Engine overheat alert

[dohnjoe]

I am quite concerned about Felicia not having any alert showing immediately an engine overheat condition.

we must rely only on watching temp. gauge constantly but you can easy overlook it until it's too late.

many bad things can happen on a car as old as Felicia:

• an old hose or even the expansion tank can burst.
• thermostat can stay stuck closed.
• radiator fan switch can die

so there is no alert for the worst thing possible: killing the engine.

 

thinking 'it will never happen to me' or 'I will see the temp. gauge' could be very expensive.

 

we need to find a reliable solution.

[adurer]

The easiest thing would be to replace the drain plug from engine block with a temperature switch. This overheating switch should have a closing temperature higher than radiator fan switch by 5 deg. C or so. I am not sure what size is that plug and what temperature switch fits.

 

Edited 9 August, 2013 by adurer

[adurer]

Note: the solution above is only possible for vehicles manufactured before April 1998. For newer vehicles we have to insert a T adaptor onto existing hole for radiator fan switch and install the additional temperature switch.

 

Of course, there are other solution too. For instance a small electronic counter that senses if radiator fan switch is closed for more than 30 seconds.

[dohnjoe]

for some odd reason I don't have the drain plug in engine block.

but factory manual says I have it :(

so what can I do now?

[adurer]

so what can I do now?

in terms of reliability, the best would be to not count on any existing equipment on car and have an independent overheat alert (optical, even audible). I must admit that Skoda failed Felicia owners on that.

 

Does Favorit has such alert? Anyone?

[skodanorman]

I don't think its too hard to keep an eye on the temperature gauge to be honest. I've driven many miles in rear engined Skodas (much more likely to overheat) relying on an eye on the temperature gauge. Always worked for me.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[TeflonTom]

You can get in-line temperature sensors which are mounted into a piece of aluminium tube, you just split the radiator hose and place this in line with the radiator, then you could just wire up the temperature switch to a buzzer.

[GentleGiant]

I find the steam pouring out from under the bonnet to be a good visual warning that the engine might be slightly warmer than it should.

[StevesTruck]

Tap a wire off the radiator fan and run it to a bulb on the dashboard?

 

Ain't perfect, but it'll let you know if the fan's running for a long time.

[adurer]

Tap a wire off the radiator fan and run it to a bulb on the dashboard?

 

Ain't perfect, but it'll let you know if the fan's running for a long time.

On second thought, it's not good, fan contact may fail itself and you'll never have an alert.

 

As for keeping an eye on temp. gauge... it's a question of luck. Not only they are not very precise and can fail quite often, but you have enough things to watch in traffic, especially in city.

 

I find the steam pouring out from under the bonnet to be a good visual warning that the engine might be slightly warmer than it should.

 

You could buy already a head gasket.

 

Personally I will look for a suitable thermo-contact from another type of car and hook it somewhere. I hope Favorit has one.

[GentleGiant]

You could buy already a head gasket.

 

No, I mean that, if filled correctly, the expansion tank vents if the water pressure (and hence temperature), gets too high.

[juan27]

Assuming its the plastic cover breaking up the thermostat on the 1.3 fails open. Granted on the 1.6 it fails closed.

 

One of my family who has a marked lack of mechanical sympathy with regards to cars has managed to have a fan switch on a 1.3 and a thermostat on a 1.6 fail and has managed to stop in time without doing any lasting damage just by observing the gauge.

[dohnjoe]

so from what car do we take a reliable thermo-contact?

[TeflonTom]

so from what car do we take a reliable thermo-contact?

what thread size does it need to be, and what temperature do you want, I've got a big book with radiator switches and all sort of pressure sensors in, there's bound to be something out there that is suitable.

[adurer]

@dohnjoe

Normally you need 5 deg. C more than fan switch.

Edited 13 August, 2013 by adurer

[dohnjoe]

Tom, I need M22x1.5 and temperature 105 deg. Celsius.

thank you.

[PaulWalls]

I have exactly the same problem. I bought a new VIKä thermal switch. You can read "82/68ºC" on it. I wanted to test it setting the part in hot water and with an ohmmeter I tried to read continuity but I couldn't. My analog ohmmeter didn't show any measurement, not even when the water was boiling. Is the replacement part faulty? What did a do wrong?

[GentleGiant]

I have exactly the same problem. I bought a new VIKä thermal switch. You can read "82/68ºC" on it. I wanted to test it setting the part in hot water and with an ohmmeter I tried to read continuity but I couldn't. My analog ohmmeter didn't show any measurement, not even when the water was boiling. Is the replacement part faulty? What did a do wrong?

Since boiling is 100c and your switch would "switch" at 68c, try it cold.

[dohnjoe]

I think I found the right thermoswitch for overheating alert.

it is installed on some Skoda Felicia cars and it is called overheating switch for vehicles with air conditioning + power steering.

part number is 6U0959481A and temp. range is 95 - 102 C.

 

regular fan switch part number is:

6U0959481E (1994-1998) or 6U0959481D (1998-2001) and has a temp. range 97-92 C.

 

TeflonTom or other users, can you confirm my choice is right?

Edited 25 August, 2013 by dohnjoe

[danny6189]

I wired the fans to a separate switch and light and kept a eye on the temp gauge. Glancing as often as I did on my speed. You soon get used to it.

[dohnjoe]

I wired the fans to a separate switch and light and kept a eye on the temp gauge. Glancing as often as I did on my speed. You soon get used to it.

am I the only one totally confused by your reply?

what fans (as in PLURAL) ??

if you wired an extra thermo-switch and light (presumably as an alert, that is what we're discussing), why do you have to keep glancing at temp. gauge???

it's a messy answer.

try to clear things up please.

Edited 2 September, 2013 by dohnjoe

[danny6189]

am I the only one totally confused by your reply?

what fans (as in PLURAL) ??

if you wired an extra thermo-switch and light (presumably as an alert, that is what we're discussing), why do you have to keep glancing at temp. gauge???

it's a messy answer.

try to clear things up please.

The coolant temp switch went a few times on mine. I wired the cooling fan to a switch and a light so I could see when it was switched on. I looked at the temp gauge only really when I was in slow traffic and switched the cooling fan on when needed. I never bothered with an alert. I would rather look at the gauge than have a buzzer or light flash to say the engine is hot. But it's down to personal preference.

[danny6189]

Not coolant temp switch, the switch on the radiator is what failed a few times.