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Help........ is this normal?

Joined
26 June 2000
Messages
1,188
Location
Lauderdale by the Sea, FL, USA
Let me start by saying that there hasn't been one problem in 9 yrs. with this car, so this is confusing me a bit. My temp gauge always sits right below the midpoint on the guage. Normal. Warms up within 5-10 mins of driving. Here's the situation. I live in So. Fla. and it's normally 70-90 degrees and all is well. Tonight got chilly, about 45 degrees. On the way home, the guage didn't move up too quickly until I sat at a light(wind wasn't blowing through). This makes sense so far, I think. Here's the weird part.... I sat at one light for about 2.5 mins (long light) and the guage went up to the normal spot (or real close anyway). When I started driving again, I could actually watch the guage decline steadily down to the cold mark...??? I've lived in cold climates before and never remember any car that the temp guage was actually affected by the air coming through the radiator. Could the cold air coming through actually have a stronger affect on the engine temp than the actual engine producing friction heat????/ Seems unlikely, but... It would make sense that the engine didn't warm as quickly or get up to it's normal operating temp due to the colder air, but to actually drop the temp while I'm driving seems weird. Can someone please help? Anyone in a cooler climate than So. Fla. have any input? Is this normal? Thanks everyone.

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nsx_02.jpg

Todd Arnold
http://www.geocities.com/nsxcessive/index.html
 
45 degrees isn't cold weather! Not where I'm from HAHAHAHA! Right now its 5 degrees, thats cold. But I've driven mine in 30 degree weather, of course no snow on the ground. But the temp never moved below normal, thats weird. Have it checked out.
 
Seems to be some common confusion regarding how the thermostat works. The purpose of the thermostat is to limit the flow of the coolant to a reduced loop so that the engine will reach "warm" operating temperature more quickly. Thermostats do not typically cycle open/closed repeatedly during the running of the car since the thermostat threshold is typically well below the nominal operating temperature of the engine. Installing a thermostat with a lower temp threshold will only lower the engine operating temperature if the previous thermostats threshold was above the nominal engine operating temperature. It is a common misbelieve that one can lower engine operating temperatures by installing a thermostat with a lower threshold. Understanding this there are two failure scenarios: 1) Thermostat stuck open which results in a longer period of time to reach nominal operating temperature. 2) Thermostat stuck closed which will result in engine overheating since the coolant in the engine is not accessing the radiator. Nsxotic symptoms sound strange, but do not sound like the thermostat and are most likely electrical.
 
I had this exact problem several years ago and noticed it when the first cold front came through Central FL. The thermostat was stuck open. I replaced it--all is well.
 
Thanks guys, this made sense to me as well. However, I called my Acura store today and they said it was not the thermostat and that it was the fan fuse blown. This was all over the phone...and the fan thing didn't make sense, but when I checked it by turning the A/C on, they were right; it didn't work. They will look at it on Friday. It's sounds like a combo of both...
 
I know this is an ancient thread, but I had the exact same problem that nsxotic described. (temp needle drops while driving in cooler weather and then raises back to normal when sitting at a light). But he never replied on how he fixed it.

The tech also told me it's not the thermostat, but I made him replace it anyways and now everything works fine. So if you are experiencing the same problem, just swap out your thermostat (even if your mechanic says otherwise....)

$170 parts and labor to replace the thermo at David McDavid Acura in Austin.

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'96 Black/Tan NSX-T
 
If it's the fan, then the opposite will happen. Your temp would be ok at cruising but when you stop, your temp will go way too high beyond midpoint.
 
Originally posted by Soulstice:
I know this is an ancient thread, but I had the exact same problem that nsxotic described. (temp needle drops while driving in cooler weather and then raises back to normal when sitting at a light). But he never replied on how he fixed it.


Here's how I fixed it....... I didn't.
biggrin.gif
I actually left it alone and it 'fixed' itself. Now, based on that actually happening; it must have been the thermostat and I lucked out that it 'unstuck' itself and never again had a problem..... that car was just magic. The new owner received it today in Arizona and is intending on doing the timing belt/ water pump service with Mark B. soon anyway so I recommended that he replace the thermostat and coolant flush while he's at it anyway. Just to be sure.
 
This sounds like an air pocket in the cooling system to me. The temp 'goes down' when air instead of coolant is surrounding the coolant temp sensor. Have your system bled.
 
Originally posted by Nsxotic:

Here's how I fixed it....... I didn't.
biggrin.gif
I actually left it alone and it 'fixed' itself. Now, based on that actually happening; it must have been the thermostat and I lucked out that it 'unstuck' itself and never again had a problem..... that car was just magic.

Lady Luck just saved ya $170 bucks. Wish she was my friend too....
rolleyes.gif




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'96 Black/Tan NSX-T
 
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