VP normal running temperature

[skunks.monks]

On a VP Series II with a level 2 dash, what is the normal running temperature??
On mine is is always on or just below the first bar, so not even on 1/3 or what ever...
On a warm/hot day it runs on the 2nd bar (1/3rd mark)

I was wondering if this was normal or if it should be running warmer?
My car runs like its always cold, always laggy and takes a while to change gears and stuff except on warm days.
Once it gets to the 2nd mark the thermo fan comes on and cools it back down to that first mark again...

If my car is running to cold and I causing premture wear on the engine and using more petrol then it should?

I am getting 300-350km's out a tank of petrol most of the time with city constant stop start driving, but thats only if i fill the car up and do about 10-15 clicks over once it says its full...
If I do not do this i only get about 250km's per tank...

With freeway driving i get about 500km's out of the tank...

Any help would be great thanks!

[vp_commo]

running hot will lose you power, running cold won't.
the whole idea of an engine is to keep it cool.

To keep the heat and use it would give more power, but cars cannot do that yet, hence they are
innefficent to a degree.
But a cool engine is good.

It sounds like you could look into some self service of the car if it is laggy, but I notice that VP and VN
hate the heat on hot ashphelt in the city, they just chugg and groan and winge..fire em up at night and they sing like a bird with that nice cool air.
maybe you just need to service it a bit, plugs,oil,trans..shit like that

BTW sounds about right to me too, in reality I dont think I am getting much to a tank around town, 350-400.

Cheers

Dan

[Skidney]

i get 500 - 550km per tank if i fill my tank to the brim and drive till its pretty much on empty, thats city driving and i usaully give it shit. its manual though

[skunks.monks]

running hot will lose you power, running cold won't.
the whole idea of an engine is to keep it cool.

To keep the heat and use it would give more power, but cars cannot do that yet, hence they are
innefficent to a degree.
But a cool engine is good.

It sounds like you could look into some self service of the car if it is laggy, but I notice that VP and VN
hate the heat on hot ashphelt in the city, they just chugg and groan and winge..fire em up at night and they sing like a bird with that nice cool air.
maybe you just need to service it a bit, plugs,oil,trans..shit like that

BTW sounds about right to me too, in reality I dont think I am getting much to a tank around town, 350-400.

Cheers

Dan

Ok so where should my temp gauge sit on a normal day to get the best power for the car?
I have also noticed that in the heat with aircon on it doesnt run very well, that it starts to rough idle a little...

How do i change the trans fluid? I know how to check it, not sure where it fills up tho?

I would be happy to get 400km's to a tank, but most weeks i only just make it to 300, so if i change plugs/leads/oil/coolant/fuel filter ect have any effect on fuel consumption?

i get 500 - 550km per tank if i fill my tank to the brim and drive till its pretty much on empty, thats city driving and i usaully give it shit. its manual though

How do you manage that?? Even on highway driving i push it to get 550km...

Also how do you flush radiator/engine?

[wortus]

my old VN S1 Vacationer had a level 2 dash and it only ran around the 1/4 mark however I saw t up around 3/4 on a 43 degree day out west near Forbes travelling at 100km/h wit the aircon on It never overheated. In the 10 years I owned it I never even looked at the thermostat, it had a new radiator after an accident and regular coolant changes using Nulon long life coolant, no pellets.
If the motor is too cold there would be a lot of deposits built up in the rocker covers and on the bottom of the oil filler cap. If the rocker covers are reasonably crud free and so it the oil cap and valve gear then it's probably getting warm enough. You could try checking your gauge claibration and the temperature sender as well.
As far as fuel use goes I think I got about 500 to 550 a tank around town, it would get around 9 to 13 L/100km thats the highway and city driving range. It used a lot more fuel than the VY I now have does which I can get less than 10L/100km around town not in heavy traffic.

[skunks.monks]

I think i worked it out to be like 17L/100km that i am getting which is really bad!
My radiator cap always has like gunky buildup on the cap, with new coolant/old coolant, doesnt matter really...
I am not sure about the oil cap, but will check that out, last time i checked ym oil it was alright..

