weird thermostat happenings..help!
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
weird thermostat happenings..help!
Okay, I searched and searched and read seemingly pages and pages of posts but I haven't seen anyone else experiencing this problem. Here's what the ol' SC is doing: for the last week or so when I start the car in the morning there's be a slight vibrating and then after about a minute or 2 and me slightly pressing the gas it would go away. These vibrations would happen everyday in the morning during cold start-ups, but always goes away after about a minute or 2. (I'm not saying that the vibrations are related to this next issue but this is what the car has done over the last week or so). Now, Saturday night/morning I was coming home from a club at about 3am. The car had been sitting at a friend's house as I rode with him, I get back to my car, get in and start driving. About 10 minutes later I notice my temp guage is all the way at the top!! I tried not to freak out so I just pulled over to the side of the road and popped my hood. There was no steam, no abnormal heat, no hissing, nothing at all to alarm me so I was stumped. I got back in the car and waited about 20 minutes then started it up again, now the temp was still reading as high but not at the very top of the guage like before. Because I looked over the engine and didn't detect anything abnormal I decided to try to make it home. I got on the freeway and proceeded to drive 25 miles back home to Long Beach. This is when the strangest thing happened. The needle for the temp guage would be in the middle and then rapidly go to the top, then it would seemingly get to a point where it couldn't get any hotter and the needle would drop back down to the middle...it did this like 3 times! I thought I was really REALLY wasted but this really was happening. After a while, maybe 15 miles or so it went back to the normal position and stayed that way all the way home. Strange. So next morning I get up, call my mechanic buddy, and proceed to drive the car out to him so we can inspect it in the daylight (while I'm sober). He looks it over and notices that the coolant level is low, not crazy low just slightly low. So I added a little water to the radiator because my big jug of red coolant was at home. He told me that we should probably change the thermostat as well as the water pump while we're in there, so I plan to do that this upcoming weekend. I haven't seen any puddles of coolant under my car anywhere at all (I only park at home and work for the most part) and I maintain the heck out of it so I have no idea what's going on. I drove into work today without any issues whatsoever so now I'm really confused. Anyone with any ideas please chime in or ask me anything you like...
Last edited by mikeloc24; 07-12-04 at 12:52 PM.
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
therm and water pump huh? I kinda figured they may be the culprits...pricey little bastards...
TeeDub, I don't know how air could have been trapped in the radiator. I know that a couple of weeks ago I flushed my coolant (I had that dex-cool crap in at first) and replaced it with the Toyota factory red, but this was over 2 weeks ago and all was fine when I did that. Unless I somehow got air in the radiator at that time I don't know how else it could have happened. Any other ideas anyone? I mean before I dive into this thermostat and water pump replacement that is.
Thanks bros...
TeeDub, I don't know how air could have been trapped in the radiator. I know that a couple of weeks ago I flushed my coolant (I had that dex-cool crap in at first) and replaced it with the Toyota factory red, but this was over 2 weeks ago and all was fine when I did that. Unless I somehow got air in the radiator at that time I don't know how else it could have happened. Any other ideas anyone? I mean before I dive into this thermostat and water pump replacement that is.
Thanks bros...
Last edited by mikeloc24; 07-12-04 at 02:00 PM.
#7
Not for our car... But this method is free.... See Purging.
http://www.allpar.com/fix/radiator-purge.html
http://www.allpar.com/fix/radiator-purge.html
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#9
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally posted by V8RWDHP
Make sure your fan is working correctly
Make sure your fan is working correctly
#11
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally posted by O. L. T.
Have you experienced any heat from the dash vents during the surge?
Have you experienced any heat from the dash vents during the surge?
Last edited by mikeloc24; 07-12-04 at 03:16 PM.
#13
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally posted by DaizenLex
maybe Its just your cluster?
maybe Its just your cluster?
#15
Lexus Champion
How exactly did they know the thermostat was good?
This would be my first suspicion. Luckily, their only about $25 or so. But since you're in there, you might as well just change the water pump too since it's been a while and it will need it sooner or later anyway.
Better than changing just one part only to find out it was the other one that was bad
This would be my first suspicion. Luckily, their only about $25 or so. But since you're in there, you might as well just change the water pump too since it's been a while and it will need it sooner or later anyway.
Better than changing just one part only to find out it was the other one that was bad