trying to troubleshoot cooling problem
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From: Windermere / Orlando, FL
trying to troubleshoot cooling problem This has just been a recent problem, so I'm hoping its a simple fix. I have a 98 Formula, so it's my understanding that the 1998 temperature gauges are fairly accurate.
When the car starts up for the first time in the morning, the temperature gradually climbs as it normally would. It gets as high as 220, then drops down to 210 and hovers there for the entire time the car is on. I have a fan switch in the car, but even if I turn the fans on high, it doesn't get any lower than 210. It used to drop down to 180 real quick with the high fans turned on, but recently it doesn't have the same effect.
I checked the coolant level the other morning, and everything seemed fine. Is it possible the stock thermostat isnt kicking in anymore? any way to check this?
I drove it for about an hour at 60 mph in 60 degree weather with the fans on high, and it wouldnt cool any lower than 210. any thoughts?
When the car starts up for the first time in the morning, the temperature gradually climbs as it normally would. It gets as high as 220, then drops down to 210 and hovers there for the entire time the car is on. I have a fan switch in the car, but even if I turn the fans on high, it doesn't get any lower than 210. It used to drop down to 180 real quick with the high fans turned on, but recently it doesn't have the same effect.
I checked the coolant level the other morning, and everything seemed fine. Is it possible the stock thermostat isnt kicking in anymore? any way to check this?
I drove it for about an hour at 60 mph in 60 degree weather with the fans on high, and it wouldnt cool any lower than 210. any thoughts?
I would scan the car to make sure the gauge is reading properly. If it truly is reading it correctly, I would start with a 160* T-stat, and getting your fans programmed to turn on earlier.
The stock 'stat should maintain 194F (ish). Best
check is a long highway cruise where you have
excess airflow and don't depend on the fans. If
your temperature here is "180ish" then your 'stat
is good.
Check the radiator (A/C condenser) physically just
to make sure you haven't sucked up a piece of road
trash that stuck.
Check that your high speed fans are really running
at high speed - it could be that that winding, or
some contact in the chain, has gone bad and you
are only getting by with low speed.
Logging/scanning is definitely in order, this is the
only way to see true coolant temp.
check is a long highway cruise where you have
excess airflow and don't depend on the fans. If
your temperature here is "180ish" then your 'stat
is good.
Check the radiator (A/C condenser) physically just
to make sure you haven't sucked up a piece of road
trash that stuck.
Check that your high speed fans are really running
at high speed - it could be that that winding, or
some contact in the chain, has gone bad and you
are only getting by with low speed.
Logging/scanning is definitely in order, this is the
only way to see true coolant temp.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 190
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From: Windermere / Orlando, FL
Originally Posted by jimmyblue
The stock 'stat should maintain 194F (ish). Best
check is a long highway cruise where you have
excess airflow and don't depend on the fans. If
your temperature here is "180ish" then your 'stat
is good.
check is a long highway cruise where you have
excess airflow and don't depend on the fans. If
your temperature here is "180ish" then your 'stat
is good.
I was actually doing some highway driving that night (60 degrees), with plenty of airflow going at 65mph. The temperature never really dropped below 210, which is the reason I started to get alarmed by this.
Any idea when the stock fans are programmed to kick on ? Oh, and both fan speeds are working properly when I flip the manual switch. I've had the switch in for almost 2 years with no previous problem, and no SES codes either
