your speeding up / slowing down procedure is probably just coincidence and the temperature would have eventually sorted itself out whatever you did.
Ian
|
My previous posting was based on an experience with a Mk 2 Escort in the mid 1970s. At the time I had several theories about the cause, but unfortunately, it was all such a long time ago, I've forgotten what the eventual outcome was.
A couple of the other theories were:
1. Faulty thermostat - sticking for some reason, and therefore requiring a much higher temperature than normal to force it open. Once opened, operating normally.
2. Blocked thermostat bypass hole. IIRC, these thermostats had a little hole in them to allow water to flow even when the thermostat was cold. This allowed a small amount of hot water to circulate and eventually open the thermostat. If it was blocked, you would get symptoms like I described in the previous posting.
All these struck me as being reasonable theories, but I've no idea which, if any, was right.
Ian
|
|
|
|
|
Have you considered measuring the temperature of the water with a thermometer in case it is just a faulty guage?
|
|
Possibly not a good idea, DD. You would have to remove the cap, and it's most likely that it would be extremely dangerous, as if the water is above 100 C (as is possible under pressure) it would instantly boil.
|
|
You don't actually have to physically remove the cap to measure the water temp. Perhaps I should have elaborated in my previous post to avoid confusion. You could measure the water temp by placing a thermometer onto one of the hoses.
|
|
It's going to be very inaccurate that way, DD, due to the temperature difference between inside the hose and outside. It's also going to depend on having good thermal contact between the thermometer and hose. I'd recommend calibrating it against a similar vehicle first before relying on any such reading. In fact, measuring from the appropriate part of the engine might give a better indication owing to its higher thermal conductivity.
|
|
|
|
