STX 550 roaring noise/under bonnet temps

[justdrinkbeer]

My 550 makes a loud roar (was mentioned by someone else on another thread) when getting about town at slow speeds, i'm guessing its a normal thing, sounds like a big fan, i've noticed its getting more frequent in line with the hotter days, and on a hot day (like today) it was every minute. Question is, what can be done as its bloody annoying?I'm thinking some fully hectic bonnet vents to get the heat out might work?

 

[Old.Tony]

Could it be the cooling fan? Does it have an additional thermal fan?

That V6 has to pump out a massive amount of heat. Be interesting to plonk my bluetooth adapter on your OBD port and drive around watching the temps.

 

[justdrinkbeer]

Will a scanguage give me the temps too? Good excuse to get one

I recon there must be an additional cooling fan as my last one didn't do it.
Open the bonnet after driving around town (not driving hard) and the heat hits you like a sauna

 

[Old.Tony]

I don't know about the Scangauge, but next time we run into each other, get me to show you this gear - if you have a smartphone, it's cheaper than the Scangauge and much more visually friendly.

 

[Biscuits]

Get some homer simpson style "speed holes"

 

[justdrinkbeer]

I don't know about the Scangauge, but next time we run into each other, get me to show you this gear - if you have a smartphone, it's cheaper than the Scangauge and much more visually friendly.

Got an iPhone but its not as smart as apple would have you believe.
I'll bring those cable offcuts with me too, they're in the garage somewhere

 

[Dion]

I'm guessing Renault bought the engine design from Rover then gas axed two cylinders off.

 

[Old.Tony]

There must be some OBD software around for the iPhone. I use an Android- phone (Samsung Galaxy SII) and Ian Hawkin's "Torque" software.

Want to have coffee in Gosford or surrounding area some time this weekend?

 

[04SilverSTR]

my guess it could be the clutch fan doing its job? our ranger at work has a nice fan hum after idleing at the lights on a hot day!!!

bryan

 

[Biscuits]

Have a look on Mp3car.com: Your #1 source for Car computing, mobile vehicle technology & software development those guys have tried every piececof software for every purpose. They will ve able to recommend OBD software.

 

[Biscuits]

Holy crap, where did all that extra description come from.

 

[justdrinkbeer]

my guess it could be the clutch fan doing its job? our ranger at work has a nice fan hum after idleing at the lights on a hot day!!!

bryan

I'm sure its perfectly normal and doing its job fine, just annoys the shit out of me. Thinking of cutting a couple of bonnet vents in to help get rid of the heat, just have to find some nice ones and work out how to keep the rain out

 

[justdrinkbeer]

Want to have coffee in Gosford or surrounding area some time this weekend?

Can't this weekend sorry, camping at Sunny Corner

 

[John Bainbridge]

My July ST X 550 does the same thing. So, its not just your vehicle. Often it does it at start up.

 

[justdrinkbeer]

My July ST X 550 does the same thing. So, its not just your vehicle. Often it does it at start up.

Yeah same, weird huh, def to do with under bonnet temps as it doses it loads more on a hot day

Got an EGT monitor on it now, highest i've seen is 550deg so prob not too much to worry about

 

[mike1303]

Would t be suprised if it was the thermo fans(I think that's the name). As the d40 doesn't have a scoop there is a lot more restriction to the intercooler. ESP if you have driving lights fitted as well ( I wanted 3 on the front. It my old man pointed out cooling might be a problem) ....
The only other car I've had do it was my v8 at start up after Baking in the summer sun all day :/
My 2 Cents anyway....

Oh and SCII does show engine water temps

 

[Bluenavara]

A Scangauge will read both water temp and intake air temp at the position of the MAF sensor (F or C, your choice)

Although I run a sealed intake that will only draw in outside air, I'll see 55C IAT in stop and go traffic @ 35C ambient. This is just from the engine bay heating up the plastic MAF tube.

Mike, I'm not entirely clear on your point about the intercooler, both the v6 and the yd25 have a front mounted intercooler, so no scoop required. Or is it that you mean that the cooling fan has to work harder because of the additional restriction to airflow through the radiator by the front mounted intercooler?

 

[mike1303]

Mike, I'm not entirely clear on your point about the intercooler, both the v6 and the yd25 have a front mounted intercooler, so no scoop required. Or is it that you mean that the cooling fan has to work harder because of the additional restriction to airflow through the radiator by the front mounted intercooler?

I was thinking more along the lines. If people putting lights in the front. ESP big lightforce ones would restrict the air flow to the intercooler? Causing the fans to run more frequently
Unless im mistaken I don't Know a whole lot

 

[Old.Tony]

Mike you certainly have raised an interesting point.

The vehicle (for those of you with manuals, you might remember reading about this in there) relies on forward motion producing some airflow through the intercooler/aircon/radiator. At 45km/h it changes mode - below that speed it will drive the fans harder, above it uses the motion unless the coolant temperature exceeds 105C.

Blocking the intake - even restricting it - would have an impact. It's quite noticeable when towing, especially when pulling up a hill on a 40C+ day.

We have IPF800 (rectangular) driving lights in the way, and have had occasion to use a screen over the front because of the number of locusts we were driving through. Engine temp rose considerably there - and I am not sure I've done the car a huge favour with the lights, but 99.9% of the time they don't cause me too much drama. I just drive gently and all is good.

 

[Scotty56]

The noise you are hearing is the viscous fan, also known as a clutch fan. It has a silicon fluid in it which is controlled by a bi-metal spring on the front of the fan which opens a valve in the fan hub which lets the silicon fluid into a driving chamber causing the fan to turn making the roaring noise. When the temp drops the bi-metal spring turns the valve back and the silicon fluid returns to a storage chamber and the fan then idles (turns slow).
The reason you may hear the noise on start up when cold is the engine was turned off with the silicon fluid still in the driving chamber and it takes a minute to get the fluid back to the storage chamber.