EJ20G heating up quickly

adamb · Post by **adamb** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:06 pm

Hi everyone,

I'm nearing the end of my conversion now, 1 of the injectors was completely dead before the ultrasonic cleaning. ive now run into another problem.

As soon as the engine starts getting warm, which happens in about 2-3 minutes, the temperature gauge just keeps going up and up and doesnt stop.

The top hose is very hot, bottom hose is cold and the radiator feels cool to the touch. this suggests that there is no water circulating in the system right?

Could this be the thermostat? Hope its not the water pump because that would be a dog to change.

Cheers,
Adam

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:07 pm

thermostat not opening or fitted upside down

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:09 pm

sounds liek thermostat.

also remember the operating temp on ur Original dash shuld now be like 1/3rd now with the EJ sender. Lseries dudes can confirm that part tho.

adamb · Post by **adamb** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:13 pm

Frog: oh thats alright then, how much are genuine thermostats or is it a lot cheaper to just get an aftermarket one?

Matatak: i couldnt get the L series gauge to work because it shares a common ground with the fuel gauge and something else, so i hooked up the Liberty one temporarily and it still goes up to very hot.

Adam

BrennyV · Post by **BrennyV** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:14 pm

Matatak wrote:sounds liek thermostat.

also remember the operating temp on ur Original dash shuld now be like 1/3rd now with the EJ sender. Lseries dudes can confirm that part tho.

+1
might not want to run it up that long aslo. if your hitting max temp on a l series cluster its dam hot!

adamb · Post by **adamb** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:29 pm

If i run the engine without the thermostat in there, that should tell me whether its that or not hey?

Adam

theclick · Post by **theclick** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:31 pm

adamb wrote:If i run the engine without the thermostat in there, that should tell me whether its that or not hey?

Adam

Confirmed .

FROG · Post by **FROG** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:12 pm

adamb wrote:Frog: oh thats alright then, how much are genuine thermostats or is it a lot cheaper to just get an aftermarket one?

21200AA072 = $23.26 plus the gst........................

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:47 pm

adamb wrote:Frog: oh thats alright then, how much are genuine thermostats or is it a lot cheaper to just get an aftermarket one?

Matatak: i couldnt get the L series gauge to work because it shares a common ground with the fuel gauge and something else, so i hooked up the Liberty one temporarily and it still goes up to very hot.

Adam

Dont get aftermarket one because they might not reach recommended Subaru temperature. I would buy Subaru thermostat and it'll be worth it at long run.
Cheers
AP

adamb · Post by **adamb** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:15 pm

ok well today i took the thermostat out and tested it in a pot on the stove. it seemed to function as it should. i didnt have a thermometer though to make sure its opening up at the right temp.

i had a quick look at the seal setup and it sits around the thermostat. is it possible to run the system without the thermostat and somehow putting that seal in there?

Cheers,
Adam

adamb · Post by **adamb** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:37 pm

i should also mention that the thermo fans never kick in, although they work when i put the ecu in test mode. where is the temp sensor located for the thermo fans?

Adam

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:42 pm

removed

my bad.....blonde moment

dave

lovey80 · Post by **lovey80** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:54 pm

I just replaced the temp sender in my 92 Brumby. My fans were kicking in but not until the guage said it was 3/4 towards boiling. A new one cost me $44 and the guage hasn't gone past half since. The temp sender looks like a large brass nut that screws into the radiator and has a single wire comming from it...... First check that that wire is connected.

Cheers Chris

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:47 pm

DUDE!!! Wrong Wrong Wrong!!!

I take it this motor has not been run for a while Right???
The motor water cavities are full of air... not water... meaning it wont circulate properly. This will make the thermostat not work correctly in the car and if there is an air pocket near the ECU temp sender your thermos will not activate either.

Very common when a motor has completly dried out inside. Best way to sort it... let it heat up... then cool down... top up coolant... heat up... cool down... top up.... and repeat.... mine took over an hour to sort out after my motor rebuild. It will boil over and do also sorta of weird stuff. Just repeat repeat repeat. Should fix it.

To test that you have done the ECU triggered thermo fan correctly... unplug the ECU temp sender (2 wire plug under manifold) and put ignition ON. Fan should work. OR... plug in both engine test mode connectors, Ignition ON. Fan should pulse ON and OFF as well as your fuel pump.

Dave

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:03 pm

There are 3 temp sensors on your car. 2 are under the manifold on the Motor Drivers side. One is single wire (goes to ECU and does the ECU controled Fan) The other is single wire (meant to go to temp guage on dash).

The other is the factory L series temp sensor which is 2 wire running off the drivers side of the radiator. This was to run the old L series fan.

For the best results you should run 2 cooling fans. One off the EJ ECU and the other from the temp sensor off the radiator.

Dave

adamb · Post by **adamb** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:36 am

cheers subarino, ill give that a shot tomorrow. Sounds like its the problem. I hope it is anyway. When i put the ecu in test mode with both connectors the fans just stay on all the time, so somethings not right there then? i dont think i have the radiator temp sensor because i put the Liberty radiator in. so ive just hooked both fans up to the ECU control wire.

Cheers,

Adam

adamb · Post by **adamb** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:24 pm

alright, latest development: i took the guts out of my old thermostat today and whacked that in. Now the top hose is getting hot, bottom hose is getting hot and so is the radiator. when the car is sitting there idling, the temp gauge stays in the middle. As soon as i take it for a drive around the block, within about 3 minutes it gets to the hot mark and i have to stop.

so now i know there is flow, the radiator works and the water pump is pushing water.

What i still dont know is why the fans arent coming on, why the thermostat wasnt opening when the new one was in, and why it heats up when i drive, even though i cant hear any bubbling and i can still touch the water in the reservoir for a good 3 seconds before it starts hurting.

cheers for any help.

Adam

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:36 pm

blocked radiator? hard wire fans on and see if it still happens- that willl help you work out if its engine or radiator causing problem

adamb · Post by **adamb** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:43 pm

subafury: the radiator was flushed before i put it in, i did hardwire the fans on and thats when the temp gauge sits on half. im not using the original temperature gauge either. im at wits end with this cooling system, could it still be an air pocket somewhere in the block?

Adam

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:04 pm

I think that the fact the water isn't boiling and you can still touch the water without getting burnt means it's not really overheating. I think the guage is just calibrated very differently/wrong.

I'd suggest getting a cheap aftermarket guage with it's own sender unit which can be installed inline in one of the radiator hoses (or somerthing) and get an actual temperature reading in degrees.

Not sure why the fans aren't coming on, it's unlikely that it's running so cold that it's not getting to the right temperature, I'd say it's something to do with the wiring.