Running Hot at Stop Lights
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Running Hot at Stop Lights
New owner of 90 roadster. Finding when at stop light for any length of time, engine starts running hot. When I get going again, temp goes back to normal. Not using air conditioner because it doesn't work. I had radiator flushed and no help. Does it need some other cooling help?
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 392
Likes: 19
Tommy, the electric fan comes on around 225 degrees. These cars do run hot so let the car idle and see if the fan comes on. If the ac is not working but hooked up, turn it on to see if the fans come on. Let me know what occurs.. Congrats on being a new owner and welcome to the Forum. There are a lot of Great Guys on here to help you..Charlie
Racer
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 328
Likes: 2
From: Mesa AZ
Normal temps for my 88 C-4 vert. in traffic is usually 215-220 and sometimes higher. I live in Az and our elevation is 1760 feet. With the A/C on, I have had my temps up to 238 degrees. Anything under 245 degrees, you should be ok. If it goes over that, shut down and let it cool off. Don't know where you are at, but don't think your temps are as bad as here.
Tommy
Tommy
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,131
Likes: 5
From: Illinois/Wisconsin Line
Since you just got and don't know. You have to clean out the Fins on the Radiator. The factory decided to use a single/1 core and use many, many more fins per inch than normal to help cool that thing. So that means a lot of smaller places for crap to get stuck from just driving around.
Clean it with a hose and make sure with the water u go back out of the thing. I mean go from the engine side to the front nose, it comes out easier and do the same with the a/c condenser and do it only after watching this video and pulling the top cover off because they also suck up a lot of crap in between the set up.
And if u have the extra cooling fan in front. Try a lower sensor
Maybe the main engine fans Inop? Make sure its coming on
Watch this video and don't ever forget the cooling fan control switch. Its right next to the A/C high side cut off. This little one will save ya a motor and or a tow someday when ur out.
Clean it with a hose and make sure with the water u go back out of the thing. I mean go from the engine side to the front nose, it comes out easier and do the same with the a/c condenser and do it only after watching this video and pulling the top cover off because they also suck up a lot of crap in between the set up.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Rolla Missouri
My engine temp would also creep up while sitting at a stop sign or stop light. I cleaned about 5 pounds of dirt, rocks, grass, and leaves from in between the radiator and A/C condenser, flushed and cleaned my cooling system, added some coolant additive, and now it very rarely ever gets up over 195. I actually had to put it in my garage with no air flow to get it up to a high enough temp to get the fan to turn on so I could make sure it was working.
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Tommy, the electric fan comes on around 225 degrees. These cars do run hot so let the car idle and see if the fan comes on. If the ac is not working but hooked up, turn it on to see if the fans come on. Let me know what occurs.. Congrats on being a new owner and welcome to the Forum. There are a lot of Great Guys on here to help you..Charlie
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
My engine temp would also creep up while sitting at a stop sign or stop light. I cleaned about 5 pounds of dirt, rocks, grass, and leaves from in between the radiator and A/C condenser, flushed and cleaned my cooling system, added some coolant additive, and now it very rarely ever gets up over 195. I actually had to put it in my garage with no air flow to get it up to a high enough temp to get the fan to turn on so I could make sure it was working.
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