Fred Allen Burge

Hey,
I'm having problems with my 3.5 overheating. With the thermostat installed it got up to 240 degrees at idle, I think that's too hot but I don't have my dash guage hooked up - reading off of my laptop/standalone tuning software. The top rad hose was very hot and the bottom one was considerable cooler, could hold it if you wanted to (obvious that the thermostat wasn't open), I then took the thermostat out all together and it stayed about 180-200 with some light driving in 1st-2nd.

So, I took that thermostat home and tested it on the stove and it did infact open up at 190degrees (fully open at boiling which was about 210 degrees, looked to be about 1/4" retracted, seems fine). So, if it works on the stove then why wouldn't it open up when it was installed??

I've heard about drilling some 1/8th" holes in the thermostat's valve to let any trapped air escape, I may try that. Anybody heard of doing that?

thanks for any tips,
Fred

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

Which Tstat are you using?

Maybe try a new tstat..

Fred Allen Burge

It's a stock thermostat, I had this same problem when I was using the 3.0 for the short time that I had it running.

Fred

96sleeper

iTrader: (4)

If it is not the thermostat, it could be air in the system. I know many of the 350z guys have had problems getting air out of the coolant system. I didn't have any problems. How did you fill the engine with coolant?

DandyMax

iTrader: (7)

Air in the system is most likely or else a problem with another part of the system, like clogged/scaled up rad.... are the fans coming on at the right temps?

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

I'm also leaning more towards air in teh system...

Alex_V

Im going to say air too. Because youve got the 3.5 in an s14, the highest point in the system may be some where in the block, and its holding air. Jack the front bumper up as high as possible and then bleed the system. Maximas and s13's and some other cars need to do it as well.

~Alex

Fred Allen Burge

I thought it was air too, still do really. I jacked up the front and filled it through one of the lines coming off the LH head and then through the rad cap but that didn't help any. That's when I pulled out the thermostat all together.

thanks for the input, I'll let everyone know what I find out. Oh ya, I've got the fan wired to run constant for now so I know it's not that.

Fred

96sleeper

iTrader: (4)

You can also pull the upper radiator hose off the radiator and turn it up and pour coolant into the engine.