sunbeamtiger.co.uk

Hi Everyone - hope someone can advise. My Tiger was running supercool last 2 years and had an ally rad fitted new when I bought it. Also have ally blade fan. May 2007 temp gauge stopped working due to sender faulty. Caught in very heavy traffic in July and car overheated it seems due to ally rad blockage. Head gaskets gone (turns out were odd not a pair), new ones fitted, heads not cracked, bent valves sorted, NEW ally rad and top hose filter fitted, water pump checked and ok. Same time Cam followers all replaced as some were sticking. Core plugs replaced after block raked out, cleaned out and flushed out of 42 yrs of muck. Heater disconnected. LOTS OF MONEY! :
Car still reaches over 100c after 8 miles have not let it reach overheat.
Have noticed on start up from cold that offside exhausts lets out more exhaust fumes smoke than nearside - possible incorrect valve adjustment causing overheat? Maybe thru lack of use, now doesnt start too easy. turns over and over when cold, slow turn when warm.







[/b]

Is your thermostat working and fitted correctly?

Are you sure the head gaskets both got fitted the correct way round (cooling holes at the back)?

Has the water pump been correctly fitted with backplate? Do you have a collapsing lower hose (if LHD)? Is the fan belt good with correct tension?

Is the timing badly retarded or fuel/air mixture very weak (check plug colours)?

I recommend you get a thorough engine diagnostic check for compression, ignition timing etc. Bad starting is usually a sign of something wrong rather than lack of use.

Thanks for that info, I'll pass it on to my friendly garage who have done the work and know tigers. The more items to check the more chance we'll resolve it. It was going so well last year after about 12 months of continuous aggro on various issues, thought we'd cracked it and I could use it without a breakdown.

I'm waiting for the car to go in but they're also going to check in case the sender is faulty and the car is actually ok! A longshot but hey....

If any of these sorts it I may even get to a show in it or do the Dartford Tunnel run.

If anyone else has suggestions, please let me know.

sounds like it could get expensive paying someone else to investigate this sort of thing... are you sure you can trust the garage? after all, it worked fine until your radiator got blocked.

maybe stating the obvious, but is it full of water/coolant? if it gets hot once, it overflows and there is no recovery mechanism. do you have a mechanical or electric gauge? the electric type can be unreliable especially if your instrument stabilizer is not working or not grounded well. i use one of those lazer guided infrared thermometers which i point at the top of the radiator core to get a true temperature reading.

also, if it settles at 100-105 in traffic but stops there, that should be ok if the coolant system is healthy.

i actually have the opposite problem! when i lived in chicago i had borderline overheating problems in traffic and 100F and as part of this i had a 180F thermostat in. back in the UK, i now find one these chilly days, it settles at about 170F (77C) which i think is a little cool for these engines. i'll be switching back to a 190F thermostat when i flush the coolant soon.

Hi - yes the garage is ok I'm sure. I just don't have the time or know how to sort myself.

Rad was found to be blocked when gaskets had gone and only part of rad was hot due to coolant not flowing thru blocked area. Top hose was pressuring up. I did manage to get loads out of the rad but took it for an independent flow test which it failed on.

It has got plenty of coolant in and is an electrical gauge. The rising temp has slowed down since new gaskets but only takes 7 or 8 miles to hit 100c, before then it would have gone over, so it's better but only slightly. That's while driving around at 30-40mph, not slowly in heavy traffic.

What I find strange and think it must have a bearing is why do the exhausts give out significantly different levels of exhuast gases when cold. The garage said they valves were adjusted correctly but surely emmissions should be very similar?

yes that doesn't sound too good. assuming carb is clean, working well and well adjusted i would be suspicious of the head gasket installation.

how's the compression in all the cylinders?

thats about as far as my knowledge would take me!