Camaro73

I just picked up a 98 TA and I haven't really driven it till today and I noticed the temp slowly gets close to 210 when just sitting in park. I checked the fans and they don't come on unless I have the AC on?

Kevin Lee 487

iTrader: (1)

These cars have air dams on them for a reason. You have to be moving for them to take effect.

Camaro73

I'm assuming your talking about the plastic cover in front of the condenser? & what does that have to do with the fans coming on when the temp is higher than it's suppose to be?

TechCam97

iTrader: (5)

Mine hangs out around 210 all the time, totally normal.

Camaro73

So no worries unless it gets crazy hot? & I'm just worried cause I've only driven old school muscle cars and 210 is too hot for those engines.

TechCam97

iTrader: (5)

Yea, you should be good to go with it hovering around the 210 mark. If it starts to shoot towards the right then you have issues.

Camaro73

Ok I'll keep an eye out, I don't driven it very often but I'll keep my eye on it when I do. Just wanted to make sure 210 wasn't an issue

DrEvyl

iTrader: (5)

While that may be true for your car, 98's are a little different than 2002s in this regard... The temp gauge actually works. Mine is usually around 180 during normal driving. If you sit it will go up to 210, which is completely normal. The fans should come on somewhere around 210. It's not like the '99-02 models, they usually go to 210 and stay there (I've had both).

If your fans don't come on, you might want to make sure the fuse for them isn't blown.

great421

iTrader: (1)

OP -

Also, though I don't think this is the issue, check your cooling fan relays (plural) for proper functionality.

If 210 degrees makes you uncomfortable, you are not alone.

Solutions? Get a SLP manual fan switch (to turn the fans ON when YOU want them ON), or get a tuner to change the parameters within the PCM.

(My car never exceeds 185 degrees.)

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

As the OP's fans come on when the A/C is in use, there's nothing wrong with his fuses or relays.

Camaro73, assuming it has a stock thermostat and tune, hitting 210 without the fans coming on is normal.

delrio_bird

I have this same problem. Not entirely sure if mine turns on in my 95 V6. At movement (30+mph), I stick to just above the 1/4 mark. But at a standstill it will hit the center line and start to move just past it. To be honest, I don't know if its the fans, the coolant isn't getting around (150k car) or the gauges are acting funny because my fuel level jumps around.

Camaro73

Ya it's completely bone stock.

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

flush the cooling system and do a new thermostat, if you are seeing drop back to the 1/4 mark after getting near 200 then and this happens when driving above 30-40 for an amount of time that is a sign of either no thermostat or a stuck open one. Also wouldn't be surprised at that mileage if your getting about to need a water pump on it.

as for the OP, you could do a coolant flush, just to make sure you don't have a bunch of sludge built up in your cooling system. Anything up to 210 is normal, if it starts inching over 210 (just a needle mark or 2) then flush it.

Camaro73

That's exactly what I was going to do whenever I had a day to work on it. And the thermostat was replaced in 2009 by the previous owner and has only had 5k miles put on it since then (have receipts for proof)

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

the thermostat comment was directed @ delrio_bird not you, plan for a good flush done over the course of several days if you find it to be extremely gunked up tho, after 3 weeks I'm still getting specks of the black inards of the hoses when I drain the system, so I just put on new upper and lower radiator hoses this past weekend and will be doing new heater core hoses before putting fresh anti-freeze in.