Over Heating

[Guest animal]

Im posting this to see if anyone can help me with my dilema. I have a overheating problem and the temp crips up to 103, can anyone tell me if this is a danderous temperature. I have ruled out head gasket and now at a loss dont now which way to go, has anyone experienced the same on a galaxy v6 1997. Greatful for any help and advice :)

[seatkid]

First check your fluid levels, oil and water. Does it lose water?

 

Then the first suspects are thermostat and water pump. Try the stat first as its the cheap and quick option.

[DaveM]

Is this reading off of the trip computer ?..... sounds pretty normal to me... my v6 ghia x runs at a similar temp.

Infact i'm sure i remember reading in the manual somewhere that you shouldn't 'boot it' until the engine was warmed up to a temp of 100

[stairforce]

Good advice from SK. The one thing I would add is do something about it very soon.

 

Water pumps are usually noisy when they die. Thermostats are silent when they die. The thermostat in the Galaxy's predecessor (a BMW523i) died last year and the engine went from stone cold to full scale deflection on the temp gauge in just 2 miles. Having trashed the engine in our Mondeo back in the summer when the oil light came on for about a minute, I stopped the BMW very quickly. I crept back home and phoned the dealer, who said don't drive it any further. I didn't.

 

Thermostats can die open or closed. Mine died closed. This means it doesn't allow the coolant to circulate and the engine over heats quickly. If they die open, its not so serious, it just takes age to reach operating temp.

[DaveM]

Sorry, i'll explian further..... if you can read a temperature of 103 i assume it's on the digital trip computer. if so, this is the engine oil temperature.

The manual states you should stop the engine if the oil temp exceeds 145 degrees.

 

I can't see where else you'll be getting such an accurate reading from unless you stick a thermometer in the coolant ! as the 97 v6 has a coolant gauge only. (mines a 98 v6)

[Guest animal]

hi can any body tell me were the thermostat is on the vr6 engine looked but cant locate one , i want to test that next . Temperature going higher than 110 know, nothing listed in haynes manual.

thanks

[Guest vr6galaxy]

Front right hand side of the engine, look for this...........http://www.performance-cafe.com/images/021121119a.jpg

and you've found it :wub: the lower picture shows the three fixings for the stat's houseing, on the car this unit is mounted as per the upper picture with the stat housing on the lower side of the unit, it's a bit of a bitch of a job :D but you can remove the stat houseing :D

[Guest animal]

thanks for that info very helpful, can it be taken off as 1 unit and does it seal up ok when put back together looks tricky

[DaveM]

where are you reading the temperature from ?