Running Hot?

[teleski]

This is normal operation for the pre 2001 (non-buffered temp guage) cars like yours, if the following is also true :

While idling (or sitting in stop and go traffic) after the car is fully heated up, both radiator fans cycle on (low speed) and off (really off) as the needle hits the right side of the '0' and to the left of it.

The actual position on the gauge may differ from car to car, but mine is similar to yours.

If the fans are not cycling, than the temp resistors may be bad as others point out.

Note that with the A/C running, the fans will always be running at at least low speed and so the temp should only creep up like that under heavy load and then the fans would kick on high at some point.

[BobRickel]

Mine runs about the same on the temp gauge on a hot day here in Florida. It is a 1997. If I kick on the A/C the fans come on and drop the temp to what was the first temp picture. I have a new water pump and my radiators are clean. My Indy mechanic says that is a normal operating range for an early car with only two radiators.

[thom4782]

When the AC is on and the ballast resistors are OK, the fans run at low speed even if the coolant is cold. IIRC correctly, when the AC is off, the fans will run at high speed when the coolant reaches a certain temperature

Because your coolant temperature goes up to a certain level and stops when your car isn't moving and goes down when you move forward, my bet is your ballast resistor have failed and the fans won't operated in low speed mode.

As another poster suggested, try turning on the AC first thing in the morning when the coolant isn't hot and see if the fans run in low speed. If they don't the ballast resistors have failed.

[BoxsterSteve]

+1
This is how I diagnosed mine.
It was a really easy fix, spliced in a new one part in a bit over an hour. Keep in mind this includes pulling and replacing the bumper cover. The actual repair was only 15 minutes or so.