Car Broke Down While Waiting To Go On Track!

[WilT]

As some people might have seen, my car (Silver Ph1) overheated at Silverstone yesterday while waiting to go on track.

I think I have found the problem, basically the radiator fan did not kick in, this caused alot of pressure in the cooling system to build up and as a result has caused a capillary in the radiator to fail causing the coolant to leak everywhere!

The fan motor works when I connected it up to a battery so it rules that out, I was thinking: Faulty switch? Thermostat? .......

Any other ideas???

Cheers in advance!

 

[mattjk]

What does the temparature gauge read when hot?

 

[AliasOmega]

Short term, hard wire fan to lighting circuit or something, and run with sidelights on when engine running.?

 

[WilT]

What does the temparature gauge read when hot?

Well when the RAC bloke turned up he ran the car up for about 10 mins till the temp read half way (normal) and it stayed there! Just a few drips from the rad!
Didn't get hot enough for the water to boil and dump the coolant!

 

[SBV116]

Short term, hard wire fan to lighting circuit or something, and run with sidelights on when engine running.?

Thats a bad idea! the draw for the fan will burn the lighting wiring straight out / pop the fuse! Be the fan switch i would have thought!

 

[lemonnobby]

Yea i had this will. could be the black relay for the fan rotted out. let me know if you want me to take a look

 

[bmh.01]

What does the temparature gauge read when hot?

Well when the RAC bloke turned up he ran the car up for about 10 mins till the temp read half way (normal) and it stayed there! Just a few drips from the rad!
Didn't get hot enough for the water to boil and dump the coolant!

Did he have the bonnet up? You'd need it down to heat it up enough for the coolant to get hot enough for it to cut in usually.

 

[ditz]

unplug the temp sensor it should run permenantly
if it dont its wiring/relay/fan and if it does its the temp sensor

 

[Naith]

mate passed u in the meg when were goin onto the circuit, me n my bro were gutted for ya!!!!

if it makes any consolation ur bay is sex!

 

[WilT]

Yea i had this will. could be the black relay for the fan rotted out. let me know if you want me to take a look

cool cheers paul, i'll have another play with it tomorrow an if i cant sort it i'll give you a call!

 

[WilT]

mate passed u in the meg when were goin onto the circuit, me n my bro were gutted for ya!!!!

if it makes any consolation ur bay is sex!

lol cheers, I was pretty gutted! Glad it happened there tho and not while I was going round the track!

 

[Naith]

mate passed u in the meg when were goin onto the circuit, me n my bro were gutted for ya!!!!

if it makes any consolation ur bay is sex!

lol cheers, I was pretty gutted! Glad it happened there tho and not while I was going round the track!

yeh that would of been murder for you!!! it'll be sweet for FCS tho, i'll come n say yo then, was in the clouds all weekend, like a kid in a sweetshop!

 

[WilT]

Well when the RAC bloke turned up he ran the car up for about 10 mins till the temp read half way (normal) and it stayed there! Just a few drips from the rad!
Didn't get hot enough for the water to boil and dump the coolant!

Did he have the bonnet up? You'd need it down to heat it up enough for the coolant to get hot enough for it to cut in usually.

yeah it was up, what temp does it kick in at?

 

[mgoode180566]

Sorry to hear this mate. I didnt see you at the time.

Guess this made me the only Phase 1 on track then. Mine was the sunflower.

I got stuck behind a very pedestrian Megane but even so, my son and his mate enjoyed it.

As some people might have seen, my car (Silver Ph1) overheated at Silverstone yesterday while waiting to go on track.

I think I have found the problem, basically the radiator fan did not kick in, this caused alot of pressure in the cooling system to build up and as a result has caused a capillary in the radiator to fail causing the coolant to leak everywhere!

The fan motor works when I connected it up to a battery so it rules that out, I was thinking: Faulty switch? Thermostat? .......

Any other ideas???

Cheers in advance!

 

[Goders172]

Gutted for you mate was behind you in the queue (monaco Blue) hope you get it sorted bud.

 

[Naith]

u mean one of the Mk1 megs mgoode? coz i kno all the new megs R26/225's were gunning it round, i know this as i had half the track melted into my tyres post laps!!!!!

half of the MK1 megs werent sports not surprised u got stuck/slowed down!!!

 

[mgoode180566]

yes a Mk1. i almost rear ended him going into Abbey when he jumped on the brake !

did you see the yellow Mk1 that won an award . not my cup of tea !

had all those speakers and special paint but obviously had a limited budget for non essential items such as tyres ! Did you notice the NANGKANG widowmakers fitted to it ? I had to laugh .......

On another point where were all the Phase 1 172 ?

( oops just realised this is technical section ! )

u mean one of the Mk1 megs mgoode? coz i kno all the new megs R26/225's were gunning it round, i know this as i had half the track melted into my tyres post laps!!!!!

half of the MK1 megs werent sports not surprised u got stuck/slowed down!!!

 

[Naith]

yes a Mk1. i almost rear ended him going into Abbey when he jumped on the brake !

did you see the yellow Mk1 that won an award . not my cup of tea !

had all those speakers and special paint but obviously had a limited budget for non essential items such as tyres ! Did you notice the NANGKANG widowmakers fitted to it ? I had to laugh .......

On another point where were all the Phase 1 172 ?

( oops just realised this is technical section ! )

u mean one of the Mk1 megs mgoode? coz i kno all the new megs R26/225's were gunning it round, i know this as i had half the track melted into my tyres post laps!!!!!

half of the MK1 megs werent sports not surprised u got stuck/slowed down!!!

haha u read my mind mate, i was really shocked when it won that award yeh, but each to their own i guess, n if the judges like cheap tyres n cracked bodywork then fair play to them.

the 5 door mk1 meg made me chuckle, one of those 1911 old boys with a pea shooter zorst would of given that a run for its money tbh!

it was on our campsite, we had our tunes amped up to a generator, they tried to drown us out n fried their batteries, they were chargin eachother up at 7am this mornin

 

[lemonnobby]

Did he have the bonnet up? You'd need it down to heat it up enough for the coolant to get hot enough for it to cut in usually.

yeah it was up, what temp does it kick in at?

bonnet can be up doesnt matter. just over 90c

 

[Mark One]

as far as i am aware the rad fan temp sensor is plugged into the rad near the top on the drivers side iirc??
You need to buy a new one (anywhere between 8 and 25 pounds) screw it in, plug it in, top up the coolant again (bleed it also) and job done.

Either that or your coolant ran low.

172s will run for ages without the rad fan on fine, but it's normally only after a run on a warm day in traffic they seem to kick in really. or if you sit in traffic for a long time.

Hope your headgasket is still ok mate. should be

 

[Miss Jones]

aww hows ya luck..
hope u get it sorted

 

[stevedavison]

mate passed u in the meg when were goin onto the circuit, me n my bro were gutted for ya!!!!

if it makes any consolation ur bay is sex!

lol cheers, I was pretty gutted! Glad it happened there tho and not while I was going round the track!

Thats what i was going to say .. Any liquid on the track is a dnager to yourself and to others ..

 

[WilT]

as far as i am aware the rad fan temp sensor is plugged into the rad near the top on the drivers side iirc??
You need to buy a new one (anywhere between 8 and 25 pounds) screw it in, plug it in, top up the coolant again (bleed it also) and job done.

Either that or your coolant ran low.

172s will run for ages without the rad fan on fine, but it's normally only after a run on a warm day in traffic they seem to kick in really. or if you sit in traffic for a long time.

Hope your headgasket is still ok mate. should be

Do you know the best place to get one (temp sensor) from?