Running Temperature

[AL G]

Hi - sorry for yet another question about coolant temperature, but I'm confused with the archives - and what could be wrong. .

 

My "normal" running temp is 89-90 ish - never seems to get above this really, and is consistent (which i think is the main thing ?)

 

If I turn my heater or lights on, it goes nuts - jumps all over the place - This is the earth grounding I believe, on my list of things to do . .

 

Yesterday however, I was stuck in traffic for ever, and it was about 28 degrees outside. The temp went up to 107-124 . ( i didn't have the cooler fans on ). .

The fan cut in, but didn't bring the temp down.. It simply wouldn't drop . . I stopped the engine when I could, but as soon as I got moving again out of traffic it came back down to 90.. (cold air intake ?)

 

I don't think this is due to the grounding, as the HEAVY traffic, and scorching weather (well I do live in Sunderland) seem to be the factors. .

 

Do I need to bleed anything - or check for HGF ? I really haven't got a scooby doo when it comes to this . .

 

Cheers - Al

[dobbo]

The fan should come on at around 100, and the display should start flashing above 110.

 

It's possible that it was just too hot for the fan to do anything more. As you saw, once you start moving again, it came down to the normal number.

 

I can't see how this would suggest HGF - is everything else OK ? No whitish emulsified stuff in the oil, no brownish stuff in the coolant ?

[AL G]

na, both clean as a whistle . .

 

Is this normal then ?

[GCCK]

It does take a while for the effects of the fan to become apparent - seems even longer if you're convincing yourself that something's going wrong. However, with no airflow through the rad it is completely normal for temp to rise to 102 or so, when the fan should kick in and bring it down to mid 90's before switching off again. You should have tried Rouen traffic on Le Mans week: 40C and stuck for an hour!

 

Your "normal" temp seems a bit high: most have normal around 83-87, although Thermostat is supposed to operate at 89 so you're alright there.

 

Be worth getting your stat, blue & brown senders checked to see if they're behaving properly: stat could be activating too late, senders could be sending bum info. And obviously get the fan checked and system bled properly.