Im feeling very very defeated, Cooling system ?

[bradartigue]

OK, I havent driven the car since yesterday and when I removed the cap from the T in the heater hose coolant spills out. there is pressure in the system still. Does this point to any specific issue? Thermostat?

Thanks

Everything you are describing sounds like the thermostat is not opening. Especially if it was running correctly and this just started happening. If water was circulating you wouldn't have water up to the T, some of it would have made its way down because the system isn't sealed (it is not a pressurized cooling system, it has an overflow bottle).

Take the thermostat out, inspect it for proper orientation, then boil it and see if it opens when hot. If it does then I'm back to the flow issue, water pump isn't turning its fins or something like that.

Edit: and if that thermostat is stuck but then you beat on it or something and it starts working, throw it away and replace it. Don't get stuck on the side of the road because you "serviced" a thermostat. On Spiders it's not like you can just remove it and drive.

[georgeramos]

i really think youre right Brad. i just let it idle for 20 minutes and when it got to over typical operating temp I held the hose from the thermostat to the bottom of the radiator and it never changed temperature. it remained cool.

Then i activated the throttle and it seemed to gasp and spit gas thru the carb again...and it was already warm.

But I could not get that lower hose to change temp.

[majicwrench]

This IS a pressurized cooling system. There is nothing wrong wth pulling cap on T and having a bit of water come out.

LIke has been said, pull T stat and put in boiling water. Simple test.

[4uall]

should be obvious when looking






my P.O. punched out his T stat WTF?!

[bradartigue]

This IS a pressurized cooling system. There is nothing wrong wth pulling cap on T and having a bit of water come out.

LIke has been said, pull T stat and put in boiling water. Simple test.

It develops pressure of course, but it is not a sealed system. I should have been more clear.

Throw that thermostat away. Get a new one. Make sure that piece missing isn't actually inside your water pump.

[wizard124]

i really think youre right Brad. i just let it idle for 20 minutes and when it got to over typical operating temp I held the hose from the thermostat to the bottom of the radiator and it never changed temperature. it remained cool.

I had this thread in the back of my mind yesterday as I got my car running for the first time in months. I have a new thermostat and hoses. So, I let her warm up.......went above 190F.......fan never turned on....shut it down. My bottom hose and lower radiator were cool to the touch; heat and pressure in upper hoses.

A short cool down and I checked fluid levels,,,,,good at the cap and full at the "T" cap. Started up with the same result. About the 3rd time, as it got to 190F, I revved the engine. This pushed the coolant around (I observed the temperature readings lowering), the lower hose and bottom radiator were now hot.

Unfortunately, my fan didn't turn on. It used to switch on It does work, If I bypass the radiator switch. Seems that the switch is now bad. Hoping that after an all night soak, it may wake up and be happy

[bradartigue]

No no - solve one problem at a time. The fan switch will never come on if the bottom of the radiator is cool. If your head is showing 190 and your radiator bottom is cold you aren't circulating coolant through the radiator - PERIOD. Find the problem, it is either the water pump or the thermostat.

With the thermostat off of the car put a hose in the radiator and fill it up, water should flow out of the bottom hose. If so then your radiator isn't blocked. Then put the hose in the flush and fill T and water should flow out of the water pump hole and any other open holes. If all of this works then you either replace the T-stat or the water pump.

Don't look for other problems until you get it circulating.

[majicwrench]

Um, the above poster said his lower hose and radiator ARE getting hot.

[georgeramos]

Thermostat not working. Boiled it and no change past 200 degrees. Why does a 1.5year old part fail (I know its cheap but COME ON!)?

Is there another aspect of the cooling system that needs tweaking to prevent a thermostat with less than 1000 miles on it to fail?

Hasnt anyone ever wondered this? Why do they fail? They look SO SIMPLE. WHY do they fail?

thanks all!

[bradartigue]

Um, the above poster said his lower hose and radiator ARE getting hot.

Yep, I read the first paragraph (not getting warm) and ignored the last.

[bradartigue]

Thermostat not working. Boiled it and no change past 200 degrees. Why does a 1.5year old part fail (I know its cheap but COME ON!)?

Is there another aspect of the cooling system that needs tweaking to prevent a thermostat with less than 1000 miles on it to fail?

Hasnt anyone ever wondered this? Why do they fail? They look SO SIMPLE. WHY do they fail?

thanks all!

They fail because the cars sit around and the some nasty chemical reactions can occur when coolant, aluminum, brass, oil, and steel all meet in one spot. Sadly the OE part isn't made any longer, because they lasted forever. I've had a lot of good success with those from Csaba and Obert, but I but all the vendors sell the same thing. Obert has a diagram that helps to ID what goes where: http://www.fiatplus.com/87-c-thermostat-pr-305007.html

[georgeramos]

I almost always buy from AR or Obert too. The thermostat was from AR (not slamming them) and it was only 1.5 years old. The car sat for 2 months at most without being started and at least warmed up if not driven. Im going to try the lower temp thermostat and thermal switch, also ordered a new temp sending unit. That along with fixing janky wiring hopefully ends the issues.

thanks

[DanD]

Mix your coolant with distilled water or buy premixed.