Normal Crusing Temp for Aurora?

[AbRaKaDaVa]

Hey, I just bought a 1995 Aurora...I noticed that it runs a bit warm, one notch above 200...i'd guess like 220? Is this normal for the 1st gen Auroras or do I have a thermostat problem??

[omegaic]

On the highway my AUrora stays almost exactly at 200. If it's hot outside, and I'm creeping along, it'll get to around 220.

[AbRaKaDaVa]

Hmmm....that sounds about right...It's been crazy hot out latley and when i get it up to about 55+ the temp drops on down to around 200....The manual says that if the temp gets too high a digital warning will display....so I assume it must be within normal temp....thanks for the response

[ericmf]

200 is normal for the highway
220 is about right in traffic.

At 220 the fans kick on and should hold it there or lower it. If it gets above that then it could be a problem.

This however is not a problem if you just started the car.
For instance if you just drove to the store on a warm day and shut it off then got right back in the car and its reading 220 + then as long as it comes back below 220 within about 5 or 10 minutes of driving then it is no big deal. The car will alert you when it reaches the red. These cars are hard to overheat. There is a protection mode that shuts down cylinders when it over heats. It turns the car into a 4 Cyl and can be ran this way for about 50 miles without any major damage. I wouldn't reccomend doing this for long though. You might consider checking the thermostat, if anyone has ever replaced it they might have used a cheap one. I had this problem and replaced it with a better stantd 54mm thermostat. This took care of my problem. This is however a messy fix. You will need to get about 2 bottles of antifreeze as most of it will come out when you remove the thermostat housing. By the way it is located against the waterpump. It is the second lowest large hose coming from the engine. It is right below the upper radiator hose coming from the engine block. This was only a $25.00 fix for me, $14 for the tstat and $11 for the antifreeze(use prestone).

If you check this and still have problems then take off the front clip (large black metal brace in the front of the engine compartment, secured with 2 bolts on each side and 5 in the center) Once you get it off check for cracks in the plastic housing where the upper radiator hose comes in. This is a somewhat common problem that causes a small loss of pressure in the cooling system. If you have questions e-mail me and I'll explain more.

[Indy8]

I just replaced hoses, pump belt and thermostat and now it stays right around 200 in warm weather. Always 220 before so I think the thermostat was tired and not opening fully. BTW....Got all from NAPA for $50. Gates makes their belts and hoses and the therm was identical to original(seal included). Make sure to use Prestone Dex-Cool and distilled water.

[ericmf]

Indy,

I didn't think you could use Dex-Cool in pre 96 cars. Did you use it in yours? Hows it working?? Cooler? No issues?? Or are you 96+?

[kayaman420]

Originally Posted by ericmf

Indy,

I didn't think you could use Dex-Cool in pre 96 cars. Did you use it in yours? Hows it working?? Cooler? No issues?? Or are you 96+?

You can use dex cool if you want, But you will not get the long life that the dex-cool was designed for so it will do you no good. Once a car has the green coolant the system will always have the residue of the green stuff in it. The left over chemicals of the green coolant will contaminate the dex-cool and it will only last for a few years just like the regular green stuff. So if your car originally came with green coolant you should leave the green stuff in because dex-cool will give you no benifits what so ever.

[Indy8]

I have a '97, but I think the issue is a matter of all aluminum engines. Over time the silicate in normal anti-freeze starts to attack and corrode aluminum. Some brands are red in color(Toyota), but the common thing in all the new formulas is "silicate free". The extended life characteristic is not a factor for me because I drain and refill every 20k. It's cheap insurance just like oil. I'm still on my original pump at 72k miles. Most pro mechanics in their respective fields agree that clean fluid is more important than ever because of all the sensors and plastic being used now.Radiator and trans especially.

[ericmf]

kayaman. you get around ....might just try dexcool whenever i flush and fill.. for the "silicate" reason...

[mag1119]

Hey Kayaman,Javi, et al,
Hello! You guys sure GET AROUND! This is a pretty decent forum. I have the seal cap problem, and picked up on it here. The more info the better. I was surfing the Net for a 1/18 scale of my 97 in diecast, and found this forum. Anybody out there know where to find one? Thanks.!