engine temp rises during acceleration

[phisigbrotha]

searched and found nothing so here it goes. just recently i noticed the engine temp goes up just after acceleration on my 92 5s-fe. never touches red though. gets close but not in the red. a few seconds after im cruising temp goes back down to normal. at a stop it doesnt go up either.

car is hot so i cant check coolant level other than the overflow tank (which im about to check). sound like just low coolant, system needs bleeding or bad radiator cap or thermostat?

luther

[DFBonnett]

Originally Posted by phisigbrotha

searched and found nothing so here it goes. just recently i noticed the engine temp goes up just after acceleration on my 92 5s-fe. never touches red though. gets close but not in the red. a few seconds after im cruising temp goes back down to normal. at a stop it doesnt go up either.

car is hot so i cant check coolant level other than the overflow tank (which im about to check). sound like just low coolant, system needs bleeding or bad radiator cap or thermostat?

luther

It's probably just low coolant, but it would only be low for a reason. If it is low you might want to check the rad for any leaks. If none present, you might consider flushing the rad and replacing the thermostat and cap at the same time.
FWIW
YMMV

[mstrader]

I have a 94 camry with 217,000 miles. The radiator has developed a slight crack on the top side facing engine. Tried pepper stop leak, have tried jb weld to seal crack. Crack opened back up this morning and water and coolant sprays over engine and steams. So, I am losing water/coolant and when i feel hoses, I can feel water boiling after driving. Question: Is is getting so hot b/c of leaking? Is there a fix to the hairline crack that is causing my leakage? Also, I have noticed that my fan is not coming on unless my AC is on. Does this mean a temperature sensor may be bad? Temperature gauge in car goes from cool to midway but never gets hot b/c i am driving short distances and refilling radiator every chance I get.

Will replacement of radiator fix or should i check temperature sensor and thermostat as well?

Thanks in advance for comments.

[ricebike]

replace the radiator ASAP

www.radiatorstores.com would be a good start for shopping around

[DFBonnett]

As ricebike stated, you need a new rad. Don't dick around with this. If you overheat it bad enough, you're going to be buying a head gasket job, too, after the head warps.

[mstrader]

Thanks guys, and thanks for website. I had planned on using rock auto but submitting to the website you sent for a better price.
How would I know if more damage has been caused already? No smoke from exhaust.
Appreciate the quick response and heeding advice.

[DFBonnett]

You're probably fine if the car runs OK. If you do overheat on the road, don't try to "make it home". Shut down until you can refill the rad or get a tow.

[popeye08]

Radiator? Why not buy it from ebay, brand new $30-60 from Canada. I installed one last year, pretty good.

[ricebike]

Originally Posted by popeye08

Radiator? Why not buy it from ebay, brand new $30-60 from Canada. I installed one last year, pretty good.

------------------
that's another venue that can net u some good prices...

but the site i noted will beat any competitor by 10%

u get free shipping to your doorstep

lifetime warranty should it ever fails!
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since i'm keeping my 240sx until I'm too old to drive stick-shift, I'll be having the warranty! + i had them price match to a competitor for only $89 & they strike the NJ sales tax to boot!

i've bought 3 rads from them for my family's cars soo far w/ great success

[typesix]

As your radiator is no longer sealed, the coolant will boil at a lower temp. Pressurizing the cooling system alllows for a higher boiling point.

[mstrader]

Thanks for explaining about the decrease in boiling point due to loss of pressure.
For others who may have this problem: I tested the heat sensor at the bottom of the radiator when replacing radiator and found that it wasnt working properly. That was why my fan wasn't coming on as engine heated up. I was having to turn my ac on to force fans on. Other possiblities could have been fuses or relay. My problem was radiator heat sensor for fan.