Not actually a Sambar, I have a 'Domingo', the 1200cc version of the Sambar, with a VW front.. First among a whole slew of problems, the most immediate is to resolve an overheating problem. Around town no problems, stop start lots of idle the gauge stays dead centre. As soon as I venture onto a motorway and try to hold anything above 50 mph it boils. Idle it for ten minutes and down comes the temperature. There are no vents in the 'VW' front. would cutting a couple of slots low down on the front resolve this problem? The picture show the vehicle on stands, while I explore. ( I tried a search, it just prodded me to the internet.) Thanks Fay
Can't say forsure but it may be possible that your lower(feeder) radiator hose is collapsing from the suction on higher rpms. Not really sure but worth checking. also make sure the electric fan (if thats what it is) is blowing from front to rear when it comes on.
I've seen others mention that the VW kit causes overheating due to lack of air flow to the rad...and it would only show up at higher speeds
So, Subaru Gurus, have taken the front 'bumber' fibre glass moulding off, it got worse. Drained and flushed radiator, refilled with coolant, rather than plain water, and crawled over and under the little monster. The engine is getting hot, the radiator feels quite cool. At one point the back of the system was 100% boiling coolant, the radiator was draining cool clear water. Airlock? Thermostat? Where is the thermostat? or if an airlock is there any way of bleeding the system? I am actually reluctant to lay the blame on the 'custom kit' as it has clearly spent the last 10 years in a hot dusty environment, (from the condition of the foam in the headrests, the total lack of rust and the layers of dust over everything) and it surely must have run at normal or near normal temperatures for the early part of its life. Okay, go get the solution tiger! Fay, hot and bothered, Presto.
Sounds like an airlock,stuck thermostat,or blockage of a coolant line,which could mean a collapsed rad hose as well (lower hose)...pull out the thermostat and see if circulation of the coolant improves..if so the thermostat was bad...thermostat is usually near or at the highest point in the cooling system,and the bleed screw should be nearby....you can also try idling with the rad-cap off and raise the van so that the rad-cap is the highest point so any air can escape...make sure when you refill a cooling system that you have the heater on full hot position (fan speed can be on low ),it is the temperature valve that needs to be open or coolant will not get to the heater core and cause an airlock and overheating..
The internet is a wonderful thing! The internet is a frustrating thing. There are all your old postings did I but look. I am about to burn my Sunday trying to bleed/ resolve the airlock thermostat conundrum. Just how you get to the 'top of the radiator' is as yet a mystery, it being up under the drivers seat, and as to the actual location of the thermostat, that too is an Arcane secret yet to be revealed, but I am on the trail. Any pointers would be helpful before the air of lower Holloway turns blue with profanities and expletives. fondest Fay
wish I could help. but, having never touched a Sambar myself, I would be guessing...I will however try to find the answer..check back within 1/2 hour of this post
Okay..how to do the thermostat (not a great article but a start) http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/232297/car/125058/495951/note.aspx and some photos of the air bleeder...wow what a b@#*h to find that would be.
parts diagrams for your van...should help locate the thermostat http://www.megazip.ru/ru/auto/subaru/view/353/3013
My VIN is FA8-004846, a Domingo rather than a Sambar. The auto trans of the Japanese pages is hysterical. fay
Eu-bloody-reka! Extracted, one thermostat. Kettle boiling to test............. I think it just failed! Now, will my local Sunday factor have a replacement? mwah mwah mwah, big sloppy kisses all round!
A Domingo ,,,DOH! yes I remember you mentioning that in a previous post....crap...my apologies....what a tool I am lol... http://www.megazip.ru/ru/auto/subaru/view/358/3037/33079/327229 parts diagrams.. almost peed myself on this translation Subaru Domingo [Car] vehicle price - [Purchase] price quote 10,000 to 105.8 yen exchange purchase here [Owned] Price Quotes 19.9 million yen (the number of properties: 1) Rating 7.69 (Posts: 13) Fuel Catalog 13km / L ~ 14km / L (10.15 mode) Guest fuel efficiency fu**ing 10.52km / L (35 Answers)
iT'S OKAY, the links helped me get my head round the logic of the car, also although there were quote marks around it, the thread title was Subaru sambar overheating. Local factor had a match for the thermostat and everything seems to be running so put everything back, with a few running repairs on the way. Now to run it down the motorway to see if the high speed overheating has gone away, or if I need to drill some holes. It is so good knowing I'm not alone and there are people to turn to. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
The saga continues. Thermostat sorted the 'round town' cooling. It very rarely over heats in London. A run? That's a van of quite a different colour. all the way to Winchester (about a 50mile motorway/highway run without incident. Really floored it coming back and wheezing noises from the rear. Turned on the heater for a few moments and a return to normal almost immediately. Does this sound more like a collapsing hose to anybody? I think somebody mentioned a feeder hose. Sounds like more time on a crawler board to me. Keep up the good work people, Fay, xx
Trucks with snowplow blades will overheat on the highway if the blade isn't tilted in the proper position and blocks airflow to the radiator,yet are fine running around town...I still think you have reduced airflow to the radiator...the heater shouldn't have made a difference if a hose was collapsed,as it wouldn't be able to circulate coolant to the heater core if the hose collapsed
I concur although the radiator fan should kick in to overcome any of the reduced airflow. I know this is frustrating because I used to have a Jeep with a 3 speed tranny that would overheat on the interstate. Never did figure out what it was after replacing many parts.
