Hi. I'm new here but I do hope someone can help us with our 1995 Bongo/Brawny campervan. she is fitted with a VS01 2956cc diesel 5 speed engine, even though she is of the E2200 model. I believe they fitted these 3L engines to a Titan truck.
She overheats when been running after 7-8 miles and the temp gauge gets nearly up to max. When engines idles at lights or in traffic it drops back down only to go up again after running for a little way again, but again not right over into the red. It has had rad. flushed, new thermostat and new rad. cap fitted. Fan seems to have some resistance so thought that would eliminate the fan clutch. The engine runs sweet as a nut and there is no sign of a head gasket problem, ie oil in water or water in the oil.
Can anyone shed any light on her problem please.
Many thanks Anndee

 

First make sure your drive belts are in good shape, clean, and properly tensioned.

Then, with engine cold, remove the rad filler cap, top up the coolant and see if you can detect a general commotion when the engine is running; if you can, this will (probably) clear the water pump/ drive as a suspect.

While it's OK to feel some resistance with your engine cold, there is just no way you should be able to turn that fan by hand with the engine hot. The clutch has to transmit over 10 hp. to drive the fan when fan cooling is operative. If you can turn the fan by hand when the engine is hot, either the fan clutch itself is shot, or the clutch actuating mechanism is at fault.

What kind of fan clutch have you?
Is it thermal (look for a bimetal clockwork drive spring in the center of the clutch hub)? If so, check that the spring has not broken off at either extremity, or in mid-section, or that the center drive spindle has seized.

If it's an electric clutch, check your fan circuit fuses and relay in the engine compartment fusebox. If they're OK, disconnect the fan plug, and with the engine hot, check that you get 12V on the vehicle side of the connector (with a hot engine and ignition switch on). If you don't, locate the temperature sensor, unplug it and check for continuity across the contacts (or between the sensor wire and ground if it's a single wire type).
Now check the clutch solenoid for continuity. If you have continuity, then "hot wire" the clutch to your battery via a 20 Amp. inline fuse, then check that you cannot turn the fan with the clutch powered up.
If the fan "locks up" OK when hot-wired, and is impossible to turn, the fan clutch is probably OK, and your problem is with your wiring or a connector.
If you can turn the fan by hand when the clutch solenoid is hot wired, then the clutch itself is kaput.

 

Fan clutch problems only show up at idle or in town driving. Highway speeds are enough air to cool the radiator. I would do a block check on it and check the bypass hoses for restriction. I have seen slag or particles build up in bypass hoses effectively causing hydrolock of the cooling system. There is also a possibility of the waterpump impellor slipping on the shaft or fins rusted badly enough to not give good flow.

 

Many thanks for your reply's. Problem is now all sorted
A new radiator fitted and she is going well.
Thanks again