lately my car's temp gauge has been at 1/2 or slightly above once warmed up. It used to run at about 1/3, and my rx7 with bad coolant seals runs at 1/3.

Is this something to worry about? is there any quick/cheap fix? thanks

 

depends on what kinda 2nd Gen you have ma car runs 1/2 way up and thats its normal and some run at 1/3, you shouldnt have to worry to much about it untill you notice it starts climbing

 

Try searching for "overheating" or the such and you should get shitloads of info. Easy/quick?

Thermostat, radiator cap, coolant flush

Expensive/time consuming?

radiator,fan clutch, waterpump(not very hard or expensive if you know what your doing), water seals

 

eerrrmmmmm, TIIs always run at 1/2. N/As run at 1/3. So, if your's is an N/A, then it is slightly overheating, but if it stays there, then you just need to clean everything up (no real problem, just flush, clean rad, changes gaskets, you're done )

 

I think S5 n/a run at 1/2. Mine does.
The S4s n/a I've seen run at about 1/4.

 

My S4 TII runs at 1/4. Should I worry about that? Being too low? Dunno...

 

Mine too, and thats the highest it ever gets. Most of the time its lower than that.

 

Might I also suggest a new temperature gauge, just for a little, you know, accuracy

 

stock gauges = teh worthless

by the time the gauge moves it's too late. Get an aftermarket temp gauge such as VDO and tap the sender on the water pump.

 

S4's are supposed to run 1/4 of the way up.

 

Actually, the stock S4 guages aren't bad at all. They're pretty accurate, although a little slow. The S5 ones are worthless, however.

Does it run hot in traffic, or on the highway? Both?

 

Just get an aftermarket. That is the only way to go.

James

 

what year of car do you have?? na or TII??

 

it's an 87' N/A. seems to be at 1/2 in city and highway., but today on the way to school It was at about 1/4! it was only like 60 degrees, and raining. on the way back, back to 1/2 though.

I don't want to get a temp gauge now because I'm selling when I rebuild my other 87'. I'll get new temp. gauge for that.

 

Minor point on gauge temp change. Recently flushed cooling system. Went to the trouble of dropping the bottom shield. Noticed a ton of leaves & debris between the oil cooler and radiator. Removed (very gently? with flat wooden paint stick and then blew out oil cooler from the front and between cooler and radiator (again gently) with compressed air. Car had 111,000 original but unsure care of original owner. Anyway, gauge on '90 NA went from 1/2 to about 1/8 inch lower. Tend to think it was removing debris rather than the flushing.

 

i have an s4 t2. my car runs between 180 and 190 degrees. its 1/5 to 1/4 on the stock gauge.

 

Why not get a guage? It's not like you can't take it out of the car when you sell it.

My car was running at about half to 3/4 on the stock guage. I got an autometer guage and found I was running at about 210-250+.
My car would run at 210 in the city and over 250 on the highway when I was over 80MPH.

I put a new thermostat in and flushed the Rad and put some water wetter in. Now I my running temps are 1/4 up the stock guage and are 190-city and 208ish max on the highway .

I would check the Thermostat.It's very cheap and easy to replace.

 

My 91 S5 is @ 1/2 too, it sucks to see there. And my cousin's 89 GTU stays at 1/4. Whats the deal again? I've had my car a year and 3 months. Havent changed the anything except the trans. fluid and oil changes. Mariah Motorsports is doing the Major Tune-Up which is gonna cost me $477.52.

 

The S5 is SUPPOSED to be at 1/2. Any low is NOT proper operating temperature and will cause reduced fuel mileage, reduced performance, and fouled plugs + cats.