[wortus]

for the idle have you thought about a genuine over the radiator cold air induction for it or made sure the IAC valve is working properly? Rough changes check the position of your transmission control cable, do you know how to adjust it, one or two notches makes all the difference. Changing the auto fluid and filte ris messy I'd get it done. Also how long since it has had new plugs, checked the leads, fuel filter and air filter?

[skunks.monks]

I don't know how to adjust the cable ( i am not very mechanical minded, It has been about 20,000km's since its been changed as i have not had the money to do it again... What is the IAC? I am also in Vic on P plates so i don't think CAI over the radiator is legal as its classed as an engine mod? How much would it cost for auto fluid and filter to be changed?

[wortus]

the buildup in the radiator may be due to the pellets if you used them? When I cleaned my VY out the overflow had a bit of light brownish crud and when I flushed the block a fair bit of brownish sludge came out. Car has had radiator coolant replaced as required since new by previous owner at his local dealership.

To adjust the cable push in the metal clip on the side of it at the throttle bracket and pull it tight then push the accelerator pedal al the way to the floor with your foot (engine off) and the cable will click at the adjustment as it moves into the correct position. If it still has a harsh change try releasing it one or two more clicks.
IAC is the idle air control valve, on these cars idle is controlled by the engine management, the throttle butterfly is fully closed at idle and air is bled past it via the idle air control valve which is an electrically opperated valve. It is located on the throttle body and is a black thing about as big as the windscreen washer bottle motor, disconnect the wires and remove it (torx screws) and see if it or the part of the throtle body it sits in and allows the air past the butterfly is full of crud, clean it out with a rag, don't use carby cleaner dirctly on the IAC. You may also want to remove the throttle body and take off the other electrical item which is the throttle position sensor and give the throttle body a good clean with the proper cleaner,be careful not to scratch the inside of it. Also check your PCV valve which on a Series 2 I think is under a cover on the inlet manifold but I can't remember exactly where, it may need a clean or replacement.
Transmission unless your towing 40,000km is fine. Not sure about the cold air induction in VIC you would need to check, it's a standard part for those cars so maybe not. You could try some cardboard to block off hot air from the radiator getting into the air box nozzle which is just behind the headlight.

[excalibur]

i have just put in a new thermostat, thermostat housing ,new radiator annew hoses top and bottom with new clamps.
My temp gauge now sits on the 2nd mark when cruising around and goes up to the 3rd mark when sitting at lights and stuff thats when the thermo fan kicks in and drops gauge back to thn 2nd mark

[vp_commo]

dunno if greenfoam still does those chips, but I got one a while back and it fixed up those little glitches with the heat and the idle.
Not sure if it was designed to do that or not?

Cheers

Dan

[somefool]

dunno if greenfoam still does those chips, but I got one a while back and it fixed up those little glitches with the heat and the idle.
Not sure if it was designed to do that or not?

Cheers

Dan

hey dan does the chip give you better fuel economy as well? have u got any figures?

[vp_commo]

hey dan does the chip give you better fuel economy as well? have u got any figures?

As usual with commodores they drink heavily when you put the foot down.
In saying that I get better economy than my old VN.
Better off asking greenfoam, I do not even know if he does em anymore, send him a pm, simple.
I have had mine in for well over 15 months.

Cheers

Dan

[crazybiker]

Greenfoam still does them, but he's always extremely busy.

Your best bet to contact him is to look him up on ebay. His name is "Nicefrog"

With the tune itself, I got mine done, and it had both, more power, and more economy. I average 14L/100km in the city, and that's towing a boat pretty much ALL of the time. When I'm not towing the boat, I think it's about 12L/100 without, and highway is much better than that again.

As for the thermo's kicking in, I also got him to change that, I didn't like the idea of the thermo's coming in at something like 110c, so it was changed to 94c, from memory. Made a HUGE difference. Temperataure gauge sits ALWAYS on the bar above the C now, because of it.

[somefool]

Ok sweet thanks guys