Warmer than normal.

[Kevin1989]

i need help kinda quick. car runs drives all that jazz completely fine. but tonight the gauge SHOWS its running hot... will float at half then after about 15 mins of driving it goes slowly up to the bar right below 270 on the gauge. i stop. pop the hood and it doesnt seem blazing hot, 250 is usually pretty warm and make the coolant almost boil but there is none of that.

i vented all the pressure out of it warmed it back up and tried to get any air bubbles out. no change i really would like to figure this out on my own but i have to get it done ASAP for certain reasons. i will have a pressure test run tomorrow to hopefully rule out a headgasket. :eek:

Since it doesnt seem super hot under the hood is it possible the gauge is just fubar... the gauge does go up slightly when you turn the lights on:confused: it always has though. or is the temp sensor possibly bad?

[k062693w]

Is it a real gauge or the factory one ???

[Kevin1989]

factory gauge. it would usually be about half or notch below half

[Stangman]

Replace temp sensor and see what happens. They aren't expensive. See if you can get a laser temp pointer thingy and point it at spots on the engine and see what temp it tells you it is.

[Pops Fun]

Havve you looked at the fan... to be sure it is working

[cstreu1026]

factory gauge. it would usually be about half or notch below half

I would put money on that being the issue. The temp gauge in the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe I use to have would do all sorts of wierd shit.

[Kevin1989]

I'm going to get a new temp sensor. And hopefully that does it. This car is really wiiieerdddd. I feel like if it was a head gasket it would fluxuate (sp) but doesn't

[Timido]

I usea point and shoot heat gun to verify the temp at the thermostat housing. I hate throwing parts at stuff to try to fix a problem

[Kevin1989]

I usea point and shoot heat gun to verify the temp at the thermostat housing. I hate throwing parts at stuff to try to fix a problem

good point. I'll try to find one. Bad thing is I'm afraid to drive it real far

[cobra429boss]

check your coolent and make sure it has not leaked, bc if there is not enough in it the guage will bounce around like that.. my stang was doin that it ended up being a leaky water pump i had no idea was leaking when i was driving it, put new one on and filled it up and it worked fine

[Kevin1989]

check your coolent and make sure it has not leaked, bc if there is not enough in it the guage will bounce around like that.. my stang was doin that it ended up being a leaky water pump i had no idea was leaking when i was driving it, put new one on and filled it up and it worked fine

all gaskets are good, coolant is full checked multiple times. The gauge doesn't bounce around it's holding steady

fan works that was the first thing I checked.

[Rick93coupe]

If there's no signs of it overheating it's more than likely the coolant temperature sensor. I've had to replace them and oil sending units that both showed strange things on the gauge. Ask around and see if someone has one on an old motor in the garage, they're about $60.00 to replace at the zone.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Everco-Coolant-Temperature-Sensor/1990-Ford-Mustang/_/N-igouyZ9gslt?counter=2&itemIdentifier=857916_0_0_

[cobra429boss]

all gaskets are good, coolant is full checked multiple times. The gauge doesn't bounce around it's holding steady

fan works that was the first thing I checked.

how is your fan hooked up? does it come o nat a certain temp or do you have it on a toggle switch?

[Kevin1989]

I still have the stock clutch fan :( it's on the winter todo list for an E fan

[cobra429boss]

That could be your problem.. hell go ahead and throw an electric fan on it , see what happens after that.. i mean if it dont fix it , you was gonna get one anyway.. should be able to find one cheap

[Kevin1989]

that would cool it better but I just don't see that being the problem of it al of the sudden running warmer now ya know what I mean.

[Marker1989]

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Everco-Coolant-Temperature-Sensor/1990-Ford-Mustang/_/N-igouyZ9gslt?counter=2&itemIdentifier=857916_0_0_

Wrong sensor, that one is for the ECU. The one for the gauge cluster is the little one on the front driver's side of the lower intake. Kevin, go drive it around some more and see if it works itself out, I've had this sort of thing happen a few times.

[Kevin1989]

Wrong sensor, that one is for the ECU. The one for the gauge cluster is the little one on the front driver's side of the lower intake. Kevin, go drive it around some more and see if it works itself out, I've had this sort of thing happen a few times.

that was my thought process driving it to work today. I'll take the long way home from work. Run to teds he's got a lazer thermometer to see what it's really at. The little sensor I need is like 11.99

[Stangman]

Fix your other issue? ;)

[Kevin1989]

everythings fixed. Just this silly issue, figures it happens now lol

[chris91]

If you're ever out my way, I have a stock temp sending unit that came from my vert you can have. I know it worked before I replaced it with the Autometer one.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d31/blown94ls/DSC00162.jpg

[Kevin1989]

well temp gauge showed the bar above the half way bar. Temp on the thermo housing was 203 lower intake was 203 right behind the thermostat. the coolant temp sensor was at 217. this is all with a 180 thermostat.

[facemelter71]

What kind of 180 degree thermostat? Mr gasket,or el-cheapo from the parts shelf.And it sounds like you need a electric fan.I even have one on my 86 F-250.Looks cleaner any way.

[Kevin1989]

came from napa or Advanced last time my timing cover was changed... the temps arnt too concerning. its the gauge that puzzles me. that is although slightly warmer than it should be correct?