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[Abiton]

Clean out the radiator.  Not the bits the coolant goes through; the bits that the air goes through.

Has this ever been cleaned since the car was built?
Is it littered with a decade's worth of dead insects, dust, grit, tar, etc? 
Could this be impeding the airflow, and the conduction of heat from the alloy into what air is able to pass through?

I took a hosepipe to the 20-year-old rad on my Golf a while back, and was amazed how long it took to get water running clear out of the far side of the air fins as I just used mains water pressure to 'scrub' it.  Wouldn't recommend actively scrubbing it with any sort of brush in case the fragile fins start to disintegrate.

Might be best to do it with the rad removed from the car, so as not to get lots of water anywhere you don't want it.

Temps went down significantly on my Golf after this, and the actual coolant passages had no sludge at all.

Cheap fix if it works. 

[henryd]

My Omega would never even move the gauge when towing until I had the aircon fixed,after that I had to watch the gauge on long hills at high rpm,pressing the eco button on the dash all but eliminated it though.My van weighs about 1500kg loaded and my mig was an elite estate so the heaviest of them so looking at well over 3 ton weight,any wonder they will get warm is it>since changing to the Discovery I have had no issue but that is designed to pull up to 3.5 tons so doesn't really know that the caravan is behind it other than the fuel gauge dropping like a stone

[Andy B]

My Omega would never even move the gauge when towing until I had the aircon fixed, .... so doesn't really know that the caravan is behind it other than the fuel gauge dropping like a stone

Sounds like my R Class 

[henryd]

My Omega would never even move the gauge when towing until I had the aircon fixed, .... so doesn't really know that the caravan is behind it other than the fuel gauge dropping like a stone

Sounds like my R Class 

Would have thought that would be ok on fuel if it drinks from the black nozzle

[Andy B]

....
Would have thought that would be ok on fuel if it drinks from the black nozzle

very low 20's towing & if I take my time around town it's around the high 20's .......It's 2200kgs & permanent 4 wheel drive and it wasn't bought for fuel economy. 

[henryd]

....
Would have thought that would be ok on fuel if it drinks from the black nozzle

very low 20's towing & if I take my time around town it's around the high 20's .......It's 2200kgs & permanent 4 wheel drive and it wasn't bought for fuel economy. 

Its about the same weight as my Disco then,I didn't buy that for its economy either

[omega3000]

Last time I saw an issue like this on an Omega - it was indeed the Rad.

Any cold spots? Maybe one of those thermal testing thingies might confirm?

Indeed it was my rad i think your mentioning james.... not a drop lost since and never overheats , the condenser rad was took off quite a while back and now the twin fans up front have gone which i believe aids cooling too 

[cem_devecioglu]

Last time I saw an issue like this on an Omega - it was indeed the Rad.

Any cold spots? Maybe one of those thermal testing thingies might confirm?

Indeed it was my rad i think your mentioning james.... not a drop lost since and never overheats , the condenser rad was took off quite a while back and now the twin fans up front have gone which i believe aids cooling too 

....until you visit our southwest mountains

[Entwood]

Many thanks for all the comments .... looks like its a fairly common problem ...  solution being either stay in cold climates or fit a new rad .... as winter is approaching I'll give it some thought, and probably change the rad sometime before next summer !!!

[feeutfo]

I'd get one of those infa red thermometers and check for cold spots before changing the rad personally.

[Entwood]

I'd get one of those infa red thermometers and check for cold spots before changing the rad personally.

What ... one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Non-Contact-Digital-IR-Infrared-Digital-Thermometer-With-Laser-new-in-box-/271027919343

Just wonder how effective that would be with all the gubbins in front of it ... inlet/fans/etc etc ..

[Andy B]

I'd get one of those infa red thermometers and check for cold spots before changing the rad personally.

What ... one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Non-Contact-Digital-IR-Infrared-Digital-Thermometer-With-Laser-new-in-box-/271027919343

Just wonder how effective that would be with all the gubbins in front of it ... inlet/fans/etc etc ..

I'd have to check mine's still working, but if you're going to Newent, you could use mine. 

[feeutfo]

Yep, that sort of thing. They are suprisingly accurate, and behaves much like laser pen.
Only needs a tiny opening or line of sight to the rad.

Although fair enough, there is alot of gubbins in the way.

Wouldn't mind one meself so if you want to shift it on once your done with it..?

Edit; a new one, not AndyP's old cast offs.

[Andy B]

......

Edit; a new one, not AndyP's old cast offs.

 

[Entwood]

At £10 it's hardly going to break the bank, and might be useful for other things, so ebay here I come

Won't be able to play with it as we are off again tomorrow for another 14 nights in the tin tent .. but will let you know how it works on our return !!