Some Help Please

elusiverunner · 23-11-2005, 07:39 PM

Hello everyone, I have a problem that even the mechanics don't seem to be able to work out. The car involved is a 1991 EB Fairmont Ghia. I seem to be getting more and more problems like this each week which never seem to be resolved and make me sick of ever having owned a FORD

The problem is as follows and I will try and remember every detail. OK last Thursday I took off from a set of lights with some "grunt" as I didn't want to behind this other car as the road merged into one lane. I don't know what made me look down at the instrumentation, but I noticed the temperature gauge needle slowly rising up to the midway mark. When it hit that midway mark it immediately started down the scale. As I monitored the gauge the needle rose paused then whet back to where it used to normally sit on the gauge.

The weekend came around and I decided to go to supercheap to buy a radiator cap, thermostat and thermostat gasket. One by one I replaced these parts and nothing seemed to resolve the problem of the fluctuating gauge needle. On installing the new thermostat the problem became worse. The gauge needle now went to over half and then slowly lowered to about a quarter. It wouldn't matter what the engine was doing - idling or driving the needle would rise and lower.

I took the car to a mechanic on Tuesday and he checked the whole system over, hoses, radiator, water pump and pressure tested it - everything and no loss of coolant !!

: He replaced the thermostat with one that opens at a lower temperature. He also flushed the radiator and refilled it with new coolant. This resulted in the temperature gauge needle now just reaching the operating temperature and appeared to be as stable as a brick.

This morning I started the car and drove for some time the needle rose to just past the lowest mark on the operating temperature marking on the gauge and then I noticed it slowly raise to about one eigth of the way into the operating temperature section of the gauge and then slowly moved back to the original position.

So the gauge remains to fluctuate, but at a lower temperature. What I want to know is do you guys know where the problem is - since the mechanic has checked the cooling system and found nothing wrong would it be the temperature gauge that has "spat the dummy" or is there still a problem somewhere in the cooling system ?

mik · 23-11-2005, 07:59 PM

sounds like its working ok to me at moment, as far as lower tempreture operation, what thermostat went in it could be a cold one. and sudden temp drop could be thermo fans cutting in.

Racecraft · 23-11-2005, 08:01 PM

could be the temperature sender itself .. I can't remember where they are on the EB's.. On the thermostat housing?

elusiverunner · 23-11-2005, 08:11 PM

Thanks guys for quick replies. Mik I don't have thermo fans on an EB all there is is a normal fan. The thermostat was a cold one, but that is not really a problem I am more concerned about the irratic climbing and then lowering of the temperature gauge needle. Before this all happened the temperature gauge needle sat quite firmly on its operating temperature - it never moved !! Are you saying that the gauge was faulty before and now that it is moving indicates the gauge is actually working correctly ?

used:

mik · 23-11-2005, 09:09 PM

you might be right if it was stable before , race craft might be on target check sender and connection , if unsure a trip to sparky might be in order, he should be able to test it easily, good luck

sphell · 23-11-2005, 09:30 PM

just check the connection at the plug on the thermostat housing and also maybe try another temp sender.....go to pick a part and get one or something. i'd say the gauge will be fine.

INJECTED_250 · 23-11-2005, 09:41 PM

just ignor it ..... as long as its cool its all sweet... Get the radaitor fludh corectly..... were the tanks removed and each core cleaned or did he just run a hose through it

GTENVY · 23-11-2005, 10:06 PM

Definetly an electrical fault there dude, probably a bad earth somewhere along the line.

Paris Hilton · 23-11-2005, 10:27 PM

Sounds like it's working fine to me...Just the car heats up, thermostat opens, car cools down?

24-11-2005, 06:06 PM

Dont Worry Bout It.. My Ea Was Doing The Same Thing Exept It Wouldnt Go Past Quarter Way.. I Got The Thermostat Replaced At A Ford Dealer And It Is Doing Exactly What You Are Describing. So I Went Back To The Dealer And He Said "its Just A Brand New Thermostat Doing What It Should!!"
So Yeah Dont Worry Mines Been Fine For Like 3 Months Now.

pepsimax · 24-11-2005, 07:43 PM

i've seen this type of question heaps of times,it's normal for the engine temp to flutuate as the water heats and cools...i don't know why people assume this is a problem,,most times if the guage sits in one spot indicates a problem..don't worry to much and don't let people tell you it's all doom and gloom..