Any thermostat that I've had (though not on a B) that malfunctioned always
kept me from getting any temp at all, never one that was super high. Very
high temps for me have always been coolant related somehow.
No, I didn't change the profile of the car, though a car that could go to
the edge of the red just from having a new license plate would worry me.. :)
I got the vehicle last year and have never flushed it, and I don't know the
history of the radiator. I can't easily take its temp.
Running the heater did not drop it (although getting heat out of that car
is another story anyway).
It was like that at 4500-ish rpm, about 80 mph. Dropping the speed would
cause it to drop the temp, though still high, just not on the edge of
red. It just worries me that if it's nearly red that (1) the risk of
damage and (2) what will it do when the outside temp hits 90/100 degrees?
I'm thinking of probably having to flush the radiator.
To flush the heater core, which I've meant to do anyway, should I just
disconnect the two hoses and shove a garden hose in there, or do I really
need to remove it and disassemble it?
Any other ideas?
Thanks
- Tab
At 08:41 AM 4/16/00 -0400, Bob Howard wrote:
>Tab,
> Unless it's malfunctioning, the stat operating temp is not the cause of
>this condition. Even the 190 stat that I use year round on my '72 GT
>holds the needle just slightly to the L side of the middle of the gauge.
> Sure, since they are cheap, it's fine to change the stat, it will do no
>harm. But, I don't think that's the trouble here.
> First thing to do is to try to measure the temp of the water in the
>radiator. Can you do that with a '78-I forget? If you can, a candy or
>cooking thermometer in the radiator water will answer the temp question
>for you.
> Have you added a new licence plate, or spoiler, or anything that would
>change the aerodynamics of the front of the car?
> Did you try turning on the heater to note if it dropped the gauge temp
>slightly?
> Have you rinsed out the cooling system in the past few years, and
>changed anti freeze every two years or so? I'm wondering about
>crud/rust/sludge in the system now? If you clean the radiator, also
>backwash the heater core with a garden hose--a real load of sediment can
>build up there.
>Bob
>
>
>On Sun, 16 Apr 2000 07:52:24 -0700 Tab Julius <tab@penworks.com> writes:
> >
> > My 78B normally runs high anyway, about 75% on the gauge toward hot,
> > but
> > last night running it at 4500 rpm with an outside temp of about 70
> > fahrenheit, I noticed it was just barely under the red, so it had
> > moved to
> > 90, 95% or whatever.
> >
> > I have replaced the thermostat switch on the engine fan, and those
> > fans
> > seem to work. I don't recall if I have a summer or winter
> > thermostat on
> > the engine itself, but neither should let it get that high. Coolant
> > level
> > should be okay, oil should be fine.
> >
> > Anything else to look at? Would the radiator need to be flushed?
> > Or
> > should I just look at replacing the engine thermostat anyway?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > - Tab
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