cooling problem

[jdbmw325is]

i have a new water pump, a new thermostat. and i just replaced the clutch on the fan. most of the time the car runs about a needles width past the center tick. but when in traffic it will chill in between the the center and 3/4 tick mark. im wondering if this is normal for motor to run a bit hot like that? and if not what could it be?. any help would be great. thanks

[lateracer]

That's probably a little on the warm side, but it doesn't sound life threatening. Did you do a radiator flush? Given all the components you've replaced you may have some blockage there.

[3046]

I'm having the same problem. I also plan on trying a rad flush, may throw some water wetter in and see if that helps

[MonkeyMadness]

I had the same problem up untill Saturday... I fix:p
Replaced: water pump, thermostat, timing belt (while I had it apart)
Rotor and cap..
Mod: Did the fan & clutch delete, and pulled out the shroud...
I know it's only been two days but, it hovers between the 1/4 and 1/2way
mark, not to mention runs better and smoother!
While reading my haynes manual I noticed that in the trouble shooting
section it said if the timings off at all (like retarded -2* due to streached timing belt) could cause a hotter than normal running temp...
that and my car has 164,000+ miles and I don't know if the guy before me changed it with in the last 50,000 miles...


"street-tramp" lives!

[DJB]

The fan clutch is set to not fully engage until after the thermostat has fully opened -- about 5/8 on the gauge. The electric fan should turn on at low speed just below the 3/4 line, and switch to high speed a little above the 3/4 line (close to the red line).

[MR 325]

There's no reason any M20 should run past half. Mine never has in the last 3.5 years.

OP, did you bleed your cooling system correctly?

[jdbmw325is]

well i put antifreeze in and let the car run while I tried to release as much air as I could with the bleeder valve to the top of the thermostat housing. plus i had the coolant cover off. the car has a new radiator, new hoses, new timing belt, new tensioner . my thoughts are that (A) there are still some air pockets in the system. or (B) or a defective water pump. i really don’t know. that is way I ask if the m20 normally ran a little hot. I have head form two of my friends that they do... though not really as hot as the 3/4 tick mark. sucks! I hate it when shit gets F-ed up. might have to take it to the shop. any other suggestions

[jdbmw325is]

Excuse me not the water pump the thermostat could be defective.

[thereisnoyun]

it is more than likely improper bleeding the system. I have bled many times the m20 cooling, and when improperly bled it will set around pass half, and when it is properly bled it will be just below half. may creep up to midline in really heavy traffic, and hot day.

[E30Gus]

Coolant cover needs to stay on when trying to bleed (at temp) and also have the heat on hot.
This cover could also be bad. They are set to build up a certain pressure in the system so the coolant won't boil. If this releases pressure too soon then the engine could run hot.

[jdbmw325is]

ya i will check that out. i just had the system pressurized. and the mechanic said that its temp rang it was in was pretty normal.... so i dont know. im just use to see temps right in the center to the gauge like on my f-150. maby i should get a cooler thermostat. would that be a good idea?

[stumble_t]

my car would creep past 1/2 in traffic until I got rid of the PO's crappy platinum plugs and did a proper valve adjustment.

[Sagaris]

My car runs right on 1/2 all the time and might slip just a sliver past it when i am stopped for a while but occasionally I will look down and it is at 3/4 BUT i have found out that its just my gauge tripping out, when I tap the "glass" it snaps back to 1/2. I doubt thats your issue but its something to keep in mind.

[jdbmw325is]

Ok so I replaced the clutch fan, I had my coolant system flushed and pressurized, it has new hoses, new thermostat, new water pump, and a new radiator, but it is still running about slightly passed the half way mark of slightly above the ¾ tick mark. And it verys haha some days are better then others. some times it will stay just a sliver passed the half way mark. There are two things I can think of that might be causing this.

# 1 I don’t have a catalytic convertor on my exhaust.. the dumb ass that had it before me just took it off. I plan on getting a high flow cat in installed I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.
# 2 I’m not sure if my actual gauge is right. If I tap the lens of the gauge cluster I can make the needle move slightly. Although when the gauge is reading ¾ tick mark and I tap the lens it will move back a bit but not back to the center.

So I’m thinking that when I get the cat on I will have a shop test the actual temp of the engine with a thermometer. If there is anything any some can think of that I haven’t I would greatly appreciated.

[E30Gus]

Valve misadjustment could make it run slightly hotter than normal. The only other thing I can come up with is if you bought a thermostat @ Auto zone or similar and it isn't functioning correctly. I only bring this up because it happened to me.