Car overheated right after I got off the freeway?

[Navarone]

You have a tranny that doesn't get you all randy? What a waste.

[G-Man the Visionary]

I was acually kidding. Hate how sarcasm doesn't translate online.

[Navarone]

Yesh.

[jalopi]

You guys hate science? Just go buy some buffered temp gauges and I'll tell Bill Nye to give up on humanity.

Haha gman!

[Navarone]

You guys hate science? Just go buy some buffered temp gauges and I'll tell Bill Nye to give up on humanity.

Haha gman!

[G-Man the Visionary]

When you're jamming along on the freeway you're heat soaking the transmission, it'll take a while to cool off all that metal and oil since the manual has no oil cooler.

+1

My tranny is always making things hot hot hot ;D

[LJ851]

I checked it, seems to be working fine. When I flick it while the car's off, it doesn't move much. Anyways, I've ordered the electric fan. It was only $35 so if it doesn't really help much I can always just put the clutch fan back.

EDIT: I'm mainly getting an electric fan because my temps are too inconsistent right now. When I'm stopped, the temps move up to between first and middle line, then when I'm moving it goes down to the first line. Every 30 or so miles it hits the middle and stays there for a few minutes, then every once in a while it stays below the first line. I'm really not too sure what causes this but I'm positive an electric fan would help keep it much cooler than the fan clutch.

The electric fan will not help keep it cooler than a functioning fan clutch.

Your temps vary because you have a non original thermostat in the car or a faulty one. The way the stock setup (properly functioning) works is that the thermostat opens just below the halfway mark on the gauge and the fan clutch turns on right about at the middle of the gauge. This gives you a very stable needle because if extra cooling happens (highway speed airflow) the thermo closes and keeps the temp up and if the temp starts to climb , the fan engages more and and keeps the temp down. If you put a colder thermostat in, highway speed airflow will drop the temp to the thermo close point which might be the first line and so your gauge will move up and down as you describe.

A faulty thermostat (not flowing properly) will keep the fan clutch from engaging at all since the fan is turned on by the radiator heat.

To test the fan clutch, get the engine hot and stick a rolled up newspaper into the fan. If you can stop it, it is not engaging.

[E30_Narek]

lol @ trans comment. Op check your fan clutch like previously stated.

I checked it, seems to be working fine. When I flick it while the car's off, it doesn't move much. Anyways, I've ordered the electric fan. It was only $35 so if it doesn't really help much I can always just put the clutch fan back.

EDIT: I'm mainly getting an electric fan because my temps are too inconsistent right now. When I'm stopped, the temps move up to between first and middle line, then when I'm moving it goes down to the first line. Every 30 or so miles it hits the middle and stays there for a few minutes, then every once in a while it stays below the first line. I'm really not too sure what causes this but I'm positive an electric fan would help keep it much cooler than the fan clutch.

[Dj Buttchug]

lol @ trans comment. Op check your fan clutch like previously stated.

[dnguyen1963]

The dude is "technically" correct. The transmission should get warmer after a spirited drive, but this small increase in temp should not contribute to the OP's problem.

[Cayoncrusier93]

When you're jamming along on the freeway you're heat soaking the transmission, it'll take a while to cool off all that metal and oil since the manual has no oil cooler.

It all makes sense now guys! So what you need to do is buy the fan so you can cool the heat soaked transmisson which will then lower coolant temp!!! Wtf?
Fan clutch +1

[LJ851]

When you're jamming along on the freeway you're heat soaking the transmission, it'll take a while to cool off all that metal and oil since the manual has no oil cooler.

Put the pipe down, dude.

[efficient]

When you're jamming along on the freeway you're heat soaking the transmission, it'll take a while to cool off all that metal and oil since the manual has no oil cooler.

Huh?

[Navarone]

When you're jamming along on the freeway you're heat soaking the transmission, it'll take a while to cool off all that metal and oil since the manual has no oil cooler.

[jlevie]

The fan clutch is really a better solution. Like the rest of the cooling system it is due for replacement every 100k.