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I'm a newby here and hope I can benefit from your experience. It has been a big jog for me to get this far on my latest project. I have purchased 2 cars for a project, both 1999 s types. One had a fire and the other a driver, The fire damaged car has only done 94 k so I chose to restore it, I have made great progress as my photos will show.
My problem is that the car is now in Fail safe mode and runs on idle for a while before accelerator stops working. Shorttly after the car appears to be runnibng well in idle, then suddenly the temp guage goes to full on hot and it is obvious I have a problem. I turn off the motor, the fan goes burko, a message tells me to use less acceleration, the motor is hot. I am running water until I fix the problem as coolant is constantly being emptied as I try the next cure.
I have replaced the thermostat, heat sensoe at the head, situated between twoi coils, water pump and the part with the multipe hoses in the low corner near the radiatior, fed from the 3 bright lines and a couple or rubber lines, the name of that part eludes me right now.
I am using a genuine size battery.
I have a brake light staying permanently on and need to bleed the brakes , not in a hurry to do that as I won't be going any where until the engine is running properly.
I am having trouble bleeding the system, according to the manual but the same thing happened with the thermostat out so I am not sure it is a bleeding problem. It seems that the fan does not come on at all until the guage suddenly hoes to H and then the fan comes on and I get temp warnings telling me to reduce acceleration. Funny, really, because I cant even use throttle at that stage, due to Failsafe mode. The car is psychotic.
I have swapped out the temp sender between the two coils on passenger side. Is there another sender that should be telling the fan to cut in in idle?
Communication delays may take place, as I am in Rockhamptopn, Australia and we may have time lags as we sleep.
Last edited by Jagger007; May 27, 2023 at 07:09 AM.
Did you remove the thermostat and fill the water jacket of the engine with coolant? Hot air alone is unlikely to open the thermostat in time to prevent serious heating issues for the engine...
The above is not Jaguar specific, but should be applicable to pretty much any make of engine.
If the recognized procedures do not help, maybe this helps:
Use an old plastic lid (I used one from a milk bottle), drill a hole in there to feed the tip of an air-compressor-air-gun thru, press the lid onto the open coolant reservoir and carefully shoot compressed air into the system in the hope that it moves the coolant to the spot where it is needed...
If the recognized procedures do not help, maybe this helps:
Use an old plastic lid (I used one from a milk bottle), drill a hole in there to feed the tip of an air-compressor-air-gun thru, press the lid onto the open coolant reservoir and carefully shoot compressed air into the system in the hope that it moves the coolant to the spot where it is needed...
carefully shoot compressed air into the system in the hope that it moves the coolant to the spot where it is needed...
Have you done this successfully, or know somebody who has?
The reason I ask is last year I used a cooling system pressure tester on my '02 V6 after some work on the DCCV. This sounds comparable to what you are suggesting with compressed air. I had a heck of a time getting air out of the system after that. Seems like it pushed the coolant to the wrong place.
Just finished up replacing the radiator yesterday. Tried my lazy man's bleed method (multiple drive/cool/fill cycles) but no joy. Had to fill with a long skinny funnel via the bleed port on the crossover pipe near the thermostat. All good after that.
I am having trouble bleeding the system, according to the manual but the same thing happened with the thermostat out...
Don't run the engine with the thermostat removed. This system is very different than most cars. The thermostat is not an on/off device, but more like a shuttle valve directing hot coolant to take one of two paths. When the temp is low, coolant leaving the engine bypasses the radiator and returns to the block. When hot, the bypass passage is closed and coolant is forced through the radiator before returning to the block.
When the thermostat is removed, the bypass is always open. Coolant will follow the path of least resistance instead of going through the radiator. No cooling takes place and the engine will quickly overheat.
More details in this thread, starting at post #41:
Thank you all for your replies, I am concerned that the fan is not engaging until the engine is blowing hot at full temp. this is happening at idle, I have not driven it yet. shouldn't the fan be cutting in?
Last edited by Jagger007; May 29, 2023 at 05:35 AM.
Hi Karl,
This air-pressure was just an idea of mine. Looks like it could not make things worse for Jagger007's problem - so I thought it's worth a try.
Thing is, I never had the problem as it is at hand here, however: Yes, I did apply air-pressure into the coolant system - for a different purpose though:
Just a few days ago on my 2.5L X-Type 2004 after opening the release screw - the air pressure moved some more of the old coolant out. I flushed the coolant system with distilled water 3 times (letting the engine run between flushes) before filling in new coolant.
Don't run the engine with the thermostat removed. This system is very different than most cars. The thermostat is not an on/off device, but more like a shuttle valve directing hot coolant to take one of two paths. When the temp is low, coolant leaving the engine bypasses the radiator and returns to the block. When hot, the bypass passage is closed and coolant is forced through the radiator before returning to the block.
When the thermostat is removed, the bypass is always open. Coolant will follow the path of least resistance instead of going through the radiator. No cooling takes place and the engine will quickly overheat.
More details in this thread, starting at post #41:
For filling the system, see my previous comments about the small fill plug on the crossover pipe above the thermostat.
cannot see the bleed port on the crossover pipe? I see a round rotating plug with a slot for a screwdriver to turn but it cannot be removed to fill the hose.
cannot see the bleed port on the crossover pipe? I see a round rotating plug with a slot for a screwdriver to turn but it cannot be removed to fill the hose.
Sounds like you’re in the right spot. Turn it counterclockwise with a screwdriver and the plug should cam itself out.
If still no joy, you could accomplish nearly the same by undoing the big hose at the top of the radiator. You’d have to put a flex hose on the bottom of a funnel to fill the radiator.
Here’s a picture of the bleed port and plug on the crossover tube I just replaced. Half a turn counterclockwise and it lifted up about 1/4”:
I wonder if the locking bits on your car are damaged. If it doesn't lift up when loosened, it likely isn't locking down properly when tightened. Probably not what is causing the present issue, but it may still need attention before the plug blows out.
Several years ago, I had this plug blow out on the freeway. I suspect it hadn’t grabbed properly the previous time I installed it.
Here’s a picture of the bleed port and plug on the crossover tube I just replaced. Half a turn counterclockwise and it lifted up about 1/4”:
I wonder if the locking bits on your car are damaged. If it doesn't lift up when loosened, it likely isn't locking down properly when tightened. Probably not what is causing the present issue, but it may still need attention before the plug blows out.
Several years ago, I had this plug blow out on the freeway. I suspect it hadn’t grabbed properly the previous time I installed it.
I never knew it came out, thought it might be an open close valve like a fuel pump , thanks kindly. You said it lifted a 1/4 inch, should I take it all the way out to fill the tube?