Trip report

I don't believe I've had that problem with my '96. And living in Dallas and driving across Texas quite a few times, I think I would have noticed.

Might be I need it flushed or something.

miker

miker wrote: > Biggest negative: Crossing South Dakota on a 100 degree day. My Miata ran

This is strange because the second cooling fan comes on with the AC. Have you check the operation of both cooling fans?

Sounds like a blast, glad you had a good time. I need to make it to Yellowstone one day, amongst many other places.

Pat

A few years back, my 91 BRG started running hot only when I was stuck in stop and go traffic. Took awhile, but I final found that the temp sensor that sits at the hot of the thermostat housing was broken (e.g., the sensor body was cracked). The fan is controlled by this sensor while the gauge reads from a different sensor, which I think is down on the block. I replaced the sensor and no more overheating. Easiest way to check if the fan is working is to get the engine up to temperature open the hood and you should see the fan cycle on an off to control the engine temp. You could also try to wiggle the sensor and see if it is obviously broken.

Gus 91 BRG

I had constant overheating problems with my 96 when the AC was on following Route 66 in Summer, but mainly in stop and go traffic and mountains, not really on flat highways at speed. And yes, both fans were running.

Leon

The driver side fan was on every time I looked - didn't check for cycling but other times (morning, etc) it wasn't on so I assume that's ok. I was wondering about the passenger side fan, but I've since learned about the AC connection so next time it's hot out I'll check that one too.

I also probably misspoke saying it overheated with the AC on... what I meant was, the temp gauge was sitting in its normal position around 11:30, and when I put the AC on it started to climb towards 12:30 but I shut the AC off rather than see higher readings. Maybe it would have stopped there, maybe not. But I wasn't pegging the needle or anything like that.

miker

Definitely something you don't want to miss.

I forgot to say, I only say 3 other Miata's on the trip - two NA's (one white, one black) and one guy in a NB.

miker

I made a trip from Austin, TX to Fayetteville, NC and the only miata that I saw once I left Austin, (you can't drive 15 minutes in central Austin without seeing another miata), was in Fayetteville. It was white M1 with a soldier from Fort Bragg driving it.

A lot of it was interstate driving, so I probably passed a few miatas, especially at night, but that is the only one I remember seeing.

Pat

Thanks for your trip report. I've not been to Yellowstone (yet), on the list of things to do. After Utah and Alaska (but not in the Miata).

My '96 doesn't seem to move towards overheating at all here in Northern California, A/C on, in traffic or on the road. We do get some 100 degree days. If it were me, I'd explore some of the suggestions that others have made. Overheating is not good for the longevity of engines.

Thanks again for the info. I've never seen anything like 35 mpg in my Miata. Maybe I should slow down? :)

miker wrote

Where did you stay? Not a lot of lodging in the park, and most people camp. Not much room to pack tents etc, I should think. Were you travelling solo?

I had a small tent and misc clothes/gear in the trunk (along with the spare) and put my sleeping bag up in the passenger footwell. But yes, it was kind of cramped (and noisy) for a long trip. I wore earplugs for a lot of the freeway portion.

First night I camped at Devils Tower ($12). Second night I had intended to get a room in Red Lodge but owing to the Beartooth Rally and 9,000 Harley riders being there that weekend there were no rooms/campsites in a 100 mile radius, so mid-afternoon I just continued on into the pass and Yellowstone. Managed to make Old Faithful by the sundown show, and then at 9:30pm asked at the info desk and there was a cancellation at Madison campground so I grabbed that ($18). Saw some more of the park the next day and then drove south to Jackson Hole and got the last room at a Motel 6. Back north into the park again the next day, thru Beartooth pass again and had no trouble getting a room in Billings that night.

Were I to do this again I would definitely book a couple-three nights in the park ahead of time, either lodge or campground. The thing is, Yellowstone takes a long time to drive thru and seems to be a couple hours from anything on each side. Some of the campgrounds are first-come-first-served only, 3 or

The traffic and general crush of tourists was much worse on Monday than Sat/Sun. My theory is that many leave the park Saturday am for their drive home, and the new tourists leave home Saturday morning and get to the park by later Sunday.

miker