Can't fault that logic :-)


Cheers
DD

 

Well, I got to work and pulled the fan and shroud, then removed the radiator to have it cleaned.

Then I proceeded to the water pump by removing the belts and hoses. While removing the bypass hose, I noticed a string dangling out of the water pump inlet. I pulled on it and out comes a shop rag. It turns out Doug was right (again).

The fire in the car was during the test drive stages after an engine swap my father-in-law did. Apparently he forgot to remove the rag protecting the inlet before installing the hoses, oops. I have to give him some credit since the engine swap was a pretty major feat for a DIY job.

Now I need to hook up my garden hose to make sure that the rag did not damage the pump.

I will let you all know how she runs after I get the radiator cleaned and put it all back together.

 

Well, I'll be damned! Overheating solved by shop rag removal. That's one you don't hear every day ! :-)


Cheers
DD

 

On the one hand, great that you found the problem. Hope it didn't damage too much of anything else.

Since you have the radiator out, I'd still recommend getting it rodded and throughly cleaned. Pretty much guarenteed it is some % full of crapola. You should then have no more cooling issues for a long while.

Eric

 

well Doug, you got caught red-handed! you need to remember to remove rags from Series 3 XJ.

 

I got the radiator back from the shop today, and I couldn't wait to get the car back together. I went for a drive and it is staying right around 90 C. It is only about 66 F and windy, so I will not be able to truly test it until we get a warmer day (if we even get another one this fall), but the cooling system seems up to par.

Thanks again for all the input and help!

 

One time, years ago, I was replacing a head gasket on a Ser III. Common practice to keep bolts from dropping into the engine is to put some rags in the open area where the timing chains fit up into the cylinder head.

Double checking the cam timing means turning the engine over by hand.

Do you see what's coming?

I spent hours picking out shards of red shop rags out of the timing chain!

Cheers
DD