Temperature Gauge

Topic: Temperature Gauge (Read 3443 times) previous topic - next topic

Temperature Gauge

June 16, 2014, 07:28:30 AM

Just wondering here. I havent driven the car in temps above 75ish yet and the temp gauge is always at the middle or a little below, never beyond the "O". Yesterday it was about 85 and I had the A/C on the entire time. Nothing unusual on the highway or streets but when I stopped somewhere and the car was idling for about 10 minutes it went on top of the "R" and was touching the "M", and even after a burst on the highway it barely went any lower. The car sat for a few hours, then on the way home it was a little over the middle but not as high as earlier.

I know my Mark VII would normally be a touch over the middle, but does this sound unusual considering where it runs in not much cooler weather?

Thanks.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #1 – June 16, 2014, 08:58:01 AM

The same thing happened to me yesterday. On the way home from a car show it was pretty hot so I had the AC on and noticed that the gauge was above the center of the normal range but it didn't go any higher. I shut off the AC to see if it made any difference but no change. Everything seems to be O.K. so I guess that is just the way the cooling system works.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #2 – June 16, 2014, 09:18:10 AM

Maybe the IVR playing tricks.....Instrument Voltage Regulator....

I wouldnt worry too much....if you know your cooling system is healthy.

Travis

Temperature Gauge

Reply #3 – June 16, 2014, 09:30:06 AM

That is strange. As far as I know my cooling system is in good shape. It didn't go beyond the M and last week I drove about 65-70 miles round trip with only 1 or 2 30 minute stops with no A/C on(I didn't recharge it yet) in hot weather and the temp. gauge was normal. It must be how it goes with the A/C on? It still wouldn't go past the "M" but it still threw me off.

I've read the back and forth here and elsewhere, any real downside to throwing in a 180 deg. thermostat?
Also, are the 9 blade Mustang fans a direct swap?

Thanks.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #4 – June 16, 2014, 12:34:46 PM

Quote from: ThunderFox;434868

That is strange. As far as I know my cooling system is in good shape. It didn't go beyond the M and last week I drove about 65-70 miles round trip with only 1 or 2 30 minute stops with no A/C on(I didn't recharge it yet) in hot weather and the temp. gauge was normal. It must be how it goes with the A/C on? It still wouldn't go past the "M" but it still threw me off.

I've read the back and forth here and elsewhere, any real downside to throwing in a 180 deg. thermostat?
Also, are the 9 blade Mustang fans a direct swap?

Thanks.

I've got a digital gauge in mine. It lights up three bars for about 1-2 miles driving in any condition then lights up four bars after that. Doesn't matter if it's 50* or 95* with the A/C on. It stays at four bars (half way up the gauge) all the time. I had it go to five bars once when I was running the original radiator and idling in traffic with the A/C on high and the outside temp was 100*.

As far as the 180* thermostat and the 9 blade HO fan yes they are a direct swap. I run both of them along with a Police Interceptor fan clutch. The engine runs between 180*-190* according to an infrared thermometer.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #5 – June 16, 2014, 02:30:49 PM

Quote from: thunderjet302;434872

I've got a digital gauge in mine. It lights up three bars for about 1-2 miles driving in any condition then lights up four bars after that. Doesn't matter if it's 50* or 95* with the A/C on. It stays at four bars (half way up the gauge) all the time. I had it go to five bars once when I was running the original radiator and idling in traffic with the A/C on high and the outside temp was 100*.

As far as the 180* thermostat and the 9 blade HO fan yes they are a direct swap. I run both of them along with a Police Interceptor fan clutch. The engine runs between 180*-190* according to an infrared thermometer.

Cool, sounds like my situation is normal for hot weather and AC blasting. I think I'll pick up the Mustang fan and 180* T-stat and see how that helps.

I have to deal with a new problem that just popped up at lunch today. I went out to go to the store and the car immediately was running like . Rough idle, sputtering on acceleration, almost stalling and for some reason it sounds louder. The car ran great on the way to work. So weird...

Temperature Gauge

Reply #6 – June 16, 2014, 07:16:12 PM

A 180° thermostat changes the dwel time the coolant sees in the radiator. anything below 180 will also make the car run rich and kill gas mileage.

if all is well, a 192 is more then adaquate. my 87 bird did well with stock 250ish k mileson the water pump and a cheap single row radiator with ac on all summer till the timing chain cover gasket let coolant out. never got above m unless the guage was acting up.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #7 – June 17, 2014, 06:36:57 AM

I'll give the Mustang fan a try first before the T-Stat since it's easy. But i have to have a new cat and y pipe put on since thats why the car was runnng so horribly yesterday. Its definitely an exhaust leak and i dont think its the manifolds. Those pipes look like so it has to be that. It wanted to stall at every light and was popping and sputtering. I knew it was on borrowed time but i didnt think a leak there would affect drivability so much.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #8 – June 17, 2014, 08:34:33 AM

We'll I'm an idiot. Took it to a shop just to check the exhaust, all good. Then I ran codes, MAP sensor. Checked it out and the vacuum hose sprung a leak.

PIA bc I don't want to take the manifold off again. Is there usually a clamp on the MAP hose under the intake? What size and length is the MAP hose if anyone knows off hand?

Thanks.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #9 – June 17, 2014, 02:24:56 PM

I use a pen housing and electrical tape as a side of the road fix.

More likely then not your motor mounts are shot allowing the engine to rock causing the hose to fail.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #10 – June 17, 2014, 03:13:33 PM

Quote from: Haystack;434914

I use a pen housing and electrical tape as a side of the road fix.

More likely then not your motor mounts are shot allowing the engine to rock causing the hose to fail.

Or he cheaped out and didn't replace the MAP hose

Temperature Gauge

Reply #11 – June 17, 2014, 07:31:13 PM

Hey, my pen roadside fix from two years ago was still on the car. i didn't even own it then. i patched it up when my buddy fixed the car.

Motor mounts seem to be made of paper for me for some reason.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #12 – June 24, 2014, 09:30:03 PM

Quote from: ThunderFox;434877

Cool, sounds like my situation is normal for hot weather and AC blasting. I think I'll pick up the Mustang fan and 180* T-stat and see how that helps.

A 180 degree thermostat will only delay overheating if you have cooling issues. A thermostat fully opens at 15-20 degrees above what it's rated for. At 195-200, a 180 degree t-tstat if flowing the same as a 195 degree t-stat at 210-215 degrees. If you have underlying issues and get stuck in nasty stop-n-go traffic in a hot day, the 180 degree stat will only buy you a few minutes before it's running just as hot as a 195.

Temperature Gauge

Reply #13 – June 25, 2014, 09:09:38 AM

Quote from: JeremyB;435132

A 180 degree thermostat will only delay overheating if you have cooling issues. A thermostat fully opens at 15-20 degrees above what it's rated for. At 195-200, a 180 degree t-tstat if flowing the same as a 195 degree t-stat at 210-215 degrees. If you have underlying issues and get stuck in nasty stop-n-go traffic in a hot day, the 180 degree stat will only buy you a few minutes before it's running just as hot as a 195.

That's all I'm looking for. AFAIK the cooling system is working properly, the radiator looks to be in good shape, there are no leaks(other than my ignorance in excluding a hose clamp from the bypass hose) and the coolant that I drained for the T-Stat install was a nice clean light green. I'm just looking for more cushion when the A/C is running full blast on a hot day. I'm going to upgrade to a heavy duty fan clutch and the 9 blade Mustang fan.

My Mark VII was in great shape and the Temp. gauge would stay a little over the middle(just not as far) on hot A/C days ad that car had no issues idling with the A/C on for hours. It still gets me paranoid though. Lol

Temperature Gauge

Reply #14 – June 25, 2014, 09:24:56 AM

The mark came with a thicker radiator. 3 core brass as opposed to 2 core. I run a 3 core, 9 blade fan, SSP fan clutch, and a 180° t-stat. With my setup, the stock stuff, I would imagine I'd overheat rather quickly on a 90°+ day.