Hi chaps

Five weeks in and it looks like I'm getting all the common issues, I can't believe that the Previous owner hasn't done any of this stuff. I have had no over heating problems since getting the XK8, but this week I have the fans running full speed constantly within 15 minutes of driving, and when the engine has cooled down both top and bottom hoses are being sucked flat. There is no sign of any coolant being passed too and from the coolant overflow to atmosphere tank, the level is good and the engine doesn't seem to be overheating. The weather has been quite hot though, cconsiderably warmer than the car would have previoulsy experienced when in the UK.

I even tried running the car with the climate control / aircon switched off to eliminate a problem there, but the fans still run fast when the engine has warmed up. they switch off about 2 minutes after turning the ignition off.

So, new water pump, new thermostat and new metal thermostat housing along with new hoses are ordered and I will fit them next week. Whilst the car is off the road I will also fit the metal cam chain tensioners too.

Hopefully that's all for a while.

 

Collapsing hoses as it cools - I wouldn't drive it until the thermostat is changed. A classic symptom of sticking and it is almost certainly overheating as a result.

Graham

 

Those replacements are exactly what I did with my car after I bought it. Then, I changed the transmission fluid and filter twice and will do so again this month. I don't know how many miles on your car, but you might consider changing the plugs when you do the tensioners.

 

As a side note, and it's quite amusing - how about this......

On Tuesday I ordered all the parts and had to get them from various suppliers on availability and to keep costs down. I ordered a water pump from a company in Sydney, a thermostat from a company in Brisbane and a Thermostat housing from a company in Melbourne. I couldn't get a set of hoses in Australia, so ended up ordering them from a UK company.

It's Friday today, and the only parts that have arrived are the hoses from England !! How can that be ? Australia Post leaves a lot to be desired if I can get items shipped 12,000 miles in 3 days but not state to state.

I guess the job will have to wait until next week now, i'll pull the thermostat out for now.

 

good time to fully flush it too...so at least you know what is in your system.

 

Well flush, pump, hoses and thermostat done. Bad news with housing though - after removing the old plastic one using the bent spanner method, the new ally housing would not fit. The intake manifold fouls on the thermostat body at the rear, so much that the mounting holes don't line up by 3mm.

I am so glad I removed the old one carefully, it,s now back on the car. Avoid housings from Uroparts, a waste of time and money.The only bits I used were the new seals and the thermostat funnel at the front.

 

I have put quite a few of the Uroparts housings on, and I only had one that was defective with a casting issue at the bleed nipple. They aren't exactly a "precision made part", but they usually work ok! I know things are tight back by the intake, but it really wouldn't clear to get the bolts started? I guess not since you put the old housing back on without issue! At least you will have covered a huge part of your cooling system with all of this work!

 

There are some bad ones about. I got an aluminium Thermostat Housing from British Parts UK for my 2001 XK8 which was a bad casting - the Housing Cover on the top wouldn't screw on properly. They replaced it and refunded my shipping costs.

Graham

 

The plastic one leans forward a few degrees, where as the ally one was vertical. Just not enough room for it to go on. It was only $80 so not worried really, I ended up using the screw on cap off it too.