Hey guys, today I was driving my car to work and it was fine. The temp gauge usually stays a 1/4 of the way up. But after work, it started to get warm, it went up about half way. I know they usually run about there, but mine has never done that. NEVER! Always 1/4 of the way up. The turbo to intercooler piping side was hot as well. Which is normal supposebly, but it was EXTREMELY HOT along with the intake pipe and filter (cone filter tip). What would cause this? My guess would be thermostat. Just want to make sure...

 

 

99% thermostat. Get OEM from a Mazda dealer, as others are lousy. If you don't know where the old one came from, I'd do this regardless of the old one's condition. Though 1/2 on the gauge isn't that bad (not ideal, though). I wouldn't be in a hurry, unless the problem gets worse.

I've seen turbo stuff glowing bright orange (not red) hot on a stock engine and it was supposed to be normal. Annoyed the teacher a little when our lab group hit the emergency shut off on the lab engine. It happens whenever it has boosted for a while.

www.aaroncake.net has a cooling system diagnostic guide if it turns out to be something else.

 

I replaced the thermostat anyway and it still does the same thing? It use to go up like 1/5 or 1/6 of the way up and now it goes up about 1/3 of the way up. I know this isnt that bad, but NEVER did it before. It comes up SOMETIMES about 1/2 way up. Any other ideas?

 

Anyone?