In the red!

[Tampa330i]

Long time no see Gents!

How has everyone been? I've been quite busy, but the circle will be complete soon. I was hoping to get some input on a little problem I had earlier.
Today I was checking codes in INPA while I was running the car at idle when I noticed it creeped up into the red on temp guage. I turned the car off and let it cool down for a few hours, then checked the coolant. It's at the correct level. So what's going on here? I had just driven about 30 miles prior to checking the codes. Is it possible there's something wrong with the thermostat, fan, or temp gauge? I didn't notice the temp in the red while I was driving. I have had some weird things going on recently. I'm still having the problem where the car wants to stall(and sometimes actually does stall) when idle rolling, usually just after letting up on the brake. Can someone refresh me at what we should be idling at - and does the idle differ between park and drive with the brakes applied? I'm at about 600rpm in park, can provide the exact number if needed. I've noticed some rough acceleration in lower gears just after the car is started. This is hard to describe - best analogy I can come up with is accelerating feels like a skipping cd, but only until about 25-30mph, and only just after starting. I've had my SES light come on and off at random over the past few months. I just cleared all the errors and need to drive it to get them to pop again. Oil pressure sensor still shows up, I've got this on my list of things to get fixed. So.. I'm kind of worried about the overheat, any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

[Oli77]

Long time no see is right!

Do the OBC read to make sure the temperature is indeed high (code 19.7.0). Could just be a crazy gauge.

Car should idle at 700rmp or thereabouts. Not sure on auto.

[brettbimmer]

How many miles on the thermostat? Perhaps it is stuck closed.

Same question (how many miles) on the fuel pump? Same for the inline fuel filter? I would suspect that one of them (or the pickup screen on the pump itself) is to blame on the fuel starvation.

[wsmeyer]

First thing I'd check is making sure the fan is working.

Slight RPM drop from park to drive is normal.

[Mtnman]

Im thinking thermostat. And hey tampa! Good to see you back! My old zhp idled right near 700. I had auto though.
M

[Tampa330i]

I have auto, and I swear I see that idle in drive just slightly above the 500 mark, it feels low. I went out and let it idle for 5 minutes or so in park, temp was sitting at dead center the entire time, just as it always runs. Maybe the thermo just got stuck this one time - perhaps a sign it need to be changed? I guess I'll have to drive it around a little to see if it happens again. I will need to check the fan, I didn't have the hood open while I was idling. Should the fan be on at all times when idling and not moving? I'll have to assume everything is original since I have no records on the car before I bought it. Has 77K, and I have not replaced anything in the cooling system, yet. If i wasn't in the middle of buying a house, I'd have all the cooling parts replaced. I may have to anyway, I'll keep close watch. I'm happy it's not a leak. Soon I will have a garage and perhaps a second car for commuting.

[Mtnman]

When. Y thermostat was going, the first time i noticed it was driving and my temp dipped down lower than normal. Then it came back and all was fine. I changed it out a few weeks later. So yes, it can get stuck, then unstick itself. If that is what it was, yours stuck closed. Mine stuck open.

[Hornung418]

If you were scanning the car or recoding the vehicle, the temp gauge will moce to the red as an indicator. You should let the car idle with out coding or scanning and check the temp.

With the car off you should scann and watch the gauge. When I recoded my DME, I got back in the car and noticed he gauge was full on the red. Scared me shitless.

From a GS3, this was sent.

[Hermes]

low idle (around 500)... you should do the CCV

[telijah]

9 times out of 10, overheating while idling is due to failing fan. Since you have an auto, you'll have a clutch fan. When car is at temp, take a rolled up newspaper and slowly edge it towards the fan blades. If you can easily stop the fan, replace the fan clutch. A "stuck closed" thermostat would cause an overheat almost immediately once driven enough to where you would normally be at running temp.

[Dave1027]

Since you have an automatic maybe you should use this opportunity to do the electric fan conversion?

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?4929-Mechanical-Fan-to-Electric-Fan-Swap-(Automatic-s)

[Tampa330i]

Thanks guys. I think this was just a stuck thermostat. I drove it today and didnt see anything wrong. Nothing in the red, no codes, nothing out of the ordinary. What the advantage to swapping out the fan above, Dave? I'll have a lot more room to do things like that once I get a beater.

[Dave1027]

What the advantage to swapping out the fan above, Dave? .

It's my understanding that the plastic fan that comes on these cars has a potential to explode and attempt to go through the hood and take out other components too. Plus, most of the time it's quieter and many who have done the mod report better gas mileage too.

[Tampa330i]

Sounds good, something to be done after I get my beater car. I am getting no codes after driving a bit, but something still feels off around 2000rpm. Not all the time, but occasionally just after starting. Hopefully nothing breaks before I move in a couple weeks. I appreciate all the assistance, guys.