Does painting something make it stay hotter?

[Adam]

Lol.

Keep trying to think why my new engine keeps trying to run hotter than what i'd call normal.

Sit in traffic for a min and the temperature guage starts going up to the middle mark( it rarely ever reached that with the 1200 engine, unless in traffic for 15+minutes,using same rad/pipes etc etc)

The only difference i see on the two engines is i've painted the new one, quite thickly with brush on paint, could this paint be making it run hotter, as it must reduce the amount of heat that can go into the air inside the engine bay, so its like insulating the surface kind of thing.

Or am i talking c**p? lol

[Stuart]

has this one got a working thermostat then? lol Sounds normal to be fair

[Adam]

Yes ffs, it has a working thermostat :plol

[philly]

wouldnt have imagined painting would make a difference tbh but i could be wrong.

[chimp007_uk]

black would absorb heat and white would radiate, simple physics :)

[Lee]

If its pointing at half way, thats indicates a healthy engine IMO.

I think stu was hinting the stat was stuck open on your old egine, meaning the rad was constantly open, causing it to run cooler.

[chimp007_uk]

mine runs at half way all the time, fan is constanlty cutting in, in traffic.

[Adam]

/\ Really?

The way i was thinking, the fan cuts in at half way, if the fan is cutting in the engine is starting to overheat, i've hardly ever had the cooling fan come on in any car i've drove.
My old engine always stayed at the first mark after blue, which IMO is normal, half way isn't.

Also, the stat on my old engine was working fine and not jammed open.

[John]

At what precise temp does the fan cut in? and has it ever overheated? have you put antifreeze in it yet? You've not changed the rad or fan switch have you?

[Adam]

Same rad,fan,switch, same coolant guage sender.

The fan cuts in at about dead on halfway on the guage, which i think is where it should be.
It has about a 40% mix of antifreeze, it doesn't overheat, when driving it stays just above first mark.
It just rises quickly when stationary.

Thermostat is working fine as rad gets hot, as does rad top hose etc. Heater also works fine.


Perhaps im just being paranoid,Lol.

[John]

If the gauge starts to rise when you stop, and air is no longer flowing through the rad, this sounds like normal behaviour? it sound as if your cooling system is running spot on, pehaps more efficiently than before. As long as the when the fan cuts in it cools the rad i don't see a problem? when the fan cuts in does the gauge drop again? does your gauge have an actual temp reading in degrees or is it just blue to red?

[General Baxter]

stop moaning you sound like a woman lol

[Adam]

If the gauge starts to rise when you stop, and air is no longer flowing through the rad, this sounds like normal behaviour? it sound as if your cooling system is running spot on, pehaps more efficiently than before. As long as the when the fan cuts in it cools the rad i don't see a problem? when the fan cuts in does the gauge drop again? does your gauge have an actual temp reading in degrees or is it just blue to red?
Theres no degrees reading, i think the middle mark is 100deg tho.
Yeah, the temperature goes straight down to first mark as soon as the fan cuts on. :)

[matt1chelski]

Sounds normal. I dont think just because the fan cuts in it means its overheating. All the cars iv been in the fan cuts in when in traffic. Same with my nova.

[ade]

if youre worried try turning the heater on full power on full temp (hot) for 5 minutes - it cools the engine - but it will heat you up.

I remember doing this sitting in the HUGE queue at Trax a few years ago - stopped me overheating...

[Adam]

Sounds normal. I dont think just because the fan cuts in it means its overheating. All the cars iv been in the fan cuts in when in traffic. Same with my nova.
Yeah, but the fan is coming on to stop it from starting to overheat..

Spose you would expect it to start to overheat tho, with exhaust manifold temperatures sitting in the engine bay.

Ye i've tried that before Ade, does work, but takes it out of you, like a sauna,Lol.

[womble sri]

hahaha ditto my sri heats up too half way in traffic and sits not far below after a little tear when ever i do it i hate revving it past 4k its so mint! when i picked it up i pulled over because ithought it was overheating because half way in any of my other novas meant trouble!

[vauxnovasri]

my sri runs just over the blue all the time except if in traffic n creeps to just below half way. i dunno but does anti freeze mixture make a differance????????

[Adam]

Sounds like your thermostat is stuck open /\

[DIY*VALVER84]

well said baxter...you are moaning like a girl lol.
90c is the normal operating temp which is that mark in the middle of your temp gauge...stat kicks in at 87c and fan cut in is 93c if your gauge starts reading 3/4 and above then you should worry.
just remember it will be winter soon so hot is good!!! do what i did last year to my old nova...fit remote start and leave the heaters set to open...how mint is it when you leave your nice warm house to get in your nice warm nova,watching your ****ty neighbour with his 40-50 grand range rover de-ice his windows in -6c shivvering like the lanky one outta take that.lol.
completely random but had to be said lol.

[DIY*VALVER84]

just dont leave it in gear like i did...sorry mom!
killed off 2 of her plant pots...hehe!

[mowgli]

i just walk out of the house with a pop bottle full of luke warm water & chuck it over the windscreen, climb in, put the wipers on, & start it & drive off. Remote starting is good in Fargo (see the film) but where I live, some scrote would nick my car.

[mad-driver]

If you had painted it pink like i said Ad oyu wouldnt have this problem lol