update on overheating- now what?

[jmatta]

I still contend what you are finding is normal. The dash gauge is inacurate, as you've discovered. The car runs much hotter than we are led to believe and the aftermarket (LN Engineering) offers the 160 T-stat that we dicussed in your earlier post.

I, for one, have already ordered mine and will be installing before the summer heat comes. I want to do everything I can to preserve my engine for the future, but still have fun driving the car.

[blinkwatt]

Dude just take a pic of where the temp gauge is when your worried about it and we'll let you know if it's normal or not.

[Steve Tinker]

jhandy.... you say you put in 3 gallons of coolant and 1.5 gallons of water in your system - thats 66% coolant which is far too high a percentage.
Water is a far better heat dispersant than coolant so your ratio should be 50/50 max. If you live in a warm climate where there is no fear of freezing, then a 60% water / 40% coolant will also work well.
I'm changing out my coolant next service (9 years & 67,000km old original fluid) and while its empty I will also change out the pump. You only need a pump working at (say) 80% efficiency & there will be overheating no matter what type of driving you do.

[jhandy]

As requested, here is a picture.

[blinkwatt]

HAHAHA dude that's normal. Drive the **************** out of it.

[jhandy]

Ok, I guess all of this talk about premature engine death had me worried about the temp.

I want to thank all of those who helped, this was not a wasted venture, I cleaned the radiators and flushed the coolent, so not bad.

Also I drilled a 1/2 inch hole through the plastic cover so I would not have to remove the cover just to remove the drain plug.

[ramo80]

mine fluctuate around that area too. You might need some gas too

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by jhandy

Also I drilled a 1/2 inch hole through the plastic cover so I would not have to remove the cover just to remove the drain plug.

Sorry, but putting a hole is the belly pan is somewhat of a waste of time, as you still need to pull it to disconnect the foward hoses and drain the radiatiors as well. No sense in doing half the job once the car is in the air................

[Jaxonalden]

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

HAHAHA dude that's normal. Drive the **************** out of it.

My gauge needle reads at the same spot no matter what kind of driving I do.

Blinkwatt...I think he's concerned with the 215 degree fahrenheit WT (water temperature) reading on the scan gauge. Why the disparity?