I have just bought a zed from forum user Derek aka Flying Machine. I have gt a few routine questions for you guys that I have already come across.

 

1. Temperature 1The car has a spa temperature gauge fitted and I am unsure how long I should leave the car heating up before starting my journey. 40-45C seems reasonable and obviously not ragging it until heated up more to 70-80C.

 

2. Temperature 2. What temperature is it safe to turn the ignition off after a journey. Just by taking it easy and coasting lots towards the end of the journey to push lots of air into the radiator manages to get it down to about 91C but if I leave it idling for 1 or 2 minutes at the end of my journey the temperature just steadily climbs to 100+C instead of cooling down. Is this right or do i just need to leave it even longer? Is there anything simple that can be done to improve the cooling down efficiency?

 

3. Tyre pressure. What should the tyre pressure be when running 225-40-ZR-18 tyres?

 

4. headlight/windscreen washers. One is working but not spraying the headlights and the other is not working at all - probably blocked. There is also not spray coming out of the windscreen washers - also probably a blockage. Is there a way of redirecting the headlight washers? How do i remove the windscreen washer sprayers and headlight sprayers to give them a good cleaning?

 

I am really enjoying the car although taking it really easy for the moment as previously owned a 2.2 FWD honda prelude and know this car could quite easily break me.

 

Thanks for the help

 

Tom

1) I'd drive straight away - gets the oil moving about. No thrashing it for maybe 10 miles though - even thought the water's warm, the oil may not be.

 

2) Not sure - Id imagine once the turbo's (if you have them) have stopped spinning it'd be fine to turn off. My temp gauge never goes above the 'normal' position.

 

3) People will tell you different things - I thin Vinz checked somewhere officail and it was quite high 36f 39r or something.

 

4) don't know sorry.

 

Enjoy the car! If it's going to break you, you can always break it first!

would of thought that a water temp of 91 is quite high. on normal driving mine never goes above 85

Right here goes:-

 

1) I would drive the car straight away and not go into boost for about 5 miles/10 mins town driving.

 

2) I tend to allow the same cooling down as warming up. Just drive off boost for a while and allow engine to tick over for 1 min. The rising temp seems to point to a fan problem as it appears not to cut in. When your ticking over the fan should cut in to cool the engine down. The movement of wind keeps it cool whilst driving.

 

3) Can't help you on that one I'm afraid.

 

4) The washer jets are real easy to remove. I would just remove the pipe at the underside of the bonnett that goes to the jet and activate the washers and see if anything comes out. The headlight washers seem to be blocked or a blockage in the pipe (which runs along the bumper just remove the centre panel).

 

Hope that lot helps.

 

Ivan

Fan is deffinetly cutting in but not cooling at idle. The water temp creeps up from the normal of about 75-80C. It is running quite rich so it is quite a high idle so i suppose it may be understandable but what can i do if i dont want to fry my turbo seals?

try checking the yellow temp connector found on the top water pipe next to temp gauge senser, this yellow one goes to the ecu and can be furred up and giving a false reading.

 

Its not the water temp you want to worry about before you switch off oil temp more important especially if car been driven hard, you dont want hot oil staying on the turbo bearings, dont do them any good thats why most people let the car run for a min or 2, to cool the oil down before switching off

tep seems v high still normal should be about 80-90 max , check fan fuse and clean temp sensor. and maybe thermostat in it is wrong ??

Take the rad cap off and check for weird mayonnaise type substance. Is there any smoke? Has it got any coolant or is it just water?

 

Ivan

yep, as said your engine temps are too high. You have a cooling issue that should be investigated.

 

Typical tyre pressures - 32 front, 36 rear. Try it and adjust to your own preferences.

thanks for your help guys. As I say fan cutting in fine (doesnt it run all the time anyway?) so not the problem, I will check the rad cap when i go back to the car but the mayonaise means head gasket failure doesnt it?!?!?! No smoke. Dont know about coolant levels in water. I would think the SPA temp gauge fairly accurate but will check the connections.

What is the usual temperatures i should be expecting for the following?

Start driving from cold: ?

Normal temp (moderate driving): ?

Normal temp (hard driving): ?

Maximum temp (hard driving followed by traffic on hot day): ?

Safe turn off temp: ?

 

It is running rich so high idle, high exhaust temp, etc so would this explain it?

I know oil temperature is what i need to be concerned about but oil temp > water temp.

Number 3, about tyre pressures.

 

I asked a local tyre and wheel shop, and they told me its not just about the size of the tyre, but the weight of the car and even the type of wheel, so there is no right answer and there is no formula to find it out.

 

What i did with my car was pump it up quite high, thrashed it round, let some out and see if it felt better. Let 1 PSI out each time.

thanks for your help guys. As I say fan cutting in fine (doesnt it run all the time anyway?) so not the problem, I will check the rad cap when i go back to the car but the mayonaise means head gasket failure doesnt it?!?!?! No smoke. Dont know about coolant levels in water. I would think the SPA temp gauge fairly accurate but will check the connections.

What is the usual temperatures i should be expecting for the following?

Start driving from cold: ?

Normal temp (moderate driving): ?

Normal temp (hard driving): ?

Maximum temp (hard driving followed by traffic on hot day): ?

Safe turn off temp: ?

 

It is running rich so high idle, high exhaust temp, etc so would this explain it?

I know oil temperature is what i need to be concerned about but oil temp > water temp.

 

Do you have an after market temp gauge?

The stock gauge is terrible, it hardly moves.