b210 overheating warning?

[CEAZERKHAN]

was driving how from a family visit and the temp started to slowly climb but just put it in 5th and kept going and it cooled a bit, was a little weird, its an old car so its bound to happen sometimes but its still the first time its ever got that hot, had to go up a smallish hill and it had to work a little harder I guess and at one point it must have gotten a little too hot and made a buzz noise type thing, not sure how to explain it, was this a thing Datsun put in the b210 as a warning?

[datzenmike]

The temperature gauge is the only warning you get.

 

Gauges have a wide 'run range' marked. As long as in that range you are OK but if it normally runs about half way in the run range and suddenly goes outside the norm, that is a troublesome warning.

 

Was it excessively hot out that day?

Was the car climbing a steep long hill not usually climbed? out of the ordinary?

Was the radiator low on coolant?

Was the fan belt loose?

Car fully loaded with passengers?

 

Higher than normal temperatures can mostly be from lack of air flow or lack of water flow through the radiator. Perhaps more than one.

Water...

Scale blocking internal tubes from topping up with tap water instead of distilled.

Radiator full of stop leak pellets or some other rad repair in a can.

Thermostat not opening fully.

Soft radiator hoses collapsing.

Heater leaking and the two hoses were joined together to by pass.

Air...

Bugs, dirt or debris clogging external radiator fins.

Radiator shroud missing

Poor radiator fit and air getting around or over the rad instead of through it.

Clutch fan slipping from loss of silicon oil.

Fog lights or w/e on grill blocking air.

 

All my Datsuns read just above 1/2 on the run range. When ever I suspect a cooling problem I put a new thermostat in unless already done in the last few years. Always spend $8- $10 on  a good one not a $1.98 WallMart special.

 

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

alwasy check the radiator and replace every 3 to 4 years.

 

maybe stat is starting ro not work right?? maybe  i don know I only had one go bad and was on my Jeep where it wouldnt close right  and stay cold

Edited October 21, 2021 by banzai510(hainz)

[MikeRL411]

Buzzing noise is probably steam venting out the radiator cap.

[datzenmike]

Shouldn't buzz unless venting and it shouldn't be venting just because the gauge went up a little. Ceazerkahn was it just a little or did it go up nearer the top?

 

 

Rad cap may be done in. They don't last forever.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

19 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

alwasy check the radiator and replace every 3 to 4 years.

 

maybe stat is starting ro not work right?? maybe  i don know I only had one go bad and was on my Jeep where it wouldnt close right  and stay cold

Replace radiator after 3-4 years? What planet do you live on?

 

I'd say it's probably time for a basic cooling system flush with new coolant, thermostat and radiator cap. Use a flush chemical to clean out the radiator and block before you take it all apart. It usually needs heat to work.

[banzai510(hainz)]

forgot to add FLUID.

1 hour ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Replace radiator after 3-4 years?

But i have seen a Heater core go bad in 5 years on a Audi TT. so could be true

Edited October 22, 2021 by banzai510(hainz)

[datzenmike]

Use distilled water and always a premium anti freeze/coolant 50/50 mix. Replace every 3 years for max protection. Also get a coolant recovery radiator cap and reservoir. A coolant recovery saves and returns coolant to the radiator automatically. Virtually no topping up needed and this prevents the anti freeze form becoming diluted. Do this and you won't be replacing the radiator soon.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

23 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

forgot to add FLUID.

But i have seen a Heater core go bad in 5 years on a Audi TT. so could be true

Could be true because newer cores are made out of aluminum, not copper. If bad water is used (like the acidic water from my well), you could easily eat up an aluminum core. Why do you think there are so many bad L series cylinder heads out there with the coolant passages eaten away? Someone used horrible water and they disintegrated.

[MikeRL411]

4 hours ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Could be true because newer cores are made out of aluminum, not copper. If bad water is used (like the acidic water from my well), you could easily eat up an aluminum core. Why do you think there are so many bad L series cylinder heads out there with the coolant passages eaten away? Someone used horrible water and they disintegrated.

 

Iron blocks, aluminum heads and copper/brass fittings or radiators.  It's a wonder any vehicle lasts 10years.  See any high school physics book for a list of "the electrolytic series of metals".  Any bond of more the 1/4 electron-volt difference will rapidly corrode.

[datzenmike]

My 710 has iron block, aluminum head and brass/copper original radiator and heater. It's 45 years old and there are 510s and lots of others far older. Use the recommended antifreeze coolant and distilled water and replace on time and they will last forever.

[CEAZERKHAN]

On 10/21/2021 at 4:36 PM, datzenmike said:

Shouldn't buzz unless venting and it shouldn't be venting just because the gauge went up a little. Ceazerkahn was it just a little or did it go up nearer the top?

 

 

Rad cap may be done in. They don't last forever.

srry a lot going on rn, it was just a little, it really seemed like a mechanical buzz but im not sure, i had a passenger, it was a "hot" day for October, maybe mid 70s maybe 80s, and just a small incline, after the "buzz" i put in 5th and cruised at around 40 and it cooled down. 

[CEAZERKHAN]

On 10/22/2021 at 8:50 AM, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Replace radiator after 3-4 years? What planet do you live on?

 

I'd say it's probably time for a basic cooling system flush with new coolant, thermostat and radiator cap. Use a flush chemical to clean out the radiator and block before you take it all apart. It usually needs heat to work.

yea i saw that and even as a newbie i was confused how you need to replace the radiator after 3-4 years, never heard of something like that on a stock car lol.

[CEAZERKHAN]

On 10/21/2021 at 2:49 PM, MikeRL411 said:

Buzzing noise is probably steam venting out the radiator cap.

good point yea, it sounded mechanical, but still i should have pulled over to take a look now that i think about it.

[CEAZERKHAN]

On 10/23/2021 at 9:21 AM, Stoffregen Motorsports said:

Could be true because newer cores are made out of aluminum, not copper. If bad water is used (like the acidic water from my well), you could easily eat up an aluminum core. Why do you think there are so many bad L series cylinder heads out there with the coolant passages eaten away? Someone used horrible water and they disintegrated.

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

running tap water is fine for a few days to get by. When I was young I would mix both not knowing what it can do.

 

a 810 is a more complicated car if he can keep that running he might be pretty good mechanic

[CEAZERKHAN]

3 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

running tap water is fine for a few days to get by. When I was young I would mix both not knowing what it can do.

 

a 810 is a more complicated car if he can keep that running he might be pretty good mechanic