Since Today's Topic Is Overheating.....I'm Perplex
Discussion
93.5 SE. Has always run cool: 81-82 degrees celsius moving, no more than 90 stopped (and then fans come on). Have run a few hot days, including a track day, with no problems.
Today, took it out for a morning run, pulled fine, temps fine. Stopped and filled up. Headed back on to the freeway, saw an idiot light come on. Thought it was the windshield washer tank. Wrong....I looked at the temp gauge: 100! Yikes. Shut it down before it got to 110, and the oil temp was fine so I think the motor is ok.
Limped home, stopping every 1/4 mile to let it cool off. Took the thermostat out. It eventually opened in boiling water, but not immediately....hmmmmm..... off to the parts store.
Closest match to the stat I could find on a Sunday at Autozone (Lotus? Is that a brand of part?) was a 180 deg. Failsafe, which should stick OPEN. Installed. Car warmed up normally...and then the temp kept climbing. BUT, at 100 deg, miracle of miracles, it drops back to 50 deg, then slowly rises to 80-82 and stays there. I do a few hard runs and boost is back, car runs fine. Seems problem is fixed....and then running back to house temp climbs again....up to 110 (dammit) before I get back to the house. Shut it down, coolant level fine. Motor SEEMS hotter than normal, but hard to tell.
Maybe it is the gauge? Any ideas guys?
Today, took it out for a morning run, pulled fine, temps fine. Stopped and filled up. Headed back on to the freeway, saw an idiot light come on. Thought it was the windshield washer tank. Wrong....I looked at the temp gauge: 100! Yikes. Shut it down before it got to 110, and the oil temp was fine so I think the motor is ok.
Limped home, stopping every 1/4 mile to let it cool off. Took the thermostat out. It eventually opened in boiling water, but not immediately....hmmmmm..... off to the parts store.
Closest match to the stat I could find on a Sunday at Autozone (Lotus? Is that a brand of part?) was a 180 deg. Failsafe, which should stick OPEN. Installed. Car warmed up normally...and then the temp kept climbing. BUT, at 100 deg, miracle of miracles, it drops back to 50 deg, then slowly rises to 80-82 and stays there. I do a few hard runs and boost is back, car runs fine. Seems problem is fixed....and then running back to house temp climbs again....up to 110 (dammit) before I get back to the house. Shut it down, coolant level fine. Motor SEEMS hotter than normal, but hard to tell.
Maybe it is the gauge? Any ideas guys?
Well, first off, "I have heard" that you should only use a Genu-ine- Lotus thermostat because of the angle the water is bypassed at or something. I am sure Jim will correct me. The gasket, on the other hand, is the same as a Chebby V8.
That said, if your old thermostat wasn't opening properly in the boiling water test, hopefully that is your problem. Otherwise, fans, radiator, head gasket, etc.
Dr.Hess
That said, if your old thermostat wasn't opening properly in the boiling water test, hopefully that is your problem. Otherwise, fans, radiator, head gasket, etc.
Dr.Hess
Hi,
The Lotus 'T'stat is best as it has a weep hole to direct coolant to the temp gauge sender, there are others which do as well and they will work just fine.
With regard to your issue, the first thing which comes to my mind is the waterpump/vac pump (on a 93.5?) 'V' belt. Have you checked to be sure it isn't slipping on the WP pulley and reducing coolant flow? Sometimes it really is the most obvious. Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
The Lotus 'T'stat is best as it has a weep hole to direct coolant to the temp gauge sender, there are others which do as well and they will work just fine.
With regard to your issue, the first thing which comes to my mind is the waterpump/vac pump (on a 93.5?) 'V' belt. Have you checked to be sure it isn't slipping on the WP pulley and reducing coolant flow? Sometimes it really is the most obvious. Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
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