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Spitfire Alternator Problem


Gnbickley

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Pete, Doug,

Having looked on the coolant forum I've checked the temp gauge and I'm sure it's working correctly. It goes up to about 1/4 of the way then stays there but it's getting the correct voltage as far as I can tell. the heater blows cold air out of the vents and the engine bay doesn't seem as hot as it used to be (I know it's not going to seeing as my fridge is currently warmer than my garage but even so it's running pretty cold.)

 I've just changed the Thermostat and sender unit but that's caused other issues which I've just posted about in the coolant part of the forum! :unsure:

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OK, Is the fuel gauge OK? The temperature and the fuel gauge both hang off the voltage stabiliser, if this has failed they will both be misreading. Are the thermostat and sender the correct parts, either one wrong and you're going to misread. You can test the thermostat in a pan on the cooker. But, the engine bay not getting hot?!! No, it's an engine, they don't not get hot! No heat coming out the heater is a different matter, blockage, faulty valve? .

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It may be a lucky car that just overcools. I know of a few cars where the owners struggle for the engine to get hot in the winter, and these are owners who know what they are doing. I have had that on a couple of cars over the years.Change all manner of things to no avail. Then I just used a triple layer of tinfoil to blank half the rad, problem solved!

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22 hours ago, clive said:

Then I just used a triple layer of tinfoil to blank half the rad, problem solved!

I remember seeing lots of cars like that in 1970s winters - my Godfather even had a bespoke grill cover for his Austin 1100 which he could vary the blanking / open proportions via a series of flaps. Clearly it was an approach that worked - same principle can be seen on the trucks on the Dalton Highway (Ice Road Truckers).

Gully

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You have to be carefull when partial blanking rads you can make the fan cavitate the air flow and the whip on the bades fractures them off 

Ive seen metal truck fan blades that came through the floor ,  nasty.

There are louvred blinds around that are temperature controlled , 

Better to just remove the fan in winter

and I would say warm up is not dependants on the opening temperature , what ever the spec they are all fully closed until they

reach a trigger temperature , so fit what you like the initial warm up remains the same , only the final output temp is controlled 

If the warm up time is excessive the stat is opening too early , the engine is very efficient, the bypass is too much

Or its just  too blasted cold  

Pete

 

 

 

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