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[Brikhead]

My first thought was an airlock but after reading through I'd check all the fans are working correctly and also re-fill with the correct grade of Vx. coolant.

Might be an idea to take TheBoy up on his kind offer to check the actual temperature readings compared with what the gauge is displaying.

Glad you made it back home safe, btw!

[venom]

Try draining some of your 70:30 mix and topping up with just water.  Coolant isn't as good at heat transference as water, so you want the right mix.

I wonder if your water pump isn't pumping as well as it once did?  Do you know when it was last changed?

You say orange coolant was used.  I've only ever heard about recent Vx coolant being red/pink.  :-/

It started off as 50/50 but then the problem started so when I was trying the bleed the system instead of adding more water to replace what I lost and watering it down I added more coolant, but before I change it I'll wait and see what the temp sensors show first 
The water pump was changed about 15000 miles ago when I did the cambelt and was a GM one.
The coolant is the VX one when its in the can it looks orange but when it's in the header it looks pinkish  :-/ 

[venom]

My first thought was an airlock but after reading through I'd check all the fans are working correctly and also re-fill with the correct grade of Vx. coolant.

Might be an idea to take TheBoy up on his kind offer to check the actual temperature readings compared with what the gauge is displaying.

Glad you made it back home safe, btw!

Yes mate I'm going to take TheBoy up on the offer 
Cheers got home fine hot but fine 
If you do take the wings off let me know and I'll pop up in a couple of weeks and buy them mate 

[venom]

Well started from scratch again today drained the system refilled with a new 50/50 mix & burped it for at least an hour to make sure if the was an airlock I'd get it out, so fingers crossed :-?

[venom]

Right still no joy, so has anyone changed the water temp sensors because I'm wondering if the fan isn't cutting in at the second speed.
If I cant sort this this will be one more Mig to the big scrap yard in the sky 

[Gaffers]

Possible knackered thermostat?

I had similar symptomns with mine and found it was stuck open.  As your system is not pressurising I wonder if yours is stuck closed?

[Kevin Wood]

Let's try to establish some facts about the problem.

Does the engine run hot when sitting in traffic or when on a run (40 MPH +), or both?

If it's got hot does a period of cruising at speed bring the temperature down again?

If you leave it idling at full working temperature for a few miuntes do both radiator hoses get piping hot? Do the fans come on periodically to control the coolant temperature? (try this with climate off, so the air con fans aren't running).

At speed, there is more than enough airflow through the radiator to keep the engine cool, so that takes the fans out of the equation and we are looking at a fault in the coolant circuit itself (thermostat, water pump, blocked radiator, airlock). If that lot is working but it gets hot in traffic, the fans and associated relays and thermoswitches come under scrutiny.

Gauges are not always accurate, as has been said. If the fans are coming on and off to control the temperature and it doesn't overheat on a run then all is well, IMHO.

Kevin

[venom]

Let's try to establish some facts about the problem.

Does the engine run hot when sitting in traffic or when on a run (40 MPH +), or both?

If it's got hot does a period of cruising at speed bring the temperature down again?

If you leave it idling at full working temperature for a few miuntes do both radiator hoses get piping hot? Do the fans come on periodically to control the coolant temperature? (try this with climate off, so the air con fans aren't running).

At speed, there is more than enough airflow through the radiator to keep the engine cool, so that takes the fans out of the equation and we are looking at a fault in the coolant circuit itself (thermostat, water pump, blocked radiator, airlock). If that lot is working but it gets hot in traffic, the fans and associated relays and thermoswitches come under scrutiny.

Gauges are not always accurate, as has been said. If the fans are coming on and off to control the temperature and it doesn't overheat on a run then all is well, IMHO.

Kevin

Cheers Kevin

Does the engine run hot when sitting in traffic or when on a run (40 MPH +), or both?

After I've flushed or tried to bleed the system & it's on tickover it keeps at normal running temp, yesterday it sat for 1.5 hours running at normal with no probs  :-/, later we had to run down to Surrey to pick up my daughter & after 20 mins of driving it went up to just below 100  put the heater on it comes down.

