In April 2012 I dutifully replaced all my timing gear, water pump and thermostat housing. Then settled down for a trouble free life......

All was well until 6 months ago, when I started getting monthly low coolant warnings. Which slowly become more regular.

Three months ago I started noticing a waft of steam a few minutes after stopping.

Then I found a small leak on the underside of the expansion tank. So I ordered a replacement. Whilst waiting for delivery I discovered that water was coming from the thermostat housing.

Tested the car and found its running at 105C so the stats the issue causing high pressure and temp.

Stat and tank replaced. Temperature down to 89C but now we can see water coming from the joint in the pump housing. New pump required.

There is no water in the oil and the engine runs well. So I dodged that bullet.

The temperature gauge never left the center mark, with Jagwranglers real gauge kit I would have noticed it getting to the 3/4 mark.

We were warned.

So after the repairs guess what my next investment will be!

 

Read more about RealGauge here: RealGauge FAQ - TheJagWrangler and in this thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e-gauge-62813/

....also....10% off website prices for Jaguarforum members. Just contact me via the forum or send me a message from my website contact page and I will send a PayPal invoice with the discount.

-Steve

 

Ok the pump was just the gasket. To add to the stat gasket and expansion tank.

So don't drive around for months at 221f (105C).

The gauge should have been indicating over 3/4. But of course it stayed dead centre.

So if you have the standard gauge, I would encourage you to use a scan too,l or other means, to regularly check your actual coolant temp.

I'm currently using Torque ( with stat replaced running at 92C) until my realgauge conversion arrives.

 

Here's a temporary gauge for you until your RealGauge arrives.


Graham

 

Sorry to high jack but does the real gauge work on xk8 with nav?

 

Steve will pop in and give you the specifics but the main cluster is the same on XK8/XKR with with temp on right, Steve mod will make the gauge actually work properly between 125-245 F. Easy to install and a good peace of mind.

 

I use an Ultragauge, so that I can monitor and set alarms, to my own settings/requirements, for other systems as well as coolant and so much more.

@ GGG Graham As I believe you have no temperature gauge at all in the X150 (?) maybe you should be using one too.

 

The coolant gauge only version is supported with navigation. The audio alarms, however, are present for both high temperature and low oil pressure.

See the FAQ on RealGauge here: RealGauge FAQ - TheJagWrangler

 

RealGauge and UltraGauge each have their place. It really depends on your preferences.

RealGauge has the advantage of using the factory gauges, and can also do oil pressure, which none of the OBDII equipment can. No external boxes are present in the interior.

It has a preset audible alarms for both coolant temperature and oil pressure. It also has a great playback feature which lets you see the maximum coolant temperature and minimum oil pressure from the last 60 car runs, to review whether any failure trends are developing.

On the minus side RealGauge is a more costly option, requires installation, and does not have OBDII features to read other parameters.

UltraGauge is a generic OBDII device, so you can read lots of same data you can with a scanner, but since it is always plugged in, it lets you monitor as you drive. As stated, you can program the alarms to whatever you want. You cannot, however, monitor oil pressure with UltraGauge.

 

LOL thanks Graham. But I think a ? Is probably easier to install and always correct.

 

Um now when fully warmed up its running at 98 to 100c. Confirmed with torque and a radiant gauge.

Looks like the rad may be part blocked. So i've just chemicaly flushed it out. Not sure it will do much good though.

 

I also use UltraGauge in my 2001 XKR. Coolant temp settles at 96*C after a few miles - will briefly go up to 98*C after a fast run or idling in traffic but quickly settles back to 96*C. Ambient temp around 20*C. I have not replaced Tstat or water pump although it has the newer aluminium Tstat housing.

 

Um now peaking at 103c

Temp gun indicates 45c on pipe from rad to stat and 100c + on the engine side of the stat. Looks like the stat is barely opening. Ill order a new stat.

Do the aluminium stat towers ever jamb the stat.

 

From memory when I checked the engine temp with laser temp gun the aluminium Tstat housing and pipework either side was around 96*C - certainly sounds like your Tstat isnt opening. There was a post (GGG I think) about ensuring the guide pin on the Tstat was the correct way round. I've never fitted one on this car so I have no personal experience.

 

My experience on lots of engines tells me that 105C is OK. That is 221F. The coolant under pressure will not boil until it reaches 250F or 121C. So you are with in the range. As long as it doesn't go higher OK.

 

Thanks for the reassurance. Changed the thermostat tonight. Seams to be running around 91 to 93c. And at idle the fans cutting in now bring the temp down much quicker. So its am improvement. But a few more days will tell.

The old tstat looks a bit manky and it looks like a cheap after market one. Think ill temperature test it.

105c was what I was running at before, which did not harm the engine, but it wrecked the a stat seal, pump gssket and cracked the header tank.

 

UPDATE

I Temperature Tested the old TStat and it was fine, opened at 87C. However I noticed the old one was longer than the new one by about a quarter inch. My Tech also tells me that the aftermarket Aluminium stat towers can need the casting trimming inside to allow full opening of the Tstat. Again We have been warned.