quattrorunner

I have no idea what the temp in is on my 79sc. My gauge showed about 2/3 up on the no numbers gauge. I use mobile synthetic, but want to make sure I'm not hot. It shows about 6mm from the red at worst. Thanks, BA

Peter Zimmermann

That's hotter than the typical car/guage. When the car is that hot is the front oil cooler hot to the touch?
Pete

quattrorunner

next time, I'll check. Thanks

BRB-83-911SC

I am interested to hear what a "normal" reading should be. My car seems to be running hotter (approaching the 3rd white mark) this spring in moderate temps, compared to last summer (just barely above the second white mark) in hot temps. My trombone cooler is hot to the touch. So, at what point should one be concerned?

By the way, I know there are actual numerical temps printed on my "no numbers" guage just out of the line of sight - I can see them when looking at an angle, but can't make them out. They seem to correspond to the hash marks. Does anyone know what numeric temps the hash marks correspond to?

Thanks.

KCPSG

140* Bottom white block
194* 8 O clock (1st lower hash mark)
248* 10 O clock hash mark
302* Bottom of red

KCPSG

I am not too sure what normal running temps should be for an SC, but here in the hot south w/the humid temps, my car never climbs much above the lower hash mark (194*). A couple of years ago I installed Cam oil line restrictors and I noticed the the avg. temp drop by a few degrees, then last year I went and installed a new thermo switch in my front oil cooler which comes on @ a much lower temp ( IIRC 212*) and ever since the car never reaches much above that temp.

Miguel

KCPSG, would you know the conversion to Celsius?

Thank you

KCPSG

140* = 60c
194* = 90c
248* = 120c
302* = 150c

quattrorunner

So is 10 o clock or around 248 way too hot? I don't remember seeing it get there before and it was only stop and go on a 92 degree day. I never drove hard while seeing the temp there. I guess the synthetic helps here.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

248 deg is FAR too hot for any kind of decent engine life.

Check those thermostats (engine-mounted & RR fenderwell)

Pull the fan housing to make sure there are no mouse nests on top of the cooler

Check ignition timing and fuel mixture

Peter Zimmermann

Brian & BA: 250 degrees F is certainly too hot, do both of your cars have A/C? My '82, at 80 - 90 on a 100 degree day here in the Central Valley, ran about 240 F - 245 F, and dropped to about 225 F after removal of the engine lid condenser. That's still hotter than I like it to be, I would prefer 210, but I'm afraid a Carrera cooler is needed for that. I'm going to transplant my original guage and sender, with a numerical unit, in the next couple of weeks, maybe that will tell me something. The guage is on factory back order so there's no telling how long it'll take. I know from experience that when temp guages go bad they usually read on the high side, but when cooler thermostats go bad they can do the same thing -not open at all, or open at a higher temp.

Brian: Last summer your car ran at "normal" temp. The thermostat for the front cooler is supposed to open at about 195 F, if yours isn't opening until much higher the system isn't efficient enough to pull the temp down. You can run a check that's easy to do. Get your car warm, let it idle with a heavy blanket covering the engine lid grille, and read the guage as soon as the trombone gets hot (obviously don't let the engine overheat!). Do not leave the car unattended while doing this! Every winter at the shop we did this on almost every car in order to get the cooler open so we could top up the oil to the correct level. Also, when your car was apart for the trans repair did you switch engine oil type/viscosity? That really shouldn't make a difference but you never know.
Pete

ron mcatee

I had the factory thermostat (244 F) in my 88 Carrera and it ran almost to temperature before the fan would come on. I replaced it with a BMW thermostat from Pelican that was a 99 C (210 F) one. The factory thermostat had a single pole and the BMW one had a dual pole. All I did was remove the factory one and put in the BMW one. I made a special wire loom to connect to the factory single wire so I wouldn't have to cut it and splice it. Then I ran a separate ground wire from the second pole to the 10mm head screw on the cooler and put it all back in. My fan now comes on at 210 degrees F no matter how hard I run it. I didn't want to chance doing a separate switch. The BMW thermostat was recommended by another Pelicanite and it works damn well.

e911

BA,


If you look on the temp gauge you will see the temp for each line. You may have to use a flash light and get on angle with the gauge still in the dash. They were in my 78 and 83(euro). It will let you have a better handle on wht your temp is and how to read the gauge.

Peter brings up a great point - is oil getting to your cooler? Follow Steves advice ! Don't spend any money til you know you have a prob and what it is.

Notice your are in nevada- its hot there! Have you done any mods - like replacing the so-called oil cooler the trombone with a real cooler? Were you seating in traffic with the AC on - my cars never liked that in PA!

BRB-83-911SC

Pete - while the trans was out, I had the usual oil leaks fixed - oil pressure switch, thermostat O-ring and breather seal. Also adjusted timing/mixture to factory specs, although I suspect something is still amiss there. Oil weight is the same (15/50 synthetic) as last year (Mobil 1 now, Amalie last year). Oil lines to the front get warm at just about the first hash mark (194). I am thinking it has to do with my timing and/or mixture. I still think it is running too lean. Could a lean condition cause hot running? The temp has not risen past 248, I am guessing it is running 225 - 230. Last year it rarely went above 194, unless working it hard.

quattrorunner

Pete, Steve, e911,
Yesterday was the first time I have seen those temps. Today My wife drove to a friends 2 miles away with no traffic so I didn't worry about it. When she came home, I drove it to check the temp and it never went over what looks like 8 o clock and it was around 80-85 out. I still didn't check the trombone though. I'll do this tomorrow. I don't have air at this point so I don't drive it on a commute. Yesterday was at noon but it wasn't typical tripple digits. More like 95 or so. I kept feeling the air thinking it must be hotter than I think. I was starting to sweat but not from the outside temp. Thanks for the responses. I'll check tomorrow and get back. BA