Two steps forward, three back! spent the afternoon refitting the Km/miles adaptor, it was reading ten mph under, a recipe for letters from the law if ever there was. moved the home made air scoops around to try for better airflow. On restarting a warning light, engine overheating `(I think, top right) came on and won't go off. Now, is that because I disturbed a wire getting behind the instruments or because 'something' happened while it was up on axle stands? I'm too old for this! The journey continues.
Must've displaced a sensor while fiddling with the speedo which is still reading 10mph below, 'cos the light is on with a stone cold engine. So that's no paces forward, two back. :frustration: Anybody know where the heat sensor on a domingo is? I will try and work out how to post photos soon, honest. fay
Hey Fay, do you need the electric diagram or service manual? They are in German, but Google Translate is pretty good these days...
Yes purleeese! My German isn't good, but it's a damn size better than my Japanese. op: Another afternoon and the light is out, going to find out how the speedo is. xx fay
Found this thread fascinating as I have exactly the same problem with Genevieive, my Domingo 1200cc VW replica. Like many older people, she really doesn't like running uphill in warm weather! So now whenever I approach hills or heavy traffic I whack the heater on full blast and then she behaves impeccably. Net result is Genevieve arrives at her destination calm, cool and collected whereas I arrive hot and bothered! So do keep posting and let me know if you find a solution.
Well, it's nice to know I'm not alone. We are rare people, 1200cc Tribute van owners. Nice wheels by the way. Did you do the dashboard or was it done when you got it? I see you have some 'grills' fitted but like mine not a complete solution. Yes the thermostat had got screwed and that solved the worst of the problem, but it still irritates me to not have a properly functioning wagon. Suspect not an airlock, the hoses feel good. The story continues! Fay
Everything on Genevieve is as it was when I imported her. Hope she doesn't live up to her name all the time (she's named after the film)! I'm going to convert her into a small but beautiful sleep 1 campervan with rock'n'roll bed, and a wee kitchen (900w x 470d x 700h) comprising sink, 2 ring hob, baby fridge, leisure battery etc. So before then (the work's scheduled for January) I want to make sure she's 110% mechanically. On Monday's she's booked in to have the cam belt done. I'll get them to change the thermostat too. Not being technical, I didn't understand all your thread. Where's the thermostat located? And was it easy to find one to fit? Grateful for your help - saves having to re-invent the wheel!
And hope you find the manual useful - think it may be the one my brother found a few months ago that I offered to this forum, which makes me feel less guilty about everyone else finding solutions to problems which I then copy without going through all the hassle you've had!
Fitting the thermostat was a breeze, once I had a few clues from this forum. I will try and take some photos tomorrow, but I have a lunchtime gig so it might not get done. It would be a good project for a complete beginner to do, with a sympathetic teacher watching, advising, but keeping their hands in their pockets. I suspect yours is okay or you would get overheating round town and on idle. There is clearly not enough air getting to the radiator. If you look at the front of a standard Domingo there is quite a large area of radiator grill. Our darlings have almost none, for aesthetic purposes. As a car ages, waterways fur up, airways get clogged with dust, things just don't work as well as they did when new. and it losses it's edge. Systems that 'just' worked when new might 'just' fail down the line. The extra vents I cut have helped greatly, as has the air scoop I hung underneath but it's still not 100%. Things yet to try? I suspect if I could get someone to give the radiator core a good blow through with an air line it might help. Improving the performance of the coolant by putting some stuff called water wetter in might help; this apparently improves the contact the water makes with the hot surfaces by lowering the surface tension and raises the boiling point of the coolant. This might just stop it needing the extra boost the heater gives it. Our problems will be different to the Sambar variant, the engine is sooooo different. Their experience and help is not to be discounted, they know an awful lot. I have started another thread documenting my progress, which is slow as the career of an ageing magician is more rather than less demanding than it was. I did not want a project car, but that is what I have. It should get a motorway run next weekend, traffic permitting. If I have made any progress I will let you know. In the meantime..... enjoy. Fay
Thanks so much for the info. Using "Water wetter" sounds like something even I could manage (my idea of car maintenance is filling it up with petrol).
This stuff:- http://www.powerenhancer.co.uk/product.php/240/red-line-waterwetter-coolant it sounds too good to be true, I was hoping someone who knows might comment...............
