Coolant Temp Gauge Wont Rise
Jan 25, 2014, 06:58 PM
#1
Coolant Temp Gauge Wont Rise
Hello,
So I just finished up swapping a turbo then filled the radiator and attempted to "burp" the system as I always do.
I've got a Lislse spillfree funnel, started the car put the heat on full blast and let it idle and get out the air bubbles in the system.
Everything seemed normal and I went out for a test drive. I soon noticed that my temperature gauge had dropped to the bottom. So I proceeded home went back in the garage and attempted to burp the system assuming I still had an air pocket where the sending unit is located.
Unfortunately it does not want to seem to move. I've tried squeezing the radiator hoses as well as revved the engine. The closest that I got when I attempted to build up the revs and the temp gauge started rising.
The only thing that makes sense is that their is still air in the system but I cannot seam to get it out...Where am I going wrong?
Can anyone offer some additional pointers who have encountered this in the past? I was hoping to get some tuning done tomorrow but more importantly right now I need a drivable car. Thanks in advance for your help.
So I just finished up swapping a turbo then filled the radiator and attempted to "burp" the system as I always do.
I've got a Lislse spillfree funnel, started the car put the heat on full blast and let it idle and get out the air bubbles in the system.
Everything seemed normal and I went out for a test drive. I soon noticed that my temperature gauge had dropped to the bottom. So I proceeded home went back in the garage and attempted to burp the system assuming I still had an air pocket where the sending unit is located.
Unfortunately it does not want to seem to move. I've tried squeezing the radiator hoses as well as revved the engine. The closest that I got when I attempted to build up the revs and the temp gauge started rising.
The only thing that makes sense is that their is still air in the system but I cannot seam to get it out...Where am I going wrong?
Can anyone offer some additional pointers who have encountered this in the past? I was hoping to get some tuning done tomorrow but more importantly right now I need a drivable car. Thanks in advance for your help.
Last edited by heel2toe; Jan 25, 2014 at 07:47 PM.
Jan 25, 2014, 07:30 PM
#2
When I first fired up my car after putting it together I had a similar dilemma. It ended up being a stubborn air pocket. My gauge just would not go up and coolant was filled up.
Heres what I would do. try to put your car on an incline, fill your radiator up and put the radiator cap on. Fill the overflow container to the fill line. let it idle until it warms up, turn the defroster on full heat full blast. Rev it up to ~2000 rpm and hold it steady for a minute or two. You should be able to turn the heater off at this point as long as heat is actually coming out. Make sure there is plenty of coolant still in the overflow and let it sit until it cools down. When it cools down it pull in some coolant from the overflow and hopefully purge that annoying air pocket you have.
Come back out when its all cooled down, start it up and see if that solved your dilemma. G/L
Heres what I would do. try to put your car on an incline, fill your radiator up and put the radiator cap on. Fill the overflow container to the fill line. let it idle until it warms up, turn the defroster on full heat full blast. Rev it up to ~2000 rpm and hold it steady for a minute or two. You should be able to turn the heater off at this point as long as heat is actually coming out. Make sure there is plenty of coolant still in the overflow and let it sit until it cools down. When it cools down it pull in some coolant from the overflow and hopefully purge that annoying air pocket you have.
Come back out when its all cooled down, start it up and see if that solved your dilemma. G/L
Jan 25, 2014, 07:41 PM
#3
I really appreciate your assistance here. I hate asking for what is typically such a simple task.
I jacked up the front of my car and have the spillfree funnel installed currently with extra coolant sitting in it and the spillover full. I tried the whole revving thing but it hasnt made a difference. I think as you said Im gunna let it sit until it cools down and then maybe at that point itll have fixed itself.
Should I take off the funnel and replace the cap and let it cool off that way or do you think keeping the funnel on there is fine? I assumed that was the point of the thing as it allows for expansion of the coolant as well as gives a good supply of coolant for when it get sucked in.
My heat works fine so are you saying I no longer need to turn the heat on?
I may just start from scratch here and do exactly as you suggested but Im not sure if some of the things Ive done already are essentially the same approach.
For now im letting the car sit to cool off and hope that itll fix itself. Ill probably see if its changed by the morning and if not go at it as outlines by your previous post. Thanks for your help.
I jacked up the front of my car and have the spillfree funnel installed currently with extra coolant sitting in it and the spillover full. I tried the whole revving thing but it hasnt made a difference. I think as you said Im gunna let it sit until it cools down and then maybe at that point itll have fixed itself.
Should I take off the funnel and replace the cap and let it cool off that way or do you think keeping the funnel on there is fine? I assumed that was the point of the thing as it allows for expansion of the coolant as well as gives a good supply of coolant for when it get sucked in.
My heat works fine so are you saying I no longer need to turn the heat on?
I may just start from scratch here and do exactly as you suggested but Im not sure if some of the things Ive done already are essentially the same approach.
For now im letting the car sit to cool off and hope that itll fix itself. Ill probably see if its changed by the morning and if not go at it as outlines by your previous post. Thanks for your help.
Jan 25, 2014, 07:48 PM
#4
I really appreciate your assistance here. I hate asking for what is typically such a simple task.
I jacked up the front of my car and have the spillfree funnel installed currently with extra coolant sitting in it and the spillover full. I tried the whole revving thing but it hasnt made a difference. I think as you said Im gunna let it sit until it cools down and then maybe at that point itll have fixed itself.
