I have a '97 Plymouth Neon and the problem im having is this: when the car is running the temperature gauge shows a normal temperature (about
40% up the gauge). However when i turn the car off and just turn on the electical devices (where the radio and gauges work) after a few minutes the temperature gauge starts rising up to about 80% of the gauge. My coolant level is fine and the elec. fans are fine and working. Is this abnormal? and what could be causing this???please help, Phil
That actually sounds normal; without airflow through the radiator the coolant will continue to take heat from the engine block and head but won't be able to shed much to the atmosphere. Some cars have a feature that allows the fan to continue running with the key off to help keep things cool during this "heat soak" period, but i don't know enough about Neons to say whether or not they have this capability or if so where you might have a possibility of a failure that would prevent the fan from running with the key off but not with the key on.
good luck,
nate
Much thanks Nate. Some other people told me the same thing, but they werent sure. This news makes things a little more reassuring that theres possibly nothing wrong with my car.
Thanks once again, Phil
N8N wrote:
This is why you sometimes see circle track cars boil over after the feature race. As did mine last week!
Don
So far from what ive been hearing, it sounds like my problem isnt much of a problem at all. I just got worried cause 2 years ago, my engine started overheating while driving and turned out that my head gasket had given up allowing coolant and oil to mix and flow into the radiator. Cost me much money to have it fixed.
I was wondering if there are any possible problems that might arise from this heat soak process thats taking place in my car. Any known problems that could arise??
djphild.
D>
sure. Basically the same problems that could occur if the engine overheats while running; including (you saw this coming, didn't you) a blown head gasket.
Now the question is, how hot is it really getting? If normal operating temp is say 180F and you are seeing 210F on heat soak that is not a big deal. The car can safely withstand 210F water temps all day while driving; the only cause for concern in that situation would be that it would indicate that the cooling system is marginal (because it would be running at 30F over the thermostat opening temperature, which theoretically shouldn't happen) and that a true overheating condition could develop if cooling capacity were reduced even more, the ambient temp. went up, or the engine were worked harder. If it is going up to say 250F then that is a problem. Is your gauge calibrated, or do you have an infrared thermometer where you could actually take temperature readings of an area of the engine where the coolant is close to the outside of the metal (like the thermostat housing, or the area of the head where the water temp. sender resides?)
nate
djphild wrote:
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