85 gsl-se. Stock minus emmisions equipment and with electric fans.

Last year towards the end of the summer it was getting warmer than I like. Almost half way on the gauge. It seemed to only be happening on highway trips. Did some searching and it seemed to be a radiator issue.

So I replaced the radiator with a new one. Also installed a new E-Fan (I've actually got two. A puller in the engine bay on the radiator and a pusher infront of the oil cooler underneath). It's still getting warm on the highways. If I get off the highway it starts to cool down. Which it wasn't doing before the new radiator. Also, I have replaced the thermostat with a high quality one from mazadatrix. Coolant is fresh and new. Hoses don't appear to be collapsing either, they're all relatively new. Sigh.....

I've still got the single pulley on the alternator. So that's one thing I'm looking at. Maybe it's slipping on the waterpump at highway speeds. The thing is I'm not hearing anything that sounds like a belt slipping. If I'm parked and I gun it I'd think that I should hear that thing slipping at high RPMs. If I don't hear it does that mean it's not slipping. If I'm looking at the belt when its going at 4k would I be able to visually tell that its slipping?

As a side note where should this car normally run on the temp gauge. Mines always stayed at about 1/3 on the gauge. That's the way its always been until last summer. Thanks for any thoughts or ideas.

 

Mine always sat at the halfway mark. Last year I installed a colder thermostat, not it hits at about 1/3. Have you recently replaced the thermostat? Maybe switched from a cold one to a warm one?

Otherwise, get a temp off the radiator when its running "hot" and post that info. Someone here should be able to tell you whether it's overheating or not.


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I have stock 180 Thermo, stock pump, stock housing, stock hoses, etc etc. Everythings stock for my 12A car. Except, I'm running a 7 pound radiator cap, and my water jackets have all been machined larger. It just sits on top of the second orange needle. But, when my 12A was a weee grasshopper, and was completely stock it ran exactly half way on the gauge.

 

just a thought, maybe you're actually blocking the oil cooler at highway speeds? perhaps just try running with the puller you have installed and see if that makes a difference.

 

You don't need a pusher fan for the oil cooler. Remove it. Sounds like air is not getting to your cooling system properly if it happens at freeway speeds.

And, install Autometer mechanical gauges to get real numeric data.

Lastly, install a dual belt system. It just makes sense. The belt can slip without making noise especially if the belt is installed LOOSE.

 

Not sure about whether it was a cold one or a warm one. I replaced it about 3 years ago before I started driving the car. Just a general maintenace replacement. I think I've still got the old one so I could compare the two.

I'd read that you should only go with the stock thermostat so that's what I ordered from mazdatrix, so I just checked and it looks like they don't sell thermostats anymore. Weird.

What was the stock thermostat and what would you define as a cool thermostat. I only drive in warmer weather so maybe I don't really need a warmer one???

 

I think stock is like 180? And, again, I believe the one I'm running now is 165. Purchased at Autozone. I figured that since I don't run a front mount oil cooler, a cooler thermostat might help make up for that.