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Re: Coolant Temp. (NYC) Posted by Ari [Email] (#2847) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Ari) on Wed, 20 Dec 2000 14:13:24 In Reply to: Coolant Temp. (NYC), jwr, Wed, 20 Dec 2000 13:41:14 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I wouldn't blame the Bar's leaks.
It's pretty common for Saabs to run warm in stop & go driving. It's air flow over the radiator that pulls the heat out, and you get precious little of that going slowly or idling. There are two big items to set engine temperature - the thermostat which determines when the coolant gets to the radiator, and the radiator fan thermoswitch, which determines when the fan comes on.
The radiator fan comes on when the radiator temperature gets to a certain temp. The engine temperature will probably be hotter. So when you're idling, or the engine is running at low RPM and there's little airflow, the gauge may very well go above mid-way. As long as the fan comes on before the gauge gets into the red zone, it's OK. If you're really worried, you can always replace the radiator fan thermoswitch with one that actuates at a lower temperature.
I'll bet it's your thermostat. It determines when coolant is allowed into the radiator. It's a wear item in any engine, and should be replaced every three years or so. Remember that the water pump runs at the engine speed, so the faster the engine, the more coolant gets pumped. The less coolant flow, the harder it is to get heat out of the engine. If the thermostat is even a little sticky or slow to respond, it will show up more at idle/slow engine speeds. At highway cruise you've got both engine RPM's (probably at least 2500) and tons of air coming in over the radiator and engine.
If the thermostat hasn't been replaced in three years, or you don't know when it was last replaced, replace it. Given the stop and go conditions you're likely to see in NYC, replace it with a 82C thermostat, instead of the stock 87 (89?)C. It will run cooler in summer, and you won't notice the minor loss in heater output (NYC isn't the artic circle). ALWAYS get a Saab OEM thermostat.
Good luck!
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