Chris155
Member
- Messages
- 196
After fixing the gearbox oil leak and rear arms, the car has thanked me with a new problem.
I made a 10mile trip, stopped for 5min, got back in the car and it took a while to start. It wouldn't fire initially, but eventually fired on the 2nd try with some reluctance. At the same time, the hi-speed radiator fans were running despite it only showing 70 odd deg on the gauge.
I had to stop again after another 7 miles and had the same issue.
I think the high speed fans had been on the whole time as the engine did not get up to temp.
The gauge reading appears to be correct as the cabin heater wasn't blowing anything but cool air.
After arriving home I found the same problem was still present, fans on, engine temp low, reluctant to restart. One point worth noting, the fans did not turn on with the ignition, only after the engine started.
I turned the battery off and back on and it cleared the problem. It started cleanly with the fans off and ran up to temp properly.
I'd say the engine ecu is thinking the engine is either hotter or colder than it actually is.
If it was an Alfa I'd be thinking engine temp sender - they have 2 circuits, one feeding the engine ecu, the other the gauge. But if it had failed, then turning the battery off shouldn't make a difference.
I've obviously been poking around at the fuses and relays in the boot recently. I've also topped the coolant up - it was low but I don't think it has a leak, probably just blew some out of the pressure cap.
But, are there any coolant bleed valves I should check?
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.
I made a 10mile trip, stopped for 5min, got back in the car and it took a while to start. It wouldn't fire initially, but eventually fired on the 2nd try with some reluctance. At the same time, the hi-speed radiator fans were running despite it only showing 70 odd deg on the gauge.
I had to stop again after another 7 miles and had the same issue.
I think the high speed fans had been on the whole time as the engine did not get up to temp.
The gauge reading appears to be correct as the cabin heater wasn't blowing anything but cool air.
After arriving home I found the same problem was still present, fans on, engine temp low, reluctant to restart. One point worth noting, the fans did not turn on with the ignition, only after the engine started.
I turned the battery off and back on and it cleared the problem. It started cleanly with the fans off and ran up to temp properly.
I'd say the engine ecu is thinking the engine is either hotter or colder than it actually is.
If it was an Alfa I'd be thinking engine temp sender - they have 2 circuits, one feeding the engine ecu, the other the gauge. But if it had failed, then turning the battery off shouldn't make a difference.
I've obviously been poking around at the fuses and relays in the boot recently. I've also topped the coolant up - it was low but I don't think it has a leak, probably just blew some out of the pressure cap.
But, are there any coolant bleed valves I should check?
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.