Car NOT heating all the way

[98gsspy]

My car is not heating up enough, does that mean that coolant is not flowing through? I have my fans wired and leave them on all the time. They keep the temperature gauge down but the rest of the engine is completely heat soaked. Is that just more heat from the turbo or can I wire a switch to have the water pump on all the time.


I don't know about the water pump turning on and off, or even if is does turn off. Someone explain this to me. Thanks.

 

[98mitsuGSX-SD]

If your coolant wasn't flowing you would overheat not underheat (if that's even a word).

This thread needs more clarification. More specifics would be helpful.
What's the average temp after warm-up?
What do you mean when you say the engine is heat-soaked?
Do you currently have a thermostat installed?
The water pump is pulley driven not electric like your cooling fans.

 

[oldman420]

Your water pump turns off your timing so if it is turning off you are in big trouble. Sounds like thermostat problems to me, thats where i would start at least. If you live in south carolina so i would get a 180 deg. F thermo. And yes your exhaust is going to run hot, if you are really concerned about how hot you are running get a pyrometer.

 

[moto x]

thermostat i bet

 

[Talesin]

Thermostat, probably failed open. And get the stock temp thermo. Only thing the lower temperature thermostats do is let water through a little bit early, not fix any kind of actual cooling issue. You also run the risk of having a too-cold thermo with a good cooling system, that never lets the engine get up to operating temp, so the ECU never leaves the warmup mode loop. Which would play merry hell with your gas mileage, and drop your power through the floor.
I live in SoCal, and I'm running the stock-temp thermo and have no overheating problems. And it can get up to 120F ambient here in the summer.

 

[98gsspy]

so the useless temperature gauge in the car not getting into the middle means....nothing

 

[architechnik]

Where is that Talesin, Mohave? Baker?

Your best bet to verify if it's your thermostat is to check the oil temp on your logger. If you have proper oil pressure and a working oil temp sensor then you can compare these values to check how far off it is.

My coolant temp is far below what it used to be while on the highway, but that's because the after market radiator and A/C removal. Have you done anything like this?

 

[synthetek]

Check the temp with your logger, dont trust the stock gauge. My stock gauge stays at 1/2 way all the time, I have to us the logger or dsmlink to monitor the actual temps.

 

[Burnett03]

It's either
a- Thermostat stuck open
b- Because your fans are wired on all the time

 

[Talesin]

Burbank. Tapped 120, and few other days dropped below 100 while the sun was out... most nights didn't go below 85 degrees. :b Sitting in a wonderful little valley, so we don't get any of the nice ocean breezes from Venice Beach. :b Awesome feeling to go through one of the westbound passes with your windows down though... feels like jumping in a pool as the outside temps drop 20-30 degrees in about ten or twenty seconds.

 

[98gsspy]

Replaced T-stat, so it is my fans. What should I do?

 

[99gst_racer]

Replaced T-stat, so it is my fans. What should I do?

No, it could be your fans. I highly doubt it though.

To be sure, simply wire your fans back into the OE relays.

 

[ArticNemesis]

What kind of coolant temps are you actually seeing. Because with my needle just below the middle of the temp gauge, the logger temps can still range from 195*F to 220*F. 226*F seems to be about the point where the gauge starts to rise.

Is your heater blowing hot air when you turn it on?

**edit**
I Just realized that you have a 2gNT. When i replaced the timing belt on my friends 2gNT, I was surprised that the stock gauge sat so low after warm-up compared to where mine sits. The logger definately showed coolant temps of 210*F though, so that could be normal for where the NT gauge sits.

 

[98gsspy]

When I open my radiator cap I can see the coolant not flowing. If I replace it with a 180o t stat with that help?

 

[crazyz250]

make sure your sensor is hooked up right, mine wasnt and i trid everything till i traced it to that

 

[98gsspy]

yes it is. I know it is because of the fans. If I turn the fans off the heat from the turbo melts the wiring. Because it is a 4g64 the turbo is much closer. Would the 180 t stat make the coolant flow at a lower temp.

 

[synthetek]

yes it is. I know it is because of the fans. If I turn the fans off the heat from the turbo melts the wiring. Because it is a 4g64 the turbo is much closer. Would the 180 t stat make the coolant flow at a lower temp.

If its running too cool putting in a thermostat that opens sooner will make it run even cooler. Have you checked with a logger yet to see the actual temps?

 

[98gsspy]

What intake and what coolant temps should I look for?

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

Intake should be anywhere from low 60's to high 70's.... really depends on the temp. outside. Coolant temps should be around 190 - 195... 210 is where the OEM fans kick on.

 

[98gsspy]

so is it okay if my coolant isn't flowing through where the cap is?

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

What are your coolant temps at right now? I know that you said it's running cool, but your engine is still hot.... but how hot are we talking. From what you described it sounds like a stuck T-stat, except you said that you changed the T-stat (right?) and that your gauge is showing it's cool. Could be that your gauge is bad, the needle on the stock gauge has been messed with, or your sending unit is shot. It'd be best to hook it up to a logger (if you have one) and get an actual temp or even install an aftermarket coolant temp gauge.

As for the coolant flow through the cap... I'd have to guess that's because your T-stat is open and the coolant is running into your block. Try topping off your coolant and reservoir and then burp the system. I'm not really sure on this because the only time I've had the radiator cap off while the car was running was when I filled my coolant and burped my system.

 

[98gsspy]

I cant get the car hot enough to get the coolant to flow through there, to burp the system. Is that a bad thing or does it matter.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

You did replace the T-stat right? If the T-stat is working then when the engine gets hot enough (and it will), the T-state should open up letting coolant into you block. You really need to get a pocketlogger and see what the ECU is reading for coolant temps since it's using different sensors that will read the coolant temp inside the engine. If that coolant isn't getting hot enough, then your engine isn't running.

I'm starting to think that your temp sending unit is shot. Grab a Haynes manual and it'll tell you how to check the sending unit and the temp sensor to see if there working... or just go buy a new sending unit.

It's just not possible for the car to be running with a working T-stat in it and it still be 'running cool'. Either coolant is going into the block cooling it, or it's not and your block is getting hotter.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Needsoles]

thermostat

 

[blcknspo0ln]

You did replace the T-stat right? If the T-stat is working then when the engine gets hot enough (and it will), the T-state should open up letting coolant into you block. You really need to get a pocketlogger and see what the ECU is reading for coolant temps since it's using different sensors that will read the coolant temp inside the engine. If that coolant isn't getting hot enough, then your engine isn't running.

I'm starting to think that your temp sending unit is shot. Grab a Haynes manual and it'll tell you how to check the sending unit and the temp sensor to see if there working... or just go buy a new sending unit.

It's just not possible for the car to be running with a working T-stat in it and it still be 'running cool'. Either coolant is going into the block cooling it, or it's not and your block is getting hotter.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

I agree. To clarify, at least on a 2g, the "middle" of the stock temperature gauge can vary anywhere from 190* to 215*F) before even rising past the middle (thanks mitsu!). I have verified this by monitoring through DSMLink.

Anyway, it also sounds to me like a temperature sensor problem. The stock wiring for this sensor is a single, non-soldered wire that is easily brittled/frayed/destroyed by years of use. The sensor itself may also be the culprit. When looking at the thermostat housing, the temperature sensor is a small sensor with a single wire connector on it (you can remove the sensor with a 10mm deep socket) which is located either on the front or rear of the thermostat housing near the bottom. I would replace it anyway, seeing as it's one less thing to worry about and is <20 bucks at your local auto store.