Suzuki Club UK

Hi all,

New member here! I have a Jimny based Buggy running an Ignis 1.5 lump with a pretty new Vitara Radiator. There are no heater pipes, it's had a new water pump, and the centre is cut out of the thermostat (I only use it for trailling), and runs an electric fan on a switch on constantly.

Given all this, it's temperature climbs even on tickover all the way upto 110 degrees before I chicken out and turn it off! Ver confusing as you can see the coolant whizzing round in the top of the rad.

Any thoghts?? Not losing any water, or pressurising the system. I'm stumped!

Cheers in advance.

Put a new headgasket on already?
Ive had a gasket go before and heat up the coolant slowly without over-pressurising it
Maybe get a sniffer test? should be cheap

Are running coolant or water?

Have you drained it and refilled? Checking the old coolant for oil, foreign bodies and general gunk?

Running an aftermarket temp gauge i presume? That could be knackered?

I would do a sniffer test to check the head gasket

From the looks of the photos in your intro thread unless the rad is rear mounted and I cant quite see it in the photo then you have almost no airflow to the radiator!

Well spotted Dan.

Is that a very fine mesh front or ally / steel plate?

I think it's a very fine mesh. Will be no good for air flow either way.

Morning All

Thanks for the replies - I suspected a head gasket, will see if I can get a sniff test done to start with. It's running coolant, has been flushed out both through the block and the rad.

My electric fan is pushing not pulling as I thought about the air flow as well which should help.

The only other thing I was thinking about was that as the heater matrix is off there is less distance for the water to travel so less chance of heat dissipation, I'd prefer not to put a rad in the back but it gets very toasty!

It is an aftermarket temp gauge but the engine does get very hot so I don't think it's lying.

What are your thoughts on Steel Seal?

I really would remove the mesh and get the fan running in the normal way before trying anything too drastic.

You might be trying to chase a problem that doesn't exist otherwise.

Is the rad in good condition and clean?

I put the fan onto push as I figured it would dispell the hot air out rather than trying to cool through puling through, is this a flawed assumption?!

The mesh is actually pretty wide if you look at it and needs to be there for protection really. I only do low speed trialling so flow of air in the front isn't something to worry about to be honest.

I've put some steel seal in it now, will have to wait until the weekend to start it up and get it warm to see if that's done anything really.

I think a rear rad set up might be on the cards if this doesn't work..