cooalnt gauge acting strange - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

s13pignose · 07-12-2008, 03:09 AM

my car had been sitting for about a couple hrs. hang out with local car people. I drive about a 1/4 to half a mile before I merge onto the expressway and about half a mile down the road on that, my coolant gauge steadily climbs to hot, and then past the H! So I freak out, and turn the climate control all the way over to warm, but left the fans off. Pull to the shoulder of the road and pop the hood...no steam/smoke...no nothing. So I drive home with fans on, and temps go down to norm. Once home, check my oil cap for miky residue and pull one plug wire out to check down the hole. Then I read on 240sx.org to bleed coolant system, sit the car at incline and run with no rad cap till air bubbles at the filler neck dissappear. I never saw any but did it any way for about 5 mins, and rev'd lightly a couple times near the end.. all while parked on a hill at incline.

Get home and let the car sit for like 5 mins. Then check the coolant level at the filler neck, and looks fine. Don't see any coolant in the resevoir though, and can't remember if any was in there to begin with. Check oil cap and dipstick...no milky residue.

I see no coolant leaks. So is my gauge just being stupid?

T-stat, rad hoses, and rad cap have all been upgraded with in last year, and radiator flushed
---------------------
Also when I was on the expressway, with just the climate control slid to full warm I felt no heat coming through the vents, until I turn the fans on. Got heat then on all settings 1-4 or however high it goes. Most of the time though I would get some heta without fans. Should I just try filling the resevoir up and see if it disappears over time?

projectRDM · 07-12-2008, 09:15 AM

Air pocket. The thermostat wasn't open, allowing only cool air to blow. Once it opened you got the air out and the car cooled back down.

s13pignose · 07-12-2008, 03:41 PM

Cool. I hope. That was last night/ this morning

Later Ttday I topped off the rad and resevoir today, after cleaning the resevoir out..something the shop that did my flush obivously didn't do. Did my best to try and bleed the system of air bubbles..having never done it b4. Car does fine all day. Heck me and my friend even took my clutch fan off, and I haven't over heated yet. He said it didn't seem like it was efficient anymore.

Only concern is when I was topping the rad off, I thought I saw what appear to be a small piece of rubber float pass the filler opening

I'll see when I go out tonight though. He doesn't think I blew my HG though. I mean if I did, shouldn't I overheat again. I had to take same expressway home, and did so without a fan mind you. So that makes the previous night even more of a mystery

We did see condensation again inside my exhaust tip? I'm gonna try and pull plugs when the car cools down

07-12-2008, 03:09 AM	#1
s13pignose Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: ?? Posts: 1,324 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	cooalnt gauge acting strange my car had been sitting for about a couple hrs. hang out with local car people. I drive about a 1/4 to half a mile before I merge onto the expressway and about half a mile down the road on that, my coolant gauge steadily climbs to hot, and then past the H! So I freak out, and turn the climate control all the way over to warm, but left the fans off. Pull to the shoulder of the road and pop the hood...no steam/smoke...no nothing. So I drive home with fans on, and temps go down to norm. Once home, check my oil cap for miky residue and pull one plug wire out to check down the hole. Then I read on 240sx.org to bleed coolant system, sit the car at incline and run with no rad cap till air bubbles at the filler neck dissappear. I never saw any but did it any way for about 5 mins, and rev'd lightly a couple times near the end.. all while parked on a hill at incline. Get home and let the car sit for like 5 mins. Then check the coolant level at the filler neck, and looks fine. Don't see any coolant in the resevoir though, and can't remember if any was in there to begin with. Check oil cap and dipstick...no milky residue. I see no coolant leaks. So is my gauge just being stupid? T-stat, rad hoses, and rad cap have all been upgraded with in last year, and radiator flushed --------------------- Also when I was on the expressway, with just the climate control slid to full warm I felt no heat coming through the vents, until I turn the fans on. Got heat then on all settings 1-4 or however high it goes. Most of the time though I would get some heta without fans. Should I just try filling the resevoir up and see if it disappears over time?

07-12-2008, 09:15 AM	#2
projectRDM Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Atlanta Age: 51 Posts: 13,812 Trader Rating: (12) Feedback Score: 12 reviews	Air pocket. The thermostat wasn't open, allowing only cool air to blow. Once it opened you got the air out and the car cooled back down. __________________ FORMERLY R240NA Learn what's really going on and protect your assets now before they're gone forever: www.paypalsucks.com

07-12-2008, 03:41 PM	#3
s13pignose Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: ?? Posts: 1,324 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	Cool. I hope. That was last night/ this morning Later Ttday I topped off the rad and resevoir today, after cleaning the resevoir out..something the shop that did my flush obivously didn't do. Did my best to try and bleed the system of air bubbles..having never done it b4. Car does fine all day. Heck me and my friend even took my clutch fan off, and I haven't over heated yet. He said it didn't seem like it was efficient anymore. Only concern is when I was topping the rad off, I thought I saw what appear to be a small piece of rubber float pass the filler opening I'll see when I go out tonight though. He doesn't think I blew my HG though. I mean if I did, shouldn't I overheat again. I had to take same expressway home, and did so without a fan mind you. So that makes the previous night even more of a mystery We did see condensation again inside my exhaust tip? I'm gonna try and pull plugs when the car cools down