Hi all,
Since I've had my 1991 1.6 MX5 (just over a year now) when I get it up to
80/90mph in hot weather the temperature gauge goes up noticeably higher, to
about 3/4 of the range (as opposed to about 1/3 otherwise). If I slow down
the temperature goes down again, as it also does if I turn the internal
heating up full blast which, I guess, allows some of the hot air to be drawn
away from the engine. I've put in a new thermostat and have flushed the
radiator but neither of those have helped. Could it be that the radiator
just needs replacing? I would have thought that flushing it out would get
rid of any possible blockage, plus that if there was a blockage it would
cause the engine to heat up pretty quickly regardless of speed and external
temperature, but who knows. Has anyone else had this problem?
Thanks
Eric
Lanny Chambers - 24 Aug 2004 14:50 GMT
> Could it be that the radiator
> just needs replacing? I would have thought that flushing it out would get
> rid of any possible blockage, plus that if there was a blockage it would
> cause the engine to heat up pretty quickly regardless of speed and external
> temperature,
Nope. It could be partially blocked, working well enough until the
system is stressed beyond its ability to cool. It's like having a
smaller radiator.
Also, make sure your coolant fan is working properly. I had to replace
one with a dead spot on the commutator--if it stopped in the wrong
place, it wouldn't run again until a sharp bump nudged it off hte bad
spot. That one was not easy to diagnose!

Signature
Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA
'94C
the alignment page:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html