If it's got hot does a period of cruising at speed bring the temperature down again?

No just driving doesn't bring it down

If you leave it idling at full working temperature for a few miuntes do both radiator hoses get piping hot? Do the fans come on periodically to control the coolant temperature?

Well when on tickover yes but have not checked them after a run as didnt think of checking when we get in as I thought if they did on tickover they would be both hot  & yes the fan kicks in at around the 90 & middle mark & can hear it kick in when driving & the same temp, but as to whether it steps up to the 2nd speed I dont know :question

[Andy B]

I wonder if your radiator is partially blocked ie there's enough flow though it while it's idling, but under load it can't get enough flow through it to disipate the heat.  :-/
My car never had any overheating problems until we stuck a caravan on the back & towed up a long hill near home. The temp got higher & higher - I didn't realise there was a high temp red warning light  - until we levelled out. A new radiator cured it, even towing in the heat of France (33^o/34^o) the last couple of years.

[Kevin Wood]

Does the engine run hot when sitting in traffic or when on a run (40 MPH +), or both?

After I've flushed or tried to bleed the system & it's on tickover it keeps at normal running temp, yesterday it sat for 1.5 hours running at normal with no probs  :-/, later we had to run down to Surrey to pick up my daughter & after 20 mins of driving it went up to just below 100  put the heater on it comes down.

If it's got hot does a period of cruising at speed bring the temperature down again?

No just driving doesn't bring it down

If you leave it idling at full working temperature for a few miuntes do both radiator hoses get piping hot? Do the fans come on periodically to control the coolant temperature?

Well when on tickover yes...

Sounds to me like the radiator might be partially blocked perhaps? Possibly thermostat not opening fully, although they normally fail open. :-/

Maybe worth taking the rad. out and giving it a thorough flush with Fernox / dishwasher powder or something, and blow the core clear of insects with an airline?

It doesn't sound fan related to me. Worth a look with the Tech 2 just to make sure the temperature is being indicated correctly though.

Kevin

[venom]

Let's try to establish some facts about the problem.

Does the engine run hot when sitting in traffic or when on a run (40 MPH +), or both?

If it's got hot does a period of cruising at speed bring the temperature down again?

If you leave it idling at full working temperature for a few miuntes do both radiator hoses get piping hot? Do the fans come on periodically to control the coolant temperature? (try this with climate off, so the air con fans aren't running).

At speed, there is more than enough airflow through the radiator to keep the engine cool, so that takes the fans out of the equation and we are looking at a fault in the coolant circuit itself (thermostat, water pump, blocked radiator, airlock). If that lot is working but it gets hot in traffic, the fans and associated relays and thermoswitches come under scrutiny.

Gauges are not always accurate, as has been said. If the fans are coming on and off to control the temperature and it doesn't overheat on a run then all is well, IMHO.

Kevin

Cheers Kevin

Does the engine run hot when sitting in traffic or when on a run (40 MPH +), or both?

After I've flushed or tried to bleed the system & it's on tickover it keeps at normal running temp, yesterday it sat for 1.5 hours running at normal with no probs  :-/, later we had to run down to Surrey to pick up my daughter & after 20 mins of driving it went up to just below 100  put the heater on it comes down.

If it's got hot does a period of cruising at speed bring the temperature down again?

No just driving doesn't bring it down

If you leave it idling at full working temperature for a few miuntes do both radiator hoses get piping hot? Do the fans come on periodically to control the coolant temperature?

Well when on tickover yes but have not checked them after a run as didnt think of checking when we get in as I thought if they did on tickover they would be both hot  & yes the fan kicks in at around the 90 & middle mark & can hear it kick in when driving & the same temp, but as to whether it steps up to the 2nd speed I dont know :question

The mrs came home last night after a good 2 hour drive & she had the heat on HI & fan speed on 1 & the temp stayed down to just over the half way mark & checked the top & bottom hoses were red hot & quite hard  :-/