So here's the deal. I drive a Jaguar S-Type 2002 V8. The last few days, I would randomly get a "High Temperature Engine" message. It would go on for about a minute and then would disappear. Tonight, however, my engine made more noise than usual; even after turning it off. I'm not very knowledgeable with cars so I asked my friend and he said it might be a radiator problem. What do you guys think the problem is? Hopefully it's nothing too bad. I only recently purchased this car.

 

I doubt it's the radiator. They hardly ever cause problems.

If you have the 4.0 it's more likely the water pump breaking up and if it is that then you need it fixed urgently before it writes the engine off.

However, the exact noise does have an input here.......

hmm, posts = 1 ....... welcome but also it's time to be in the new member forum

Also, see below:

 

Thanks for your reply. I've introduced myself and added my car info to my signature.

Anyways, how positive are you that it's the water pump? Would that cost a lot to fix if it were to be the case? Should I stop driving the car for now and take it get checked or is it safe to drive it for this week? Lots of questions, I know

 

The water pump is not particularly difficult on Jaguar V8's. The symptoms are in line with a impeller meltdown.

You should stop driving it until you *know* what it is ... unless you want to be back here next week asking about an engine rebuild.

It's like the cobbler and his kids with no shoes. Mechanics can drive the worst cars because they *know* whether the symptom is dangerous or not. Others should not follow the same path.

As a matter of fact, it should have been addressed immediately at the first "High Temperature Engine" warning.

The engines are powerful, smooth and not tolerant of abuse. That means when you see a warning light ... PULL OVER!

 

+1

It may not be the pump but if it IS, do not drive any more. Modern engines don't like any overheat at all.

 

Good advise here for sure.

Food for thought, I'm a good wrench... On the way from CA to NC I noticed the truck starting to run hot. I pulled over for, popped the hood and sure enough, I could hear that unmistakable racket that a water pump impeller makes when it's about to fail. I was in GA and had no tools. (Minus the emergency tool kit...zip ties, duck tape, vise grips, lol) I saw an Advanced Auto Parts down the street, long storey short replaced the water pump right there in the parking lot using their tools.
It’s not a hard job, and if you have basic hand tools can be done about anywhere.
To be sure you can grab a Mech ear and put it on the pump, if it’s going bad you’ll hear it.

My point is what if it was you? My truck was only about two needle widths hotter than normal. If I had drove, 100, 50, or perhaps even 10 more miles I could have had metal bits flowing through my coolant system, an overheated block that worse case could have "vented" it's self or seized.

Please take the time to find out what is wrong.

 

Thanks for the many helpful replies here. I think those saying it's a water pump impeller problem are right. I recall the previous owner telling me the rotter should be replaced soon or something like that. I'll take it to a garage as soon as possible.

 

Go straight to repair facility, do not pass "Go" and do not collect $200! Or a relatively inexpensive job will turn into a massively expensive job in short order. Unless you plan to DIY of course. The advice in this thread is pretty sound as usual.

I blew a water pump in a 1979 Celica enroute to a Grateful Dead show in 1994. Changed it on the side of the interstate after hitching a ride with a van full of hippies cooked up on shrooms to go get the part. The promptly drove the van into a local pond on the way back to the car. I'm not sure how, why, etc, I just bolted outta there with the pump and left a 5'er for the gas.

Moral of the story - you don't want to fix it on the side of the road or you may end up in pond with a bunch of stinky kids.

 

ha ha ha! That was back when 5 bucks for gas was actually worth somthing! lol Good storey though!

 

Are we sure it is not a dodgy thermostat, before we go changing pumps etc

 

I have my doubts also- narrowing a diagnosis down to one specific part based on a vague description is pretty chancy.

The sentence "Tonight, however, my engine made more noise than usual; even after turning it off." threw me for a bit of a loop (??) What kind of noise? Gurgle gurgle or crunch crunch? Did the temp gauge also indicate something wrong, or just the indication panel?

Making noises after shut down doesn't sound like a water pump to me but if the OP is not intending to work on the car himself then a garage visit is in order nonetheless.

 

Mikey,

I have to agree to find the answer you first have to ask the right questions (grass Hopper)

 

The sound was like a heating sound. The temp gauge also indicated it was too hot.

 

Heating sound? Or do you mean the random clicks and ticks a hot engine makes after shutdown when it is cooling? If so that's pretty normal. That is caused by differance in the CTE's of various engine parts. (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion)

Other than that I've really not got a clue as to what you mean by the Heating sound.

 

WATER PUMP WERE REALLY ONLY AN ISSUE ON THE EARLY V8'S AND BEFORE THE S CAME OUT. i WOULD SHOOT FOR
1) DO YOU HAVE A COOLANT LEAK AND IS RESERVOIR FULL? IF ITS LOW FROM A LEAK YOULL OVER HEAT AND TRAP AIR POCKETS IN THE ENGINE LEADING TO RANDOM OVERHEAT
2) THERMOSTATS TEND TO RANDOMLY STICK CLOSED ESPECIALLY ON THE V8
3) CHECK FAN OPERATION, IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON WHEN AC IS SWITCHED ON