Help! Hot engine coolant
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
Help! Hot engine coolant
Posted this in another C6 section, but it's slow over there. Here's the situation:
Driving home from son's football game, looked down and the engine temp (gauge) was zero...the DIC had XXXcoolant temp.
The oil temp is 140 per the DIC. I was appx 5 miles from my office, so I kept going with the thought that if the engine truly was hot/overheating, that the oil temp would begin to increase in temp...and it didn't at all. Got to office, and hoses all good, none super hot, no steaming...etc.
I checked the sensor. Fine. Even changes the sensor and still same thing.
I've recently had a 160 thermostat installed.
Any suggestions for next step?
Suggestions?
Driving home from son's football game, looked down and the engine temp (gauge) was zero...the DIC had XXXcoolant temp.
The oil temp is 140 per the DIC. I was appx 5 miles from my office, so I kept going with the thought that if the engine truly was hot/overheating, that the oil temp would begin to increase in temp...and it didn't at all. Got to office, and hoses all good, none super hot, no steaming...etc.
I checked the sensor. Fine. Even changes the sensor and still same thing.
I've recently had a 160 thermostat installed.
Any suggestions for next step?
Suggestions?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
Sorry. I probably wasn't clear. Normal driving and then I get a 'hot coolant temp' sign on DIC. I check actual coolant temp and it says "'XXXtemp' turning a/C off". The actual temp gauge was pegged at ZERO. thought it may be a bad coolant sensor, so I put anew one in...and NO CHANGE. still the same isssues.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,326
Likes: 5
From: louisville "derby city" kentucky
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 18,396
Likes: 169
How long since the T'stat swap? Have you checked your coolant level? If it is air trapped in the system, it should clear up after several heat/cool down cycles, and the system require additional coolant. You may actually have to add coolant a few times before the system is fully purged of trapped air and the coolant level stableizes.
If this does not fix your problem, check the wires from the sensor. It could be an open circuit that is not sending info to the ECM.
If this does not fix your problem, check the wires from the sensor. It could be an open circuit that is not sending info to the ECM.
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Brett Foote
Safety Car
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,824
Likes: 351
From: Albuquerque NM
This happens to someone EVERY fall after a 160 install. If you are taking it to a shop have them check the code thrown. It'l be a "coolant undertemp" code. Clear it, you're done.
Last edited by 6Speeder; Oct 28, 2012 at 09:15 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
It was either the sensor or just rearranging the wiring a bit...I was going to take her to the shop and drop her off for them to figure it out, and after driving it for 2-3 minutes everything started registering again. Took to autozone and they said it was thermostat issues, reset the code and we're good. Drove it for about 40 miles and everything's good to go! Thank GOD!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 80
From: Gilroy CA
I hope you have found a solution to the problem. I had a similar problem after I had my OEM thermostat replaced with a 160 degree stat. I first replaced the temp sender and thought that I had the problem solved but it popped up again after a few days. I was getting a code PO128 which I was told meant that the coolant temp wasn't getting to the programmed temp setting as quickly as the computer thought it should. My tuner ended up disabling that code to resolve the problem. Good luck. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,130
Likes: 0
From: Camarillo/Oxnard CA
It's all in the tune. Seen this so many times on C6s with colder than stock thermostats.
Just disable the code P0128 and don't look back. Uncheck MIL box, and set to No Error Reported.
Just disable the code P0128 and don't look back. Uncheck MIL box, and set to No Error Reported.