engine temp goes up at idle

[Tref_LXI]

ok guys the car runs fine now, but if i am sitting at a light the engine temp will start to go up slowly. Once i get going it goes back to normal, what could this be? The water pump or something?

[89LxiAg]

I would suggest changing the thermostat. Mine did the same thing when I would exit the highway, and after I changed the thermostat, it worked fine.

[A20A1]

Your fan is working right, right?

Were you running A/C at the time?

[Tref_LXI]

I dont have ac hooked up and i didnt have any fans going either. It happens all the time and really pisses me off.

[95AccordEXR]

thermostat would be my first guess

[A20A1]

Well if the fan on you radiator isn't working then thats why the temp rises when you're not moving.

['A20A3']

Originally posted by A20A1
Well if the fan on you radiator isn't working then thats why the temp rises when you're not moving.

bingo


i'm back:pimp:

[SteveDX89]

I was having the same problem. I started taking stuff apart and found that the plug that connects the fan was all busted up and the fans weren't plugged in. Check that out.

[MrBen]

Where have you been A20A3???

[k-roy]

It could be a bad coolant temp sending unit, that worked for me.
Also if the coolent is not a bright color you should give it a good old flush and fill.

['A20A3']

Originally posted by GhettoAccord
Where have you been A20A3???

all over the place dude. my car has been fucked for awhile until yesterday. i changed the plug wires with this bosch set that has a lifetime warranty. denso plugs, STP air filter, and i changed the motor and tranny oil.

i used A20A1's mix for the tranny: 50/50 mix of B&M trick shift, and mobil 1.

i don't remember what motor oil i put in.

my front lower balljoints and CV boots are fucked, but i'm getting all that fixed this week.

time to update my signature

*EDIT* check signature

[Dibbs]

Fan or thermostat, either one. A new thermostat and gasket will cost you about $5 at the local auto parts and if it's never been changed it probably wouldn't hurt anyway. Also, it's pretty easy to get to and fix. If that doesn't fix the problem, I would check to see if your fan works.

[Tref_LXI]

well my fan turns on while i am driving sometimes to cool down the engine, but when i come to a stop it normally does not run. If i turn the key to on posistion without putting in the clutch and then turn it off, the fan will come on.

[86AccordLxi]

Originally posted by Tref_LXI
ok guys the car runs fine now, but if i am sitting at a light the engine temp will start to go up slowly. Once i get going it goes back to normal, what could this be? The water pump or something?

Isn't that normal? If you don't have air passing over the radiator, of course the temp will rise. As long as it stops at some point if/when the fans kick in, I thought this was normal.

Alex

[Tref_LXI]

i meant i can get the fan to come on by not even turning it on. All i have to do is simulate turning the car on and then back off for the fan to come on. Makes sense to me that it would need a high engine temp reading to make any fan come on, so its fucked up i think.

[POS carb]

how many times has this been posted... If it fucks up at idle it means the fans aren't doing their job. If it overheats at high speeds the system is plugged (ie thermostat or bad water pump)

[Tref_LXI]

thanks a lot smartass, but you're wrong. It was the green connector on the thermostat housing that was cracked and had rusted the inside. I went to a junkyard today and picked up a new distributor, the green connector, and 4 other parts. Now the car idles perfect, and the fans turn on when sitting at idle so i am always at the middle mark.