Coolant temperature gauge failure?
Coolant temperature gauge failure?
My stock S13 coolant temperature gauge doesn't seem to be going higher than about half way up. I run an RB25DET in my S13 w/ F-A-L dual pusher fans. Usually the water temp gauge will keep climbing and climbing if I let it dle w/o the fans on. but past couple days it gets to a good level, then stops. I find it hard to believe that my radiator is actually removing any heat w/o the fans and at a stand still. I can't really tell if it is over heating and then i tunr on the fans just in case. Any one else have this problem?
Re: Coolant temperature gauge failure? (ivory)
best to invest in an aftermarket water temp gauge. much more reliable
are you using the RB temp sender? the stock gauge cluster is very tolerant of temperature fluxuations.. this is so ppl don't freak out if it moves around a lot. the best way to test this is to remove your factory sender and toss it in a styrofoam cup of boiling water. see where it puts your gauge and go from there. that should give you an idea of what a hot running temperature is. i'd get an aftermarket gauge if you're worried about water temps, cuz the stock cluster doesn't have much resolution at all.
well, i just settle the question if it is working or not.... driving home from work, herd a wierd noise, then my brake light came on. weird. well, i'm only a few minutes from home and the brakes feel okay (going 65 mph on the highway). then i see it, water temp CLIMBING FAST! AAHHH! so i turn on my fan, no effect. i get of the freeway, 4 min. from home. i can hear my fans, but temp is almost pegged! so i turn on my heater full blast. damn, air is kinda cool, NOT hot, and i start to smell a little coolant! well, to make a long story short, my alternator belt snapped and thus my water pump stopped turning too. when i turned off my car the coolant was boiling over into the resevoir. Do you think I messed up the engine? What does it take to get permanent damage from over heating? this sucks. oh well, gonna go try to replace it right now!
Re: (ivory)
eh, ive never had the water pump stop spinning but i have over heated (nearly pegging the gauge) a few times due to dodgy fan controlers.had this happen 4 times now and the car still ran like a champ, good trusty rb20 takes a beating and then some.keep in mind this is with it making 280-300whp daily and nearly 400 on the weekends.......comp test the motor to be sure nothing is amiss tho, but chances are you are ok.ivory wrote:well, i just settle the question if it is working or not.... driving home from work, herd a wierd noise, then my brake light came on. weird. well, i'm only a few minutes from home and the brakes feel okay (going 65 mph on the highway). then i see it, water temp CLIMBING FAST! AAHHH! so i turn on my fan, no effect. i get of the freeway, 4 min. from home. i can hear my fans, but temp is almost pegged! so i turn on my heater full blast. damn, air is kinda cool, NOT hot, and i start to smell a little coolant! well, to make a long story short, my alternator belt snapped and thus my water pump stopped turning too. when i turned off my car the coolant was boiling over into the resevoir. Do you think I messed up the engine? What does it take to get permanent damage from over heating? this sucks. oh well, gonna go try to replace it right now!