406 overheating

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bcfc red
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406 overheating

Post by bcfc red »

Hi all,
Have just bought a 406 hdi est (90). very happy with car EXCEPT when i came back from holiday with caravan. It ran up to norfolk and back to devon with no probs, until i got to haldon hill nr exeter (steep bugger of a hill!) car got halfway up hill and temp shot up into red and overheated and stopped.(not a nice place to break down). have had pressure test done on rad, fine, fan kicks in fine,question i'm asking is, would a remapp solve the problem 'cause i'm wondeing if the car is too underpowered for the caravan as i'm right on the weight limits and towing at 100%. i don't really want to get another car and i ain't getting a smaller van! so is that a possible road to go down. sorry it's a long winded question but any feedback would be gratefully received. thanks bcfc.
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CitroJim
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Post by CitroJim »

If it only happened on that hill and has not happened since then no worries.

When towing uphill the engine is working very hard with less than perfect cooling due to the speed you are going versus the effort being expended by the engine. In reality, towing a caravan puts around twice the normal load on an engine, all factors taken in to consideration such as weight and drag. It is going to get hot and bothered!

I tow a 14 foot caravan with my TD and with kids and SWMBO it is sometimes very heavily loaded. I find the temperature gauge is all over the place and a long climb will make it rise quite dramatically but never to the point that the red light comes on.

I always drive on the temperature gauge when towing and drive in such a way as to keep it as low as possible.

When towing, never run the aircon, however much SWMBO moans. More heat to get rid of!

Personally, I think towing at 100% with an HDi 90 is a bit borderline. I believe 90BHP is roughly what the 1.9TD produces and I often feel the need for more grunt at 85% loading.

Finally, in my opinion, ALL Pug and Cit cooling systems are a bit borderline, efficiency-wise.
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Post by fastandfurryous »

I'm inclined to say that you may have a silted radiator, or an inoperative fan, or some other reason that the engine isn't being cooled properly in heavy-load situations.

Why? Because I've towed some ludicrously heavy trailers with a 405 TD before now, up steep long hills (1/8 for 3 miles etc) and not had a problem.

It's been 1st gear, foot flat on the floor to maintain 10mph. The temperature rose to 95-ish, when the fans went in to full-power mode, and cooled it straight back down to 80. (and then cycled between 85 and 95 depending on whether the fans were on full power or not)

And then I realised I'd forgotten to turn the A/C off for the hill.

PSA cooling systems can be fragile, but if it's all working properly, you shouldn't overheat in any circumstances.
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Post by CitroJim »

Agreed F&F, it is all really down to ones perception of overheating.
fastandfurryous wrote: It's been 1st gear, foot flat on the floor to maintain 10mph. The temperature rose to 95-ish, when the fans went in to full-power mode, and cooled it straight back down to 80. (and then cycled between 85 and 95 depending on whether the fans were on full power or not)
Yes, that is precisely the behaviour of both my old 405TD and the Xantia TD when towing hard. I've never seen the gauge above 100 but then I consider that is getting on for serious overheating and all components of the cooling system are new with a Nissins alloy radiator...

The 405 cooled better than the Xantia on average, possibly because the 405 has a top-mounted intercooler and not one stuck in front of the coolant radiator.

Driving by the gauge, I can keep it around 90-95 under most circumstances.

Before towing with any vehicle I have owned I have always replaced the radiator, water pump and thermostat as a matter of course.
Jim

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Post by np »

My 406 temp never moves from 88 deg,even when towing up long hills,& with the air con on.And i`ve had it boosted to 140 ish bhp,in theory = more heat.Were off to Italy with the caravan in a few weeks,so will see how it performs then.
My old Xantia was awfull temp wise when towing.Sometimes it was off the the scale at 110 +,othertimes it behaved ok,around 90 ish.Could`nt really have the a/c on.Athough it got us to Italy & back for our honeymoon.
I do think the design of the system is better on the 406 than the Xantia.The rad was at the rear nearest the engine,where as on the 406,the intercooler is side mounted.Although the 90 bhp wont have that.
You may fine a good flush through & new coolant may improve things,but if it only happend the once,it may have just been the steep hill & conditions of the car. :)
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Post by bcfc red »

Thanks for the replys people, now more questions!
Have booked car for remapp in june with celtic tuning, which will take it to 125hp. with 65 more torque,anybody had any dealings with these? they do seem to know what they're talking about.
Have also as advised, decided to fit new rad and water pump. any recommendations? do i stick with pug parts or are there any better ones out there?

Hope i'm not being a pain in the rear with all these questions,but
have always been a vauxhall man until this, cheers bcfc. :lol:
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