my problem seems to be i noticed my car gettin a lil hotter than normal sitting at stop lights and stuff with my electric fan on, so i switched to a mr gasket 180, and driving the temp stay around 170 or so, but when i stop at a light the temp just wants to climb a lot faster than it has in the past, is starting to warm up around here so i really need some help on what might be causing this
Question about idle temperature
- Thread starter bdub
- Start date
ShortThrow50
Member
seems almost obvious from reading your post that your not gettin enough air flowin through your rad when stopped. probably need to switch to a better fan.
Ensure the fan is coming on at full power. And that it's staying on.
You could do some testing in your garage with huge a box fan or a contractors fan if you wanted. Since you cool at speed, you know the system can reject enough heat.
You don't have U/D pullies you do?
You could do some testing in your garage with huge a box fan or a contractors fan if you wanted. Since you cool at speed, you know the system can reject enough heat.
You don't have U/D pullies you do?
Holding the revs up gives you decent 3G alternator output (for the fan), and speeds the water pump up a hair in case overdriving it would help (I've found that sometimes the stock pulley ratio and 625 engine RPM are a tad slow).
How high does your aftermarket gauge go? That doesn't sound good, since some of them go pretty high.
It still feels like a fan issue. Why the fan would have worked before but not now is a mystery. A load-side connection that deteriorated while in storage could do it. If you have a fan from another car lying around, I might BS it onto the radiator (I've done this with a couple of zip ties, just for driveway idle testing) and see what happens.
Good luck.
How high does your aftermarket gauge go? That doesn't sound good, since some of them go pretty high.
It still feels like a fan issue. Why the fan would have worked before but not now is a mystery. A load-side connection that deteriorated while in storage could do it. If you have a fan from another car lying around, I might BS it onto the radiator (I've done this with a couple of zip ties, just for driveway idle testing) and see what happens.
Good luck.
the fan seems to be running just as hard as it always has, very loud, and the car has never been in storage, i drove it all winter, weather here in nc is not too bad, my AM gauge goes up to 240, and it will jump from 170-175sh all the way to 210-215ish in about 3 mins. whats got me afraid is the weather is just starting to get warm here, but no where near as hot as it will get
If you want, grab a turkey thermometer and remove the rad cap with a cold motor. Then let it warm up. Watch the coolant in the top of the radiator as the stat opens - it will start flowing towards the driver's side. Note the temp at which this occurs (per the turkey/candy thermometer and on your AM gauge). Now note when the fan comes on. The fan should put a dent in how fast the temp is increasing. If it doesnt, something weird is up. This also lets one check gauge calibration.
BE VERY CAREFUL OF HOT COOLANT - IT DOES LIKE TO SHOOT OUT OF THE RADIATOR NECK AND CAN SERIOUSLY BURN SOMEONE. I put a rag over the neck and probe of the turkey thermometer to help with this situation.
I still wasn't thinking your water pump impellar sheared because your 'at speed' temps are right-on. IIRC, most pumps have a bit of an interference fit (shaft-to-impellar) with a pin to mate the shaft to the impellar. If the shaft lets go, the impellar can slip. I'd expect it to slip more at speed though.
Depending upon how the temp tests go, I'd perhaps consider a new pump since they are only about 30 bucks or so (last time I checked). I dont like throwing money at parts but the only way to really check the pump is to remove it anyhow.
Good luck.
BE VERY CAREFUL OF HOT COOLANT - IT DOES LIKE TO SHOOT OUT OF THE RADIATOR NECK AND CAN SERIOUSLY BURN SOMEONE. I put a rag over the neck and probe of the turkey thermometer to help with this situation.
I still wasn't thinking your water pump impellar sheared because your 'at speed' temps are right-on. IIRC, most pumps have a bit of an interference fit (shaft-to-impellar) with a pin to mate the shaft to the impellar. If the shaft lets go, the impellar can slip. I'd expect it to slip more at speed though.
Depending upon how the temp tests go, I'd perhaps consider a new pump since they are only about 30 bucks or so (last time I checked). I dont like throwing money at parts but the only way to really check the pump is to remove it anyhow.
Good luck.
yeah i understand, i know sittin inside my shop at work when the fan comes on it knocks my temp down pretty quick, but outside in the sun sitting at a stop light, the fan slows down how fast it raises, i know last year with the cheap 180 thermostat ui could pull up at a store or a stop light with the fan on and the temp would never rise above about 190, but it started to not be the same this year as it warmed up, so i went with the mr gasket 180, it has made the ride temp go down a lot, but as far as idle temp its still doing the same thing
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