Author Topic: Running warm at idle (Read 2102 times)

Bigmacneb1 · « **on:** October 09, 2007, 02:35:34 PM »

Had the car a couple months. Perfect temp reading, warms up correctly, always stays dead on center. Today while idling, temp crept to a hair north of 3/4. Drove around and it cooled to between 1/4 and half. If I idle at a light, it comes back up. With the A/C on, it stays relatively at half. No leaks, hoses seem to be good, fan comes on, I tried the newspaper test (how many pages do you use?) didn't stop the fan. Any ideas? Thermostat?
Temp doesn't go into Red at all.

tjts1 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 09, 2007, 02:47:49 PM »

Switch on your AC and see if the AUX electric fan in front of the radiator also turns on. If it doesn't thats probably the problem. Easy to check.

Bigmacneb1 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 09, 2007, 03:21:51 PM »

Yes, the Auxillary fan on front comes on with A/C.

vitesse · « **Reply #3 on:** October 09, 2007, 06:45:53 PM »

It could be a couple of things...most likely it is the fan clutch. At an idle the clutch should engage on it and spin the fan quickly, when you rev it up it will release and the fan and it won't spin as fast. Wait until the car has been idling for a minute or so to make sure the clutch has engaged and try to stop it. I don't think it matters how many pages heh, I normally use my fingers, a rolled up magazine will work. If the fan clutch it bad it should be easy to stop it.

It could be the thermostat...easy to figure out if you have a temp gun to see what your temps are on the different hoses.

On my car I chased a temp "problem" for a while and I finally figured out it was my gauge that was wrong. For some reason once it reached a certain temp the gauge would exagerate how much it was going up and it would read high. I banged on the top of the dash a few times when it would happen and it has gone away.

Hope this helps