GTS overheating

Jon · Dec 31, 2014

Just wanted some thoughts from you guys.

My GTS MC-Shift has performed so well as a daily drive throughout winter so far and has happily warmed up to run at 90 deg after About 5 minutes where the temp guage sits comfortably.

Yesterday was different - perfect in the morning despite the -3 deg frost, but I picked it up at the station yesterday evening and it raced up to 90 deg before I'd even left the car park! It carried on up to 115 deg (just shy of the red line) and I was starting to look for somewhere to pull over. It didn't go further to the red but I was uncomfortable enough to ease the car the 10 miles home at low revs.I've taken a taxi today!

Thoughts are:-

Low coolant level?
ruptured coolant pipe (from the -3?)
thermostat problem (do they have thermostats in modern Maseratis?)
something outside of my understanding?

Most of those I would have expected the temp to continue rising but it didn't so I am confused.

I'd appreciate any ideas you have. Didn't have a chance to check the coolant level last night but I'm at home tomorrow.

Thanks

hoyin · Dec 31, 2014

Have you got enough antifreeze for the -3 deg?

Jon · Dec 31, 2014

Yes, that was certainly the case unless it has lost level.

CatmanV2 · Dec 31, 2014

I think the question is 'Is your coolant sufficiently concentrated to prevent freezing at -3C'

Make more sense?

C

Jon · Dec 31, 2014

CatmanV2 said:
I think the question is 'Is your coolant sufficiently concentrated to prevent freezing at -3C'

Make more sense?

C

Catman,

That's the way I understood it and, yes, I believe it should be.

Jon · Dec 31, 2014

The thing that baffles me is why it stopped at 115 deg rather than redlining and 'blowing steam'.

allandwf · Dec 31, 2014

Did it stay at 115C all the way home? Or did it come down once on the move? Possibly a hose blocked/frozen.

CatmanV2 · Dec 31, 2014

Jon said:
Catman,

That's the way I understood it and, yes, I believe it should be.

My apologies

I was confused by your comment of losing level which would have nothing to do with concentration.

Odd that it stopped at 115. You have not included faulty sender or gauge on your list. Personally I'd check level and concentration first. Go from there.

C

CatmanV2 · Dec 31, 2014

allandwf said:
Did it stay at 115C all the way home? Or did it come down once on the move? Possibly a hose blocked/frozen.

Or that's as hot as the sender got when not covered in coolant, which would be bad.

C

allandwf · Dec 31, 2014

CatmanV2 said:
Or that's as hot as the sender got when not covered in coolant, which would be bad.

C

If that was the case, then heater would probably not be working, as it would be starved of coolant.

I would check levels, and if all ok, try it again. You'll possibly find all back to normal.

Jon · Dec 31, 2014

allandwf said:
Did it stay at 115C all the way home? Or did it come down once on the move? Possibly a hose blocked/frozen.

Yes, it stayed at 115

Jon · Dec 31, 2014

CatmanV2 said:
Or that's as hot as the sender got when not covered in coolant, which would be bad.

C

Hadn't thought of that - that would be a worry

allandwf said:
If that was the case, then heater would probably not be working, as it would be starved of coolant.

I would check levels, and if all ok, try it again. You'll possibly find all back to normal.

The heater was working - I was actively using it at the max to buy me time.

I will check levels tomorrow and report back - thanks all for your input.

CatmanV2 · Dec 31, 2014

allandwf said:
If that was the case, then heater would probably not be working, as it would be starved of coolant.

I would check levels, and if all ok, try it again. You'll possibly find all back to normal.

True, although I've known the matrix to be low enough....

best not think about that though

C

Jon · Jan 2, 2015

Well, the plot thickens...................

So, I started the car yesterday and moved it to a flat part of the drive to check levels. Coolant level was okay and antifreeze sufficient concentration to cope with the recent conditions. As I sat there, the gauge rose quickly again to 90 deg and then carried on up to 110 where it stuck (short of the 120 redline)

This morning I thought I would see if it could get the 10 miles to the station with the intention of calling out Maserati recovery to take it to the Service Centre if I had a problem.

Acted perfectly normally up to around 85 deg (5 short of normal), so I went for it - totally raced the second half of the journey which is easy to do at 0530 - high revs, the lot. Only when I was at the car park and sitting with the engine still running did it flicker above 85 and nudged a fraction above 90. For the record, on none of the occasions has there been any other evidence of overheating - no burbling, no steam, no unusual noises, no changes in performance.

So, now I'm thinking faulty gauge or faulty sender - either way a lot more preferable than blown headgasket!!

Any other possibilities anyone can think of?

allandwf · Jan 2, 2015

Did the fans come on when it was 115C ? Ambient temperature at the moment may be sufficiently low to keep it at 115C.

Jon · Jan 2, 2015

allandwf said:
Did the fans come on when it was 115C ? Ambient temperature at the moment may be sufficiently low to keep it at 115C.

Am I understanding your question right? Are you saying that if the fans didn't come on then perhaps the only reason it didn't soar into the red was because it was -3 external?

I didn't notice them either day more than I usually would - no sense they were working overtime after I exited the car.

That said it wouldn't explain today, the ambient temperature here is probably not what it is in Forfar - a rather mild 9 deg this morning.

Felonious Crud · Jan 2, 2015

Jon, I'd be tempted to whiz straight over to Lancaster and get them to have a look. If you know the guys in the service centre go straight there and they'll give you a an opinion, maybe even plug in to the diagnostics if they have a moment. Faster than making an appointment. Lee Ball is an oracle of all things Maserati.

Wattie · Jan 2, 2015

Well if it was my car it'd be straight to a dealer/specialist for investigation cos something ain't right.
Peace of mind and all that......
Cheers Wattie

Parisien · Jan 2, 2015

Get it checked out asap, am not sure how sensitive to high temp running the modern Maser V8 is, but bl00dy expensive to fix if it goes wrong!

P

Jon · Jan 2, 2015

AdamN said:
Jon, I'd be tempted to whiz straight over to Lancaster and get them to have a look. If you know the guys in the service centre go straight there and they'll give you a an opinion, maybe even plug in to the diagnostics if they have a moment. Faster than making an appointment. Lee Ball is an oracle of all things Maserati.

Just got off the phone to Lee Ball and, you are right, the guy is a genius.

I shall be up there tomorrow.

He did tell me that:-

- this engine is 'almost indestructible' and hugely tolerant of temperature variation and probably the 'best engine Ferrari ever made' (good to know!!)
- this model year was within a group that had known sender unit problems
- the good thing is that the sender unit will show up on diagnostics because there's an algorithm that demarks a standard warm up profile

Thanks Adam and everyone else. Fingers crossed this will be a quick fix.

GTS overheating

Junior Member

Member

Junior Member

Member

Junior Member

Junior Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Junior Member

Junior Member

Member

Junior Member

Member

Junior Member

Administrator

Member

Moderator

Junior Member