Introduction and Overheating (long)

[ChattanoogaJSB]

Originally Posted by DRM500RUBYZR-1

Benton,
What was the ambient temperature during your drive?


230 is not alarming.


The fact that it held below 240 is a very good sign, as fan 1 was controlling it fine.


The oil temp may not be too far off if the coolant was at 230, but yes a tad low. Remember, all of those gauges are non linear.


Do all the checks that were suggested, as 230 is a bit high, but certainly not where the gauge was suggesting.


As said NICE car!


Great to see the smiles!!!!


Smiles are standard and excessive in this car!


Marty

Hi Marty - ambient today was about 90. My friend and I can entertain the dash gauge isn’t reliable. 230 (actual) is also a number I can tolerate. Is that universally acceptable around here? It would be acceptable on my wife’s x5 I know but unusual on - say- my 67 mustang. I guess the next question would be what the upper limit would be to keep driving?

Oil temp is consistently low on the dash instrument. I guess we need to find which number the ecm will display it in the air conditioning window.

My friend does have the fsm on dvd but I don’t at my home.

Thank you so much for the support and kind words. The injector swap out a smile on my face and started me looking for one of my own!

[ChattanoogaJSB]

Originally Posted by jss06c6

"Note when it got hot the overflow was simply ambient temperature and no change of level. Overflow still never seems to move and we have tried two caps."

I would make sure you don't have air trapped in the system.. need to "burp" the system when you swap coolant.. just a thought..

Sent from my XT1585 using ZR-1 Net Registry mobile app

I grappled with the common issue on this forum of trapped air I agree. At this point I have to say I have it bled- evidenced by the coolant flow from the TB hose on the drivers side (removed and pointed up) when filling the reservoir tank by the windshield.

[Great White]

Have you pressure/leakdown tested the cooling system? I'm concerned since you said the car had orange coolant in it, as these are NOT Dexcool cars. Dexcool can have very ill effects on systems not designed for it. (Failed gaskets, hoses, and the like.) When these components fail, the radiator can become clogged with debris or sludge from dissolving gaskets and hoses. Something to consider.

[ChattanoogaJSB]

Originally Posted by Great White

Have you pressure/leakdown tested the cooling system? I'm concerned since you said the car had orange coolant in it, as these are NOT Dexcool cars. Dexcool can have very ill effects on systems not designed for it. (Failed gaskets, hoses, and the like.) When these components fail, the radiator can become clogged with debris or sludge from dissolving gaskets and hoses. Something to consider.

We haven’t done a leakdown test on it. We can’t find any evidence it had dexcool in it, my apologies for not being clear- we were indeed trying to go back and find a photo from the sale that might show if it had dexcool in it which would be problematic.

The only photo we found showed the overflow from above and was green if anything.

[ChattanoogaJSB]

Just to make sure I’m asking the right question - what do you folks see for running temps pulling up a grade? At level cruise? Our summer ambients are about 92 right now. (As measured by the ac display if possible, sounds like the dash gauge is not a consistent measurement)

Just to confirm- even at 106 degrees ambient in Utah it ran less than half the temp gauge on the interstate at level ground. It’s the 230 degrees plus pulling that has us so concerned

[Great White]

Gotcha, if it was green coolant you should be okay. I've seen 230 degrees on a hot day (98 degrees F) in stop and go traffic with my A/C on. My car has the Haibeck chip, so the fans come on early as well. Not sure how old my radiator is, but shortly after driving my car that week in close to 100 degree ambient temps the radiator failed (a side tank cracked.)

I would still recommend the pressure/leakdown test. A leakdown test can tell you a lot about the integrity of your cooling system. A radiator upgrade might be in your near future... It sure is for me.

[Ccmano]

If the car has the original chip 230 is not a problem, particularly with ac on in hot weather. The standard calibration doesn’t even turn the fans on till 236. These engines were designed to run at that temp. Over 240 and I would start to be concerned. Get a Haibeck chip and the temps will come down. So far I don’t see anything alarming.
H

[ChattanoogaJSB]

Originally Posted by carter200

There is the problem.... you are upside down. Car cools better when wheels are on the ground

I hate it when they look flipped! It doesn’t show flipped on my screen so I don’t know how to fix. The new owner is driving in this photo and I’m on the left!

[ChattanoogaJSB]

Ccmano- thank you for the supporting comments, also those from great white.

I’ll try and run it and see if it tempts going over 236 F and explore the dash gauge

[carter200]

Originally Posted by ChattanoogaJSB

I hate it when they look flipped! It doesn’t show flipped on my screen so I don’t know how to fix. The new owner is driving in this photo and I’m on the left!

I hope you know I was just funnin' you, Z owner to Z owner Most everybody knows me or of me and I like to have fun when I can. Nice clean white Z you have.