Hi guys/girls

Just curious about something. I have fitted a thermo fan that kicks on at 85C and off again at 80C. I noticed that 85C is precisely in the middle of a stock 1200 temp gauge.
The other day I booted it for a while to chase my friend in his Opel.When we stopped we needed to wait for a gate to be opened and I idled the car.I saw the damn gauge not dropping( The fan was running) but climbing to about between the middle mark and the hot mark.Through guessing I would say this is about 93C to 95C. Is this bad or still ok for the A series.
When asking what temp sender I should buy I think B120dat said Feral said that the A series's optimum temp is in the 80s.

I think I must upgrade the radiator to suite the thermo fan now and not the permanent fan anymore, but I am just curious if the temp I was running at was not a bit bad. Since then it has happened about 5 times that the temp went a little above 85C. I would guess to about 90C.

This question cannot be answered properley without knowing what size cap and wheather or not coolant/anti freeze and in what proportion it is mixed is in the radiator.
An after market good quality oil pressure and water temp guage are also a must

Good quality antifreeze is mixed 50/50 with water. Water level is correct in radiator.
Radiator cap is a new one.(Will check temp on cap but I think they are standard?)

I noticed that there is a small gap of about 10mm between the top of the radiator and the radiator support at the top.I think when the fan is blowing, not all air is going through the radiator but some passes out through this opening.Will put something in there to block it up so that all the air goes through the radiator.

Just curious as to it was not maybe bad running the engine so hot.

Optimum temp and "safe" temp are two different things.


Quote:Here's what the Factory Service Manual says:



[Normal] Operating Temp: 75 - 89.5 C
This is the "normal" temp, not the safe maximum.

The radiator cap pressure is only important as it approaches Boiling Point. A 1-bar (14.7 pound cap) extends the Boiling Point to way over 100 C. But if the cap doesn't seal