Tungsten Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 (edited) ok back from the shop they said that anywhere between 1/2 and 3/4 is normal my overflow bottle is also way over the max line now another thing which kinda irritates me is that they never removed any of the labels from the hoses but just put clamps over them now the labels are ripping off at the clamps and it looks retarded Edited July 14, 2009 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 i would disagree that 1/2 to 3/4 is normal! When I used to go to a mechanic they guy always always told me that if it went over 1/2 bring it back immediately. I think most people on here would agree that 1/2 and less is normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 is there anything i can show them? its definately running a bit warm well at least they still flushed the system and installed the thermostat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 im not near my chiltons or FSM so idk if there is anything in there showing where the gauge should be. maybe someone else on here can check. AFAIK most cars should be running at less than half of the temp gauge, and mechanics should know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 if your fan clutch is locked on full then you will probably get low temps but i need someone else on here to tell me what their temps are with a 180 degree thermostat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowTied Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 (edited) Gents, I have read this thread and have some things for consideration... A thermostat is not a digital device that is on or off. It opens gradually. It will open and close as it needs to in order to regulate the temperature to its setting. It will eventually find the spot that restricts just enough flow to maintain the temperature of the coolant. The temperature of the stat and the actual temperature of the engine and the reading on the gauge are subjects to a few things. The stat has a manufacturing tolerance that maybe give it 5 degress of variance in my estimation. The guage may have a similar calibration concern. Also, the gauge source (where the gauge takes the reading on the engine) may not be the same temperature as the coolant at the stat. There could be as much as 10 degrees difference between the coolant at the stat and the coolant in a water jacket...depending on the engine in question. So bottom line, don't sweat 175/180, it'll be close enough. Now 160 vs 190 is another story. Follow the FSM, always until that doesn't work for you. If you live in a super hot or cold climate, then you can modify slightly to suit. 90% of us should use the factory one. There could be some difference from one car to another on where a stock temp gauge that is not graduated with numbers should indicate temperature. It is my experience that 1/3 to 1/2 is tpyical. 3/4 is not typical. That doesn't mean it is out of the operating range specified by the engineers. It would however be enough for me to get a temp gun or gauge and verify what I have got. This verifies if the gauge is out of calibration or indicates if there is something else going on (trapped air, wrong/mal-function stat whatever). If it feels notably different to the owner, then that is always a good reason to get a second opinion from a professional. If you had cooling system service and asked for the same stat as before and the gauge reads way different, then something changed.... Open/Closed Loop. The stat will remain closed until the coolant reaches the temp that opens the stat. On most vehicles I have owned, this is not directly connected to the temperature setting that changes the computer from open loop to closed loop (open loop is a warm up mode that by-passes O2 sensors readings, closed loop calibrates fuel trim with the O2 sensor input data). I am not certain what the temp setting is for closed loop on this vehicle, but changing from a 175 to a 180 or 190 stat should not likley have a bearing on this (confirm with a Nissan tech) - it should not be impacted by going higher than the FSM spec'd stat. Running a much lower stat than FSM spec'd or no stat at all however would affect this as it would take a long time for the engine to reach that operating temp that triggers closed loop. No stat at all could see a cold winter driven rig never reach closed loop (sign of a stat stuck open too). One of the reasons a stat is so important. If your fan clutch is stuck on, seized, whatever, this should have no bearing on the temp. It could create unnecessary drag on the engine at times lowering fuel economy. If you added 3 additional fans to the rad, this too would not have much impact either. The stat regulates the temp. If the coolant coming in is much cooler than normal due to a stuck fan clutch, or even 3 extra fans, the stat would close and let the heat build up again and only open enough to maintain the temperature. The differences should be neglibile. Now if the cooling system was unable to maintain temp at the stat setting (such as an undersized cooling system) then extra fans could make a difference. You may already all know this, but I post it for clarity to those who may be reading along. HTH. Edited July 15, 2009 by BowTied Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 I think my radiator is still either clogged or has air in it and my overflow bottle is way over its maximum line. The thermostat does work as it does warm up to a little below half quickly but as soon as I start driving it slowly heats up and doesn't stop. I had to pull over today because it was at 3/4 already and since I do not yet have a transmission cooler I risk killing my transmission. I should have spent the $400 on an aftermarket radiator (if there are any for these trucks). It was doing the same thing before except the warm up would take forever (stuck open thermostat) and it would just keep heating and heating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 there are no aftermarket rads for this truck. you can buy ones that are all aluminum instead of aluminum and plastic, but it doesnt help cooling AFAIK. If its just a clogged rad, you can pick one up for about 100 bucks and change it yourself. Although, I still say that its the shops responsibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PLI-433145/?image=large Does that look like a good replacement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 yeah, looks just like the one i have. same price at checker/o'reilley auto btw, and no shipping charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowTied Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 (edited) Most engines will eventually burp the air if the rad cap is left a bit loose. Just don't leave it like that for long, the cap closed allows the system to pressurize which increases the boiling point of the coolant to prevent overheating. On a cooler day, it should nto be a big deal to run it in your driveway like this for 10-15 minutes, just keep an eye on it. The shop may? have dumped the extra from a bottle in the overflow. If you have a way to take some out go ahead, but that being over full should not alone cause any problems (maybe the overflow would overflow, lol). Take it to a shop that as an temperature gun that can detect the temperature on the surface of the stat housing, maybe that will tell the tale of the actual temperature. I trust you are running stock fan and stock shroud, these are important items. Edited July 16, 2009 by BowTied Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 well i am going to pick it up from the shop today again lol and there goes another $300 yes just as i was suspecting the radiator was clogged not letting the engine cool off quick enough with a new radiator, do i still need a trans cooler? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 yes, you still need a transmission cooler. they should have told you the radiator was clogged the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowTied Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 well i am going to pick it up from the shop today again lol and there goes another $300yes just as i was suspecting the radiator was clogged not letting the engine cool off quick enough with a new radiator, do i still need a trans cooler? WTF? A shop just did a flush and they missed the rad was plugged? They are hosing you, big time. This flsuh should be free!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 The flush was free and they didn't charge me for the coolant either The rad came to $175 and the rest was labor and taxes Now it runs slightly below half with minor variences Ill put up a pic later today of where the needle hovers about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowTied Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Glad you got that sorted out. Keep an eye on things, you may need another flush.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 (edited) Here is where my needle hovers about Also whenever it gets to half now, the fan clutch kicks on and takes it down to about there Is this normal (for a 180 degree)? I don't have a trans cooler yet and I also run with OD off EDIT: The attachment system is broken, see next post, it works lol Edited July 21, 2009 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 (edited) Here it is Click on Attached Image Edited July 21, 2009 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowTied Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Here it isClick on Attached Image If it doesn't get higher, likely fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 if it starts to go to half then the fan kicks in and lowers it so its pretty much consistent at that spot but idk if its best for the vg30e chances are it will be better once i get a trans cooler in there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 the fact you dont have a tranny cooler shouldnt matter right now. Yes you should get one, but with the new radiator the transmission should be cooled effectively as long as the radiator is being cooled effectively. IMO that looks a tad high. Does it change when you put your AC on at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 (edited) no my a/c doesn't work as there is a leak somewhere so i lost all the refrigerant lol anyway could just be some air left in the system as the cooling is quite consistent now it does not go over 1/2 now Edited July 22, 2009 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 !!! That gauge must have some variation! I tested the temperature with a multimeter where the coolant temp sensor is and its reading around 160 F at that point on the gauge. I guess its running perfect now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastpath Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 the sender could be faulty too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 how? it works lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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