needsize

This just started yesterday...I am driving, and all of a sudden the temp gage, jumps right into the red zone within a second or two..stays there for a little bit, then drops back down to where it should be...Slowly rises over the next few minutes, then spikes into the red again, this time stays there for a while, then slowly drops a bit, just underneath the red line(it normally runs about 1/3 of the way up)
anyone ever hear of this before....?

BUBBA

coolant level, fans, radiator cap, thermostat. Get it checked out. JMHO

needsize

I am mainly curious as to how the gage can jump around like that...I am heading back outside as soon as it cools down to check what I can...so far it looks like the fan is fine...hard to see it, but I can feel a breeze

oneclean97z

sounds like a bad thermo to me, id replace it and see what happens. yesterday i installed a 160 degree hypertech for $25 but you could get a regular one for 10-15. yea do check the coolant level and bleed the system of air if any is in, its the goldish brownzish screw to the left of the intake

needsize

thanks, I am heading out to check the coolant level now...thermo was my next bet...sad thing is I will have to look in the book to see where it is...things were so much more simple with my '86 TA

shoebox

I'd say the coolant was low.

oneclean97z

take off the intake, its in front and below the throttle body and theres two small bolts to undo to take off the housing, its got a black hose coming from it you'll see it

oneclean97z

happened to me once while i was with my girl, felt like a idiot trying to figure it out acting all smart then she points out it was the level

needsize

damn I hate this car....it took a lot of coolant, so was obviously low...but the gage is now spiked off the end, way past red, no way the car could actually be that hot and not seized...I think I will still go pick up a thermo

shoebox

You likely have air in the system, now, if you did not fill it the correct way. You need to bleed it.

BUBBA

Get a new cap while your at it. A bad cap will allow coolant to boil and overflow because of loss of pressure which results in loss of coolant. Stat might not be open yet....and what little coolant was in the engine would get hot might quick. Let the stat open up and see if the new coolant brings the temp down. Of course, you don't want it to over heat and risk damage.JMHO

Remember this a reverse cooled engine, so get the correct parts.

oneclean97z

when you swap the thermo have a rag or something to catch the coolant because some of it might get into the optispark and ruin it, bad news. but yea bleed it also, afterwards though

needsize

how do I bleed the thing, I have a book here but its not clear enough, or I'm not smart enough
it sat there for a few hours, I changed the thermo, and started it, and the gauge was right off the scale, as far to the right as it can go, which no way it should do that upon starting after its sat for hours...I am wondering if the gauge is toast now?

needsize

okay, now what the hell, I just took if around the block, and its shuddering and hesitating, like there is something wrong with the engine...

needsize

after reading up here, seems like maybe I got some coolant on this optispark deal...how bad is that, any chance it will dry out, or am I looking at a new one....and if so, how much am I looking at for that part?