Overheating....kind of
11-03-2014, 01:26 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: CT
Posts: 21
Overheating....kind of
Saying sorry now for the long post....
I noticed my cars temp gauge (2000 max se- standard) was climbing into a not to safe zone this past Saturday, kicked my heat all the way up, temp goes roughly to normal operating range. Park the car watch my sons soccer game then go home, no issues on the way home hangs in the normal range although I still had the heat blasting.
Get home let the car cool down for a few hours checked coolant in radiator and res both at optimal levels.
Yesterday had a 160-190 mile round trip ride to make for a paintball tournament and made it about 4-5 miles from my house when i noticed the gauge climbing again kicked on the heat all the way and temp dropped down to roughly normal range, because i didn't have time to go back and swap cars i drove out there and back like this (gauge never went past 3/4.)
Was running late for work this morning, same issues, same temporary solution used by using my heat. I have not had a chance to check inlet and outlet hoses yet, nor fan operation. I did have a few seconds to check the fuses for the fans all are good (this was about 1.5 after i got to work.)
Ok so was able to check the car out more on lunch...Car idled for 20mins and temp gauge stayed normal so took it for a quick spirited drive down the street about 3-4 miles round trip... on the way back gauge started to climb (heat off the whole time while testing) get back to the parking lot to work gets high enough to hit the first line before the H the fan on the drivers side kicks on and brings the temp down slightly. I use the accurate hand gauges and feel the hoses top hose is damn hot with good pressure, bottom hose is cooler (still hot but could keep my hand on it for a long period of time and be ok)
Just wanted to clarify at no point has this car actually been driven hot enough to overheat.
This seem like a thermostat to you guys or some other gremlin?
I noticed my cars temp gauge (2000 max se- standard) was climbing into a not to safe zone this past Saturday, kicked my heat all the way up, temp goes roughly to normal operating range. Park the car watch my sons soccer game then go home, no issues on the way home hangs in the normal range although I still had the heat blasting.
Get home let the car cool down for a few hours checked coolant in radiator and res both at optimal levels.
Yesterday had a 160-190 mile round trip ride to make for a paintball tournament and made it about 4-5 miles from my house when i noticed the gauge climbing again kicked on the heat all the way and temp dropped down to roughly normal range, because i didn't have time to go back and swap cars i drove out there and back like this (gauge never went past 3/4.)
Was running late for work this morning, same issues, same temporary solution used by using my heat. I have not had a chance to check inlet and outlet hoses yet, nor fan operation. I did have a few seconds to check the fuses for the fans all are good (this was about 1.5 after i got to work.)
Ok so was able to check the car out more on lunch...Car idled for 20mins and temp gauge stayed normal so took it for a quick spirited drive down the street about 3-4 miles round trip... on the way back gauge started to climb (heat off the whole time while testing) get back to the parking lot to work gets high enough to hit the first line before the H the fan on the drivers side kicks on and brings the temp down slightly. I use the accurate hand gauges and feel the hoses top hose is damn hot with good pressure, bottom hose is cooler (still hot but could keep my hand on it for a long period of time and be ok)
Just wanted to clarify at no point has this car actually been driven hot enough to overheat.
This seem like a thermostat to you guys or some other gremlin?
11-03-2014, 02:02 PM
#2
100% chingon
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,003
There are two fans yet only one started? If you turn on the AC do both start? If not then that's your first point of action. If the fans are ok and both switching on at correct point, then replace the thermostat. If not that, it's probably a clogged radiator.
11-04-2014, 01:05 PM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: CT
Posts: 21
figured it out.....well pretty sure anyway
Problem solved I believe....
The car is not actually over heating...the temp gauge is lying to me. With scan tool connected and monitoring ECT temp vehicle never gets over 203 degrees. At the time the gauge reads hot I'm in the car and don't have the ability to see the fans actually come on but watching the ECT gauge readings I can watch the temp drop to 195 from 203. Not being satisfied by just the scan tool reading I used and IR thermometer and checked the temp of the thermostat housing and several other points all were within range of ECT. So I'm going with bad sending unit for the gauge.
The car is not actually over heating...the temp gauge is lying to me. With scan tool connected and monitoring ECT temp vehicle never gets over 203 degrees. At the time the gauge reads hot I'm in the car and don't have the ability to see the fans actually come on but watching the ECT gauge readings I can watch the temp drop to 195 from 203. Not being satisfied by just the scan tool reading I used and IR thermometer and checked the temp of the thermostat housing and several other points all were within range of ECT. So I'm going with bad sending unit for the gauge.