Should I take off the funnel and replace the cap and let it cool off that way or do you think keeping the funnel on there is fine? I assumed that was the point of the thing as it allows for expansion of the coolant as well as gives a good supply of coolant for when it get sucked in.
My heat works fine so are you saying I no longer need to turn the heat on?
I may just start from scratch here and do exactly as you suggested but Im not sure if some of the things Ive done already are essentially the same approach.
For now im letting the car sit to cool off and hope that itll fix itself. Ill probably see if its changed by the morning and if not go at it as outlines by your previous post. Thanks for your help.
I jacked up the front of my car and have the spillfree funnel installed currently with extra coolant sitting in it and the spillover full. I tried the whole revving thing but it hasnt made a difference. I think as you said Im gunna let it sit until it cools down and then maybe at that point itll have fixed itself.
Should I take off the funnel and replace the cap and let it cool off that way or do you think keeping the funnel on there is fine? I assumed that was the point of the thing as it allows for expansion of the coolant as well as gives a good supply of coolant for when it get sucked in.
My heat works fine so are you saying I no longer need to turn the heat on?
I may just start from scratch here and do exactly as you suggested but Im not sure if some of the things Ive done already are essentially the same approach.
For now im letting the car sit to cool off and hope that itll fix itself. Ill probably see if its changed by the morning and if not go at it as outlines by your previous post. Thanks for your help.
Ya, you want to take that funnel tool off and actually put your cap back on. WIth the cap off the system isn't pressurzing so if its not pressurizing it may not 'force' that air pocket out. Our overflow containers are pretty much serving the use of your special tool, in this situation, so adjust your coolant level through that as your trying to purge the air out.
run the car unitl it warms up with the cap on, then let it cool off, again with the cap off.
One other quick way I can think of. Go to a local parts store and rent a coolant pressure tester. Pressurize your system and that should manually force that air pocket out.
Last edited by TommiM; Jan 25, 2014 at 07:51 PM.
Jan 25, 2014, 07:51 PM
#5
EvoM Community Team Leader
Check to make sure the temperature sender is plugged in. If it is, unplug it and clean the contacts. Then see what you get.
Jan 25, 2014, 07:52 PM
#6
So as my car is sitting cooling down now would the cap make any difference as there wont be pressure with the car off?
It sounds like the next time I turn my car on I should put the cap on first so it'll build pressure and go through another heat up and cool down cycle.
It sounds like the next time I turn my car on I should put the cap on first so it'll build pressure and go through another heat up and cool down cycle.
Jan 25, 2014, 07:55 PM
#7
EvoM Community Team Leader
if your engine is getting hot and your gauge isnt moving its likely got nothing to do with air in your system. The latent heat from your engine itself is enough to heat up the sending unit and register heat on the gauge. Start looking into a possible electrical problem with the sender itself.
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Jan 25, 2014, 08:24 PM
#8
Im pretty much ruled out a faulty sensor given the fact that it was working yesterday so the chances of it failing at the same time that im flushing my coolant is extremely slim. That and the fact that at first temperature was registering and then it stopped so it almost as if an air pocket has made its way to that sending unit.
Jan 25, 2014, 08:28 PM
#9
If the cap is back on, start it up and let it pressurize and do its thing. It might take a bit to get it fully warmed up, but once it does then just let it cool down. When it does it should suck some coolant from the overflow, if it does then it iikely purged the pocket out.
Jan 25, 2014, 08:28 PM
#10
Ya, you want to take that funnel tool off and actually put your cap back on. WIth the cap off the system isn't pressurzing so if its not pressurizing it may not 'force' that air pocket out. Our overflow containers are pretty much serving the use of your special tool, in this situation, so adjust your coolant level through that as your trying to purge the air out.
run the car unitl it warms up with the cap on, then let it cool off, again with the cap off.
One other quick way I can think of. Go to a local parts store and rent a coolant pressure tester. Pressurize your system and that should manually force that air pocket out.
run the car unitl it warms up with the cap on, then let it cool off, again with the cap off.
One other quick way I can think of. Go to a local parts store and rent a coolant pressure tester. Pressurize your system and that should manually force that air pocket out.
and I think Im completely over complicating this...
Jan 25, 2014, 08:29 PM
#11
If the cap is back on, start it up and let it pressurize and do its thing. It might take a bit to get it fully warmed up, but once it does then just let it cool down. When it does it should suck some coolant from the overflow, if it does then it iikely purged the pocket out.
Thanks for your help. Ill report back with hopefully good news.
Jan 25, 2014, 08:35 PM
#12
Sorry, that's my typing error. fill the coolant system until the radiator tops off, snug down your radiator cap and top off your overflow container. after the coolant system gets to temp and you shut it down leave the cap still ON, don't touch the cap anymore.
Jan 25, 2014, 08:48 PM
#13
EvoM Community Team Leader
The temp sender is in the thermostat housing. I dont really see how it would be possible for an air pocket to form around it. Im not saying your sensor went bad im saying check the wiring connection to it. I have seen engines overheated with 0 coolant in them and the temp gauge is pegged at H. This is because the heat of the engine itself will heat up the sensor and register.
Jan 25, 2014, 09:04 PM
#14
The temp sender is in the thermostat housing. I dont really see how it would be possible for an air pocket to form around it. Im not saying your sensor went bad im saying check the wiring connection to it. I have seen engines overheated with 0 coolant in them and the temp gauge is pegged at H. This is because the heat of the engine itself will heat up the sensor and register.
Jan 25, 2014, 09:08 PM
#15
I wonder why it started to creep up again and then went back down again...still air?