Robin,
Thanks so much for your very constructive suggestions.
If being a mechanic was a prerequisite for buying and appreciating a
classic, I would be banned. I know just enough to be dangerous.
Therefore, I shall take up all of your suggestions with a mechanic; in
fact I'll print out this stream and we'll go over each any every point
to be sure.
I used to bring my car to a chap in the San Rafael canal area. I know
there is a rather expensive shop in Greenbrae. Does anyone know about
the shop along the highway in Rohnert Park?
Thanks a bunch,
Charlie
-----Original Message-----
From: nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Robin Jackson
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 5:03 PM
To: North Bay British Car Club
Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating
Hello Charlie - My gosh! before you add fans, an oil cooler, or have an
overhaul, consider this: Your Jag was not designed to overheat; altho
it was for a cooler climate and shorter runs than we do in CA. All
mechanics in the car being good, it should not overheat and coolers and
fans will not fix the real problem, whatever it is.
I don't know what you mean by overheat. Does it reach 220, 240? Does it
"boil over", hence the overflow tank? Does it blow steam like the
Edinbrough Express?
First things to check are: coolent level, slipping fanbelt, defective
water pump, sticking/closed thermosat, rust and scale clogging the
system, airflow through rad, external leaks.
If these elements are right, then start thinking about hot gases getting
into the coolent through an internal leak.
Thermstat check is easy: let it idle and watch the temp gauge. it should
rise to as much as 200 and then drop back to 160 or 180 (whatever your
thermstat is). You can put your hand on the top hose and feel the warm
coolent flow when it opens.
When was the last time you flushed and changed coolent in the rad?
(Always run 50/50 coolent and distilled h2o). Just a few tubes
obstructed can cause a loss of cooling.
Do a pressure check on the system. Pump it up to 15psi and see if it
leaks down.(Napa has this tool.) Yes? look for external leaks - hoses.
No? Maybe an internal leak, but let a pro test for it,(you could scald
yourself.)
Any water bubbles on the dip stick?
Have you had to fill the system lately? When filling a cooling system,
it is usually necessary to "burp" the system as air pockets can cause
problems.
Again, this can burn you if you don't know what you are doing.
Too much retard and lean carbs, as someone else said, can contribute to
heating, but I think you would have been concerned about poor running.
It is always good to frequently check timing, dwell and carb mixture.
(part of the fun of our old girls is fussing with them.)
I am not an automotive engineer, but these comments come from 55 years
of working on Brit cars and 15 for a livelyhood.
Although I don't think I have suggested anything whereby you can hurt
yourself, I just need to remind you that hot cooling systems under
pressure are very dangerous and can cause you severe injury. Be careful.
I don't know what your experience is.
BTW, overflow bottles are a good addition and will help to preserve the
environment, drip by drip.
Robin
From: Charlie Saul<mailto:csaul@noleak.com>
To: North Bay British Car Club<mailto:nobbc@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 9:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating
Thanks so much Dick,
I'll be sure to have the advance checked.
Hope to be cool running soon!
Charlie
-----Original Message-----
From:
nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net>
[mailto:nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Richard Anderon
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 7:34 AM
To: North Bay British Car Club
Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating
Hi Charlie, I have a '67 XKE and agree with Dawson on both.
Hopefully the raised bottle will help. If needed, fan kits with
shroud
are available from most Jag parts houses. Mine runs cool and have
found
that the tune of the engine helps that. Don't be to lean and check
the
advance.
Dick
On Jul 27, 2008, at 5:28 PM, Charlie Saul wrote:
> Hi Dawson,
>
> You got it; the bottle is mounted too low. Great suggestions; will
> check it out!
>
> Thanks a bunch,
>
> Charlie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net<mailto:nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net>
> [mailto:nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net
> ]
> On Behalf Of Dawson Church
> Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 9:47 PM
> To: North Bay British Car Club
> Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Xk 120 over heating
>
> Are you sure your radiator overflow bottle is ABOVE the level of the
> radiator. I had a mechanic "helpfully" install one in my Lotus, it
was
> BELOW, and drained water from the radiator when hot!
>
> I solved the overheating problem in my 2 Lotuses by installing
> electric fans that come on a low temperature. Torqueflow brand,
> installs in about an hour, sold at Autozone, turned on by a sensor
> that goes through the radiator fins. You MUST get a sensor that
> triggers at low temperature, the regular ones trigger too high, the
> engine is already cooking before they signal the fans to turn on.
>
> Dawson
>
>
> On Jul 26, 2008, at 7:06 PM, Charlie Saul wrote:
>
>> Hi All:
>>
>> Trying to get my xk 120 back on the road:
>> I installed a radiator overflow bottle and it overflows a lot when
I
>> drive for 15 minutes and turn the car off.
>> One mechanic says car is overheating due to rings, valves, head
>> gasket
>
>> etc.; car engine needs to be overhauled.
>> Another mechanic says that since I likely will drive the car less
>> than
>
>> 1000 miles a year, I should just have an oil cooler installed.
>> Will this bring the temp down significantly?
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Charlie
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