Temperature weirdness
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,221
Likes: 446
From: Overland Park Kansas
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
Temperature weirdness
Noticed temps actually dropping on my car after it reaches the 160-170 range. But I still have the stock thermo in the car. (Though I've seen it floating up and down in the 155-175 range, it also still goes up to 200+ when idling for awhile). This has happened twice in the past week.
If the thermo was stuck open, I don't know how it would warm up. And, since it gets warm what -- besides a water pump on steriods could keep the temp in that range? I've even seen it drop a couple of degrees while I'm honking on it!
Could the sensor be bad? I've had some trouble with it popping during warm-up lately and suggestions included a bad temp sensor. I also heard the dash readout did not get it's temp for the same location. So, could two sensors be bad at the same time?
I thought it used to average in the 185-200 degree range. During the past week, it doesn't seem to quite get there. It's still cool outside, and maybe I remember wrong.
Did someone sneak over to my house and put a 160 thermo in?
I'm confused.
If the thermo was stuck open, I don't know how it would warm up. And, since it gets warm what -- besides a water pump on steriods could keep the temp in that range? I've even seen it drop a couple of degrees while I'm honking on it!
Could the sensor be bad? I've had some trouble with it popping during warm-up lately and suggestions included a bad temp sensor. I also heard the dash readout did not get it's temp for the same location. So, could two sensors be bad at the same time?
I thought it used to average in the 185-200 degree range. During the past week, it doesn't seem to quite get there. It's still cool outside, and maybe I remember wrong.
Did someone sneak over to my house and put a 160 thermo in?
I'm confused.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,036
Likes: 13
From: Edmonton AB
Two thoughts.
First, if you haven't already done so, check the coolant level. If the
level is down, the end of the sensor can become uncovered - leading
to false (low) readings.
Second, like jd_v3tt3 says, the thermostat doesn't necessarily fail to
the wide open position. If it has become weak and simply isn't fully
closing when required, then the engine would warm up (albeit, more
slowly) but not run at the intended operating temperature.
If you have the OEM t-stat and you are seeing sub-180 temps, then
this is similar to the behavior of mine when they've gone bad.
If you replace it, try to choose an OEM steel one instead of one of
the 'brass' versions.
.
First, if you haven't already done so, check the coolant level. If the
level is down, the end of the sensor can become uncovered - leading
to false (low) readings.
Second, like jd_v3tt3 says, the thermostat doesn't necessarily fail to
the wide open position. If it has become weak and simply isn't fully
closing when required, then the engine would warm up (albeit, more
slowly) but not run at the intended operating temperature.
If you have the OEM t-stat and you are seeing sub-180 temps, then
this is similar to the behavior of mine when they've gone bad.
If you replace it, try to choose an OEM steel one instead of one of
the 'brass' versions.
.
Last edited by Slalom4me; Apr 8, 2006 at 02:54 AM.
