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Re: theory, was \ 2 questions, cooling and fuel... long,

To: Toby Atwater <tob@taltec.net>
Subject: Re: theory, was \ 2 questions, cooling and fuel... long,
From: Ulix Goettsch <ulix@u.washington.edu>
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 1999 10:05:46 -0700 (PDT)
Cc: Sprite Mailing List <spridgets@autox.team.net>
In-reply-to: <006f01beb9f8$f218eba0$2457fea9@p233>
Reply-to: Ulix Goettsch <ulix@u.washington.edu>
Sender: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
Toby,
your temp gauge is all mechanical, the voltage stabilizer only works on
teh fuel gauge.
BUT, the missing thermostat may be your problem.  It's second function id
to throttle down the flow out of the head and thus ensuring that enough
water circulates through it.  Without the thermostat, your cooling system
is not working correctly and this may account for the higher temp,
especially if your gauge is connected to the cylinder head, which I think
it is on a 69.  Put in a thermostat asap!

Ulix (my name is weird enough, don't need no Star Wars).


On Fri, 18 Jun 1999, Toby Atwater wrote:

> ok I think I found a possible cause for my problem...tell me if this way
> off...
> 
> my tempature guage reading 140 deg C (284 F) without boiling over was very
> disturbing, now I think I found the problem.... lets say if my voltage
> stabalizer (as I understand it, it works like a voltage regulator) isnt
> doing its job, and giving my gauge a full 12 volts, wouldnt they read high?
> I realized this when my temp guage would change in front of my eyes as the
> engine would
> idle.... this also explains me running out of gas with the guage reading 1/4
> tank.
> 
> oh and I found out why my car died and sputtered the other day, since my car
> is from AZ, some previous owner decided to remove the thermostat, therefore
> the engine would run cold when it was brisk out, like that night... and the
> engine would never heat up correctly, and it would run badly.
> 
> the combination of my guage reading high and the engine never heating up is
> no good... Im thinking Im running at 90 degrees C and yet the car is running
> like its cold, so I thought the fuel system was at fualt.... go figure...
> 
> thanks for you help anyhow...
> 
> Toby
> 
> >yes it almost happend! My date and I were on our way out to Dinner, and the
> >Sprite had a steep climb up a parking ramp with a stop sign at the top...
> >this was VERY steep... It barely makes it up and then I have to stop and
> >wait for traffic, as I take off, it starts spuddering and dies. I apologize
> >to my date, and then start it up again... and take off.... 20 yards later..
> >.same thing... then it wouldnt start... only sputter and die.. after what
> >seemed like an eternity (30 sec) I started it for the 4th or 5th time...
> and
> >this time it was all good and I sped off, and we had a very nice evening.
> >Now this supperting felt the same as when I had to clean the fuel system
> >last week.... the old in line filter was NASTY! brown\red fuel dripping out
> >of it when I turned it over. I thought my fuel system problems were solved
> >when I replaced it and did my best to clean the tank (pouring clean gas
> >through)... apperently not. Could the fuel pump not be strong enough to
> pump
> >over that steep climb and left my carbs dry? Any suggestions are
> >appreciated... Im thinking of just ripping everything out and speding a few
> >days with a wire brush & compressed air and just bite the bullet and start
> >scrubbing, and boil out the fuel tank, replace pump, etc...
> >
> >The past few days have been hot, 80+ degrees, my sprite is heating up way
> to
> >much... the temp guage hit 130 degrees C (or about 266 F) which seems
> >impossible. but it has only been really heating up today and yesterday. so
> >I'm suspecting the thermostat is dieing. also I wanted to know... whats the
> >operating temp of my sprite? around 90 C or around 200 degrees would be my
> >guess, but I dunno. It seems to not warm up very fast on cool nights.
> >
> >Also... I have no experiance in this whole "expansion tank" thing. I just
> >fill the radiator directly in my other car... but the Sprite seems to have
> a
> >tank to accomodate the expansion of water when it heats up I guess... so I
> >shouldnt fill this up all the way? Thanks.... for all the lists help...
> >
> >Toby One Knobč
> >
> >Toby Atwater,   Santa Barbara, CA, tob@taltec.net
> >1969 Austin Healey Sprite, mk 4 "noname" (sunday driver, and special
> >occasions)
> >1971 FJ-40 Toyota Land Cruiser "BEEF" (daily driver.. 3 on da tree)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 

    Ulix                                       __/__,__      ___/__|__  
..............................................(_o____o_)....<_O_____O_/...
http://students.washington.edu/~ulix/         '67 Sprite     '74 X1/9


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