Major overheating

[V8MoneyPit]

After a day out at my local off road centre, the last run round saw the water temp go up. By the time I crawled back to the car park it was well in the red. When I opened the bonnet all hell was breaking loose.... the rad and expansion tank were vibrating with the boiling water  :shock:

After a little investigation, the rad was found to be totally.... I mean totally..... clogged with mud. You couldn't even see one tiny area of fins! Waited for over an hour for their pressure washer (they run bikes there too who kept jumping the queue) and blasted the worst of it out. A friend kindly followed me home after stopping on route to top up the water (still getting hot and overflowing). The following day I got it into work and ran the hose on it for over an hour to clear all the mud out!

All now seems to be OK but I might change the thermostat anyway. Just in case I've cooked it.

How do you all keep the mud out of the rad? I've never had it quite this bad before. But it was worrying and I wondered if a shield of some sort might be worth considering.

[Luke]

I'd be worried that any shield in front of the rad would block the airflow and guarantee overheating.

[hobbit]

Go over the top, mount rad in back, long hoses and electric fan.  :twisted:

You can get the blinds for use in winter to block the front grills which allow for a quicker warming up, but mud would still perculate up from below as well

[karloss]

I use a piece of non woven  fabric stuff. Don't really know what it is, they make sacks and disposable "tyvek" overalls out of it. I just fasten it on at the back of the grill using the grills fixing screws. Never had an issue with overheating, but then never driven off road at any sort of speed with it on, and it's partially "breathable". Doesn't stop it all but stops the really horrible stuff.

[Kenny]

I had the same problem with my Rad. On my way home from a meet one day overheated and I still had 30 odd miles to go. Called the RAC and asked for a flat bed as I thought my head gasket had blown.

Truck arrived, loaded up and sitting in the cab going home the driver asked me what the problem was, I mentioned the head gasket and he just shook hos head, looked in his rear view mirror and there was the radiator, totally clogged up with mud, "its yer rad mate".

Anyhow how to stop ti - I use a for sale board, but to size and fits in nicely behind the winch in front of the grill. Keeps a lot of the mud out and has never overheated with the board in place.

One thing I did find is that you never really get all the mud out of the rad unless youre really lucky and I had to replace the rad in the end :(

Damian

[Range Rover Blues]

Are your rads the same size as a RRC?  @cos mine looks fairly clear but the electric fans come on A LOT when off-roading.

[V8MoneyPit]

I always used to have trouble getting it to run warm enough. I know, amazing for a V8. Now, with the slightest hint of a traffic jam, up goes the temp and the fans have to work overtime to stop it getting all the way into the red.

It developed a misfire a couple of days after the overheating. Nasty thought of blown head gaskets or burnt valves. But checked CR and, although low (170k miles), all cylinders were holding pressure. Changed points and plugs and all was well. It looks like one of the plugs had suffered from the overheating. Phew!

[kevinf]

i experienced the same problem after a off-roading sesion involving lots of muddy water in the end i had to get some thing called tripel x,which is a solution used for etching concrete floors prior to painting,you should be able to get it from any decent valeting company

 apply direct to radiator core leave for 10mins the rinse off with pressure washer.

 remember to wear goggles and glove and work in a well ventilated area

 good luck kevin

[Paul]

Be carfull using a presure washer on a radiator.

[V8MoneyPit]

Didn't have a choice at the site. Wouldn't have got more than 200 yards otherwise! But I tend to just use the hose with one of those squirty things (You can tell I'm a keen gardener, can't you?!) on it for the rad. Just takes an age and many attempts to get all the mud out.

[abinitio]

For just the odd use at a pay and play site an old pillow case works well, zip tied to the grill. I use one and the overheating problems are greatly reduced.

Lee

[V8MoneyPit]

That's the kind of thing I was thinking about. Just a temporary screen. I was wondering if I could come up with something that slots in between the rad and front panel. It could be held in place when the bonnet is shut and just lift out when you lift the bonnet. Only problem is having to lift the bonnet every time.... especially when it is caked in wet mud  :lol: