coolant temp go high

[coyote325]

I have 95' 325. 122,000 Mi

problem.
sometime coolant temp gauge go high on dash board, I can not say when.....
today, I drive 10 Mi and suddenly coolant temp gauge go high so I stop and open the hood.
1. I saw that fan still spining
2. open and check coolant--it was cold enough to put my finger into it.
3. still gauge on red
4. when I stop and start engine rightawy .....it goes normal temp(center)

I drove free way...nothing happen....I drove local street....sometime happen but I don't know when....

is it sensor ???

 

[Kirby]

If the coolant was cold and the temp gauge said it was overheating your options are:
1. Car was not hot - Bad dash gauge
2. Car was not hot - Bad temperature sensor
3. Car really overheated - bad thermostat (stuck)

I think that after 10 miles of driving, the engine should have been hot and the thermostat was stuck closed.

 

[pcy]

As Kirby said above, I would also say the thermostat is stuck closed.
If the engine is really overheated (even for a brief period), you may have
more problems to fix (such as Vavle Cove Gasket).

 

[pcy]

OOps, I meant to say "Head Gasket" may have been damaged (NOT the valve cover gasket).

 

[arditarighi]

Not so sure about a bad head gasket - you will be able to determine that by looking at your exhaust fume - If it is white and looks like it has a lot of moisture in it, then it must be a bad head gasket - those do not go bad unless you have overheated the engine at one point in the past.

I think, most likely, you have air in the cooling system, and you need to bleed it.
However, that means that you have a bad WaterPump, a cracked hose, or a leaky termostat housing!

I would go ahead and replace the water pump along with termostat/termostat housing, and hoses and then make sure that I get all the bubles out. (there should be posting on technical forum for doing this)

And do this fast, because you will be needing a head gasket if you keep driving it like this.

It should not cost you more than $150 to $200 for all the parts - I had many bad experiences with my cooling system in the past. A bad cluster instrument/guage is the last thing I suspect!

Good luck,

Ardi

 

[coyote325]

HI
Thank you guys

yesterday night I drove 20MI on local street......nothing happen.
today, I drove 30 MI on noon time(outside temp 82 degree) local and free way.....It happen one time when I make left turn, then gauge move to right 1/4 inch and center again.
I do not understand........do they have any way to check.....?
thanks

 

[Kirby]

THAT sounds like it could indeed be air in the system, or a bad water pump, as was mentioned above. Your model year did have a water pump problem - plastic blades that crack and fail. If the pump was never replaced, it should certainly be done!

 

[frolf]

fyi, don't just "open" you collant resouviar (sp) up after you drive. i understand the frist time that 10miles isnt' that much, but those vapors will burn the eff out of your hand if you do open it while its pressurized/hot

 

[coyote325]

Hi
another thing I realize that fan never stop. I do not know why..... cause I just got that 325 last week and he never tell me anything..... so exowner did somthing to that car or not.
it getting more complicated........

thank you guys again..

 

[coyote325]

Thanks
I clean that coolant and changed thermostat.(water pump was new )
Now temp is good !

Thanks again