High Operating Temperature

[parsok]

I'm getting close to getting the '80 ready for the road. I had drained the coolant and re-filled it. I've read the burp procedures and tried several times with no luck, the temp would hit 220-230 but the fan would not come on. I ended up getting one of those No-Spill funnels mentioned on the site. I ran it tonight and the fan finally started to cycle after burping out some air and getting to about 230. The rad was smoking like crazy but dissipated soon after fan commencement.

I noticed though that the fan cycles as opposed to continuous running. After about 15 minutes the temp gauge was up to about 240. The fan kicked in and brought it down to about 210 then turned off. i checked the rad it was quite warm. I turned the motor off at that point.

I'm thinking this high operating range is not normal. I set the heat/def controls to left forward, middle and right back. The heater fan is not working (not sure about that yet) so I don't know if I'm getting any heat. Checked the rugs and they're bone dry.

What is the normal operating range for a Spider? Could I have a thermostat problem?

[4uall]

I had a very similar issue after I bought mine. After the fix the needle now only goes to the 9 in 190*F here is my info

http://forum.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtop ... =5&t=16398

As well make sure the two sensors (located in the engine head) are connected

Hope this helps

Look me up if you ever get to Ottawa

[rlux4]

You have your heater controls set to open the air vent into the heater plenum (left hand control), heater valve closed (middle control), and air directed to defrost (right hand control). You should be able to tell if your heater core is getting heat, even without a fan. Put the middle control all the way forward (toward the large end of the triangle shaped ideogram). When your car is warmed up and from the passenger side reach up behind the upper console. The heater core should be hot enough for you to feel the heat coming off of it. Once the cabin is warmed up you should be able to turn off the fan and still get plenty of heat just from it radiating off the heater core. Unless it's really cold outside.
Ron

[courtenay]

Did you go through the burp procedure with the heater valve open? i.e. heat on in the car. You need to do this to ensure you get all of the air out of the system.

[parsok]

4UALL - I saw your post and followed the instructions. I see you have a FI and I'm thinking from the grainy photocopy that I don't have the throttle heater plate, at least as far as I can tell. I did tap into the heater hose that runs over the cylinder head and filled it with fluid.

The Heater valve - am I correct in assuming this is open if I have the middle lever forward or is it backward?

what I don't get is that the rad is hot and the fan cycles. According to the manual and 4uall's post the fan won't come on if there is an air pocket. Hence my confusion.

[vandor]

The gauge may not be reading accurately. There are 2 temp senders in the head, but only one is a real sender, the other one is the overheat switch, and it is normally off.
However, if somebody put two senders in there, then the gauge will read high. The easiest way to check: disconnect the senders one at a time. If you have two senders the gauge will still register, but go down ~30 degrees when you disconnect either sender.
If the car is set up correctly then when you disconnect the sender the gauge should not work, if you disconnect the overheat switch it should have no effect on the gauge reading.

[4uall]

4UALL - I saw your post and followed the instructions. I see you have a FI and I'm thinking from the grainy photocopy that I don't have the throttle heater plate, at least as far as I can tell. I did tap into the heater hose that runs over the cylinder head and filled it with fluid.

The Heater valve - am I correct in assuming this is open if I have the middle lever forward or is it backward?

what I don't get is that the rad is hot and the fan cycles. According to the manual and 4uall's post the fan won't come on if there is an air pocket. Hence my confusion.

I don't have the throttle heater plate neither do I. It was removed by po.


IMG_0253 by itzebtze, on Flickr


Not sure what this is? by itzebtze, on Flickr

[parsok]

Where does the 't' hose part of the hose go to?

[rlux4]

Maybe my explanation wasn't clear.
All the way forward on your heat lever is wide open position on the heater control valve.
Each control has a triangle shaped ideogram, or "delta symbol". The pointed end of the symbol idicates "least" and the larger, or base end of the symbol indicates "most".
You can check whether or not the heater control valve is being accuated by the lever by contorting youself in the passenger footwell in a position where you can see the valve and then operate the lever. This is easier with a helper, but not that hard to do it alone.
Ron

[124JOE]

the local auto parts store sells a temp gun "IR"it lets you know the temp all over
if your temp sencer is off the temp gun will tell you the temp where ever you point it
$20

[4uall]

Where does the 't' hose part of the hose go to?

IMG_0253 by itzebtze, on Flickr

the left portion goes back underneath to the heater core?
the right hose goes directly into the engine head
the skinny hose goes?
sorry

[124JOE]

i have a FI off a car ill get a pic

i thought this might be it

not this one

this is the bottom

this is the inside

[courtenay]

Be interesting to know where that hose goes, Jay. My "flush t" is in the spot where that fitting is on your car. That's the one I use to burp the system.

[4uall]

will try and locate this weekend providing the family does not get in the way again I love them so much

[4uall]

think I found the answer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnG1Ih5r ... re=related