Running hot

NOAHTAFOLLA

MEMBER
SATURN

Saturn SL2 1996 86000 mi the temp guage usually runs at about 3/8 now if I idle for a short period of time it begins to run at 1/2 and more however sometimes driving can cause this rise in temp after the first time this happened I did replinish a small amt of coolent at a 50/50 mix I can't say that it always cools down quickly but most of the time it does another sympton which may or may not be related is my air conditioner is sometimes blowing warm air almost like the compressor isn't running about 2 yrs ago while on a road trip I had the radiator and assembly and thermostat replaced I never felt like my heater ran as hot as it always had this past repair may be irrrelevant but just threw it in

3 Replies

GUITARDUDE012

MEMBER
4 POSTS

I just warmed up a similar model. At 76 degrees outside it took 6 minutes to rise from 1/4 to 1/2 with the a/c off.

What happens is that your car gains heat because there is no air rushing through the radiator when you are in park. Also, the fans most likely wont kick on until more like 3/4th on the gauge.

Turning on the A/C increases idle RPM which means your car will get hot even faster.

Your car may get warm when driving around town at say 25 mph with many stoplights, once again just because the radiators won't work as well without all of the air rushing past them.

I guess I am saying it sounds as though things may be normal. I would be concerned however if you are driving in similar conditions to what you are use to (not flooring it, same temps outside, same speeds) and the operating temps have increased.

Depending on what state you are in, your car may be close to a recommended radiator flush.

About the A/C:

If you are in your car and press the a/c button to turn it on, you should be able to hear the compressor kick on. If this is the case you may see a small 100-200 rpm gain in idle speed which should settle back down some within a second or two.

If it doesnt your compressor may be bad, or you may just need new O-rings.

If it clicks on but blows warm air you may need an A/C recharge, or even just O-rings.

I would recommend always having the O-rings inspected before A/C compressor replacement. It saved me hundreds of dollars once. Just remember that the A/C lines are very dangerous.

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Thursday, May 3rd, 2007 AT 12:44 AM

PEPPERMRJ

MECHANIC
1,158 POSTS

Hey Noah,

Like guitardude says might just be normal. I have a 96 SC2. The temp on the gauge runs around a little bellow half normally. It will kick the cooling fan on at about the 3/4 mark. The fan will remain on till the gauge goes down to 5/8ths and then it will shut off. Let the car idle and watch that the cooling fan is coming on. It will take 10 to 15 minutes even on a warm day.

If you have to add coolant on a regular basis, start looking for a leak. Dried coolant will leave a whiteish stain. Check the coolant tank, around all the hoses, the thermostat housing, and the radiator. The rad has a tendency to crack around the top hose mount. Also look at the waterpump. Best viewed from underneath. When it leaks it throws coolant around and is hard to spot.

If your heating is not up to par the first thing that comes to mind is a low coolant level. After that a clogged heater core. Try reverse flushing it. Also the temp controll cables might be sticking or the heater door not opening all the way. Poor coolant flow (waterpump) can be a prob also.

Check that the ac compressor is engaging like the guitardude recommends. If it is engaging and you are still getting warm air again check the heater/AC controls.

Good luck and let us know. :)
peppermrj

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Saturday, May 5th, 2007 AT 5:15 PM

GUITARDUDE012

MEMBER
4 POSTS

I looked around some more and it seems there is a common problem with the compressor freezing up during highway use, after which hot air blows according to Consumer Guide.

The fix mentioned was to adjust the compressors suction set point.

If this is indeed the problem, it should be an easy fix. The AC should be easy to reach and you only need an exacto knife, screwdriver, and a sharpie.

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Sunday, May 6th, 2007 AT 9:57 AM