Engine temp. help
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: God's Country Wisconsin
Engine temp. help
I recently had some mod done to my car, exhaust, cam and headers. I picked it up last Wednesday and drove it home 50 miles without any problem. I got up this morning to go for a drive and got 3 miles down the road and had a " Engine Hot, Airconditioning Off". The temp. gauge is ready zero and the check engine light is on. I turned around and came home and call the gentleman who worked on my car and said it was an engine hickup and that it would be fine. I believe him because he is a great mechanic and really knowshis stuff.
Am I parinoid? Does anyone think I should be able to drive this without hurting anything? I think the thermostat is stuck open? Is this something I can look for and try to fix on my own with limited talents with the engine?
Any imput would be appreciated. Thanks.
Mike
Am I parinoid? Does anyone think I should be able to drive this without hurting anything? I think the thermostat is stuck open? Is this something I can look for and try to fix on my own with limited talents with the engine?
Any imput would be appreciated. Thanks.
Mike
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Joined: May 2000
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From: Albuquerque NM
Did he put in a 160 thermostat during the mods? If so, it can sometimes set a "coolant undertemp" code, and display those symptoms you describe. Have your tuner turn off that code parameter, you'll be fine.
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From: God's Country Wisconsin
Thanks Wayne.
He did put a 160* stat in with the mods. The tuner is 80 miles away and it already Saturday evening and is very difficult to get their during the week. Can a dealership do this? I got so scared I turned the heater on full blast after my 3 mile trek fior fear she was going to overheat. So it's ok to drive it? Even with the engine light on?
Mike
He did put a 160* stat in with the mods. The tuner is 80 miles away and it already Saturday evening and is very difficult to get their during the week. Can a dealership do this? I got so scared I turned the heater on full blast after my 3 mile trek fior fear she was going to overheat. So it's ok to drive it? Even with the engine light on?
Mike
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Joined: May 2000
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From: Albuquerque NM
It's PROBABLY OK to drive. Check the engine, is it really too hot to touch? If not, you're fine. It freaked me out when mine did that. But when we checked codes and it was for UNDERTEMP I knew we were OK.
Myself, I wouldn't go to the dealer, I'm afraid to tempt fate with a modded car for them to hook up and clear the code. I think the local chains like Autozone or Pep Boys will check/clear codes for you. Here, even Jiffy Lube can do that for you.
Myself, I wouldn't go to the dealer, I'm afraid to tempt fate with a modded car for them to hook up and clear the code. I think the local chains like Autozone or Pep Boys will check/clear codes for you. Here, even Jiffy Lube can do that for you.
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I was o.k. with the undertemp until you said it was reading 100 degrees. Even with the 160 degree thermostat is should NEVER read 100 degrees after a few miles. The thermostat heats it up to 160 and then usually it resides at 175 up to 185 depending on outside temps and what you are doing with the car. 100 degrees to me means the installer didn't properly vent the air from the cooling system and the temp gauge sending unit is reading air temp instead of cooling temp. I would burp the hoses to see if there is still air in the system and take it back to the installer. 
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From: God's Country Wisconsin
Thanks Palli.
I drove it back from the shop last Wednesday, about an 50-80 mile drive. Everything was perfect that day, I drove in rush hour traffic and it was in the low 90's that day. Today, early morning, I went out for a drive like I do any Saturday before trafiic gets to busy and got a few miles from home and the car beeped with this code and the engine light came on and the temp. gauge went back to 100* and has stayed their. Trust me, I do not beat this car and rarely really get on it like it should be driven. I am really going to have a difficult time getting this back to the installer due to the fact it is so far away. Is this something you could possibly talk me through to correct this?
Any help would be appreciated.
Mike
I drove it back from the shop last Wednesday, about an 50-80 mile drive. Everything was perfect that day, I drove in rush hour traffic and it was in the low 90's that day. Today, early morning, I went out for a drive like I do any Saturday before trafiic gets to busy and got a few miles from home and the car beeped with this code and the engine light came on and the temp. gauge went back to 100* and has stayed their. Trust me, I do not beat this car and rarely really get on it like it should be driven. I am really going to have a difficult time getting this back to the installer due to the fact it is so far away. Is this something you could possibly talk me through to correct this?
Any help would be appreciated.
Mike
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From: Yorba Linda Ca
Hot
Hi, I just put mine in today. It took a few tries before I managed to get enough coolant back in for it to stabilize. Usually with older, simpler cars, if the temp is very low, it is because there is not enough fluid reaching the sensor. Mine gave a message that the coolant level was low, and it reached 250 F.
If the battery was unplugged, maybe your readings are now in centigrade.
Good luck.
If the battery was unplugged, maybe your readings are now in centigrade.
Good luck.
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From: God's Country Wisconsin
Hi, I just put mine in today. It took a few tries before I managed to get enough coolant back in for it to stabilize. Usually with older, simpler cars, if the temp is very low, it is because there is not enough fluid reaching the sensor. Mine gave a message that the coolant level was low, and it reached 250 F.
If the battery was unplugged, maybe your readings are now in centigrade.
Good luck.
If the battery was unplugged, maybe your readings are now in centigrade.
Good luck.
But I had driven it home for 50 miles without any incident or codes and then all of a sudden this all appears yesterday. Not really sure what to do?
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From: God's Country Wisconsin
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: God's Country Wisconsin
I disconnected the battery for 15 minutes, turned on the lights to drain any excess juice and all seems to be fine? The code coming up was P0128, if anyone ever comes across this in the future. I took it out for a little drive this evening and last and it seems to be operating around 170 to 180. I did however order a 180* stat just incase. I would like to thank a forum member for dropping everything last Sunday and stopping by to help with this.
Mike
Mike
