Overheating?

[Laecaon]

I think my car might be over heating but not 100% sure. Im not sure if I am reading my gauge correctly.

 

This is the highest I have ever seen it go. Normally it hovers around the line to the left of the needle.

 

 

Basically, is this over heating or do I have a bit more room? Where is too hot on this guage?

[Laecaon]

Oh and I pulled off the free way just in case... So yea Im at a gas station for now...

[jefe de jefes]

I run my car everyday at that temp.Maybe your a little low on water/coolant.

[Laecaon]

Causes I know. So not looking for fixes, at least not right now.

 

Just making sure I know how to read the gauge.

[freaky510]

mine gets between the E M with no problems. can you smell anything out of the norm??

[Laecaon]

No smell. I am just weary because I have never seen it go past that line before.

 

My heater does not work. And I dont know what else does not work. So Im just trying to be cautious about running it too hot.

[philcas1987]

Cruising at 80 in California no problem. You might be high

 

[Laecaon]

Well I am going on the road again. Things have cooled a bit. Air is getting cooler too. I will see.

[Guest 510kamikazifreak]

Thats well within "normal" range(also have to figure that the gauge is out of calibration due to age)

If it gets up to the P then "might" be cause for further concern.

Get a mechanical gauge if you are weary that way you will know the tempature

 

 

Oh and hope you got fuel where ever you are at right now,they dont run on E :lol:

[ggzilla]

Yes. That is normal -- check your owners manual. If it gets to the red, then its a problem.

 

Mine runs in center, if it gets to 70 above center. If it gets to 90 it runs close to H line. It has never overheated or blown a gasket. Engine is a 1972 never had the head off.

[Wide14u]

i was thinking it should be about therein the first place

[Wicked Saint]

Mine ran about 3/4 all day long just about the p. Never had a problem

[DRIVEN]

You're fine. Now go home and replace that bad thermostat.

[Laecaon]

It got home just fine. Hotter than Im used to, though I have never run it on a warmer day.

 

So I guess no reason to be alarmed.

 

I need to replace the thermostat just because. Need to completely flush the coolant system (rust colors in coolant) and Heater is not working. Also I need to change the oil, currently has 5w30 which is a tad light for the warmer temperatures.

[albyneau]

It got home just fine. Hotter than Im used to, though I have never run it on a warmer day.

 

So I guess no reason to be alarmed.

 

I need to replace the thermostat just because. Need to completely flush the coolant system (rust colors in coolant) and Heater is not working. Also I need to change the oil, currently has 5w30 which is a tad light for the warmer temperatures.

 

The rule of thumb on *ANY* factory temp gauge is normal's about in the middle. The width of your red bed is the "sweat factor". Rusty colored coolant has little chunks of iron floating around~ how well do you think your garden hose would work if you're trying to run pea gravel through it? Rust can hang a t-stat open or closed: closed will overheat fast, open will overheat slow. The latter is actually the more dangerous~ cuz the coolant rushes through so fast there's no heat transfer, but the sender says everything's AOK. Flush the system first, following flush MFR's recommendations. Drain the system and refill with clear water, and add about 1/4-1/2 cup vinegar per gallon (depending on your level of coolant crusties). The acidic vinegar will help dislodge loose rust flakes and eat at any calcification in the cooling system even further. I actually don't buy flush any more~ just do the vinegar thing~ it's all NATURAL! Antifreeze increases the specific gravity- enabling particulates to remain in suspension. Heat cycle the engine a few times~ I typically follow this procedure over a month's time span when flushing. Your mileage may vary. Drain the system, and while it's running out the bottom stick your garden hose in the top. Let engine run at idle, and adjust flow to avoid wasting water. We are not polluting here~ just washing out the remainders of the vinegar & sediment. Run it for a good 15-20 minutes. Turn off the engine and the garden hose, and allow the system to drain fully. DESPITE what you might read on the container, you do not need a 50/50 coolant mix~ unless you're a cheesehead (Wisconsin, for example). I run 20-25% mix here in NorCal. Antifreeze actually INHIBITS heat transfer! It's only benefit lies in it's name. If you don't live where it consistently deep freezes~ YOU DON'T NEED ANTIFREEZE! Redline makes a wonderful product called "water wetter" that provides water pump lubrication and galvanic corrosion protection, without inhibiting heat transfer. If you can't break yourself out of old-school thinking, remember this rule of thumb if nothing else~ green antifreeze is for iron motors, pink is for iron/aluminum motors. Now, for the first person that reads this all the way through and can tell me where antifreeze comes from~ you will receive one *attaboy*, and a cold frosty one @ Canby! So~ old guys pipe in quick~ cuz search engines are faster'n Superman nowadays!

 

Scott

[ggzilla]

Antifreeze comes from o'reilly's!

[albyneau]

Antifreeze comes from o'reilly's!

 

Dude~ that is sooo wrong! I won't even let you drink my old coolant for that answer!:P

[jesusno2]

My ka in my wagon I have a stock temp guage and a real guage at 190 degrees my stock guage reads right about the middle of the M. I dunno if the stock guage and the ka sender are a match though.

[thisismatt]

YOU DON'T NEED ANTIFREEZE! Redline makes a wonderful product called "water wetter" that provides water pump lubrication and galvanic corrosion protection, without inhibiting heat transfer.

Antifreeze also raises the boiling point, so if you have a hotter running motor, you DO need it.

[ggzilla]

The radiator pressure raises the boiling point, hence the 14 psi cap. This works with plain water too.

 

Coolant contains a corrosion inhibitor so that is 2 major features

[Guest DatsuNoob]

Water wetter is good too. I used to run it in my vee dubs before I knew better :no: :lol:

[Jayden71]

Both my 620s and my 720 ran there on warm days. My 521 ha a mechanical and it runs at 190. Pullin a hill on a hot day it will get up to 210

[albyneau]

The radiator pressure raises the boiling point, hence the 14 psi cap. This works with plain water too.

 

Coolant contains a corrosion inhibitor so that is 2 major features

 

 

Correct, ggzilla! Every 1 psi raises the bubblepoint 3 degrees~ so that 14# cap makes for a 254 degree bubblepoint. High performance engines have high cylinder pressures~ either by mechanical compression ratio, or by forced induction. Increased thermal efficiency is great, but there'll still be some of that extra heat conducted through the engine. So we all have to individually decide what the right recipe is on our own. Here in NorCal even with the occasional frosty night or two I just don't need a ratio that get me protection down to 20 degrees, and the resulting raised boil point that'd go with it~ so my coolant isn't colored like jello, more like watered down coolaid...

 

Like I said before, your mileage may vary~ metaphorically speaking...

[hang_510]

if you really want to know where the correct needle spot is for NOT is, then use an external thermometer to 'calibrate' yours.

 

mine barely gets past the line towards C(calibrated to be 173* w/a 191* thermostat) and @ sustained high speed has not gone past 1/2 way. using 4:1 dilution

 

 

antifreeze is elthylene glycol.

syntheticly made. is that what you asked???

 

o'rielly? mine comes from the head gasket :mad:

 

 

You might be high

whats the C for then?

[KELMO]

So Albyneau you only use 20 - 25 % antifreeze? Did I read that right and if so, what type of oustide temps to you get in your area during summer months? Just wondering as I have just lately been running a little hot on the temp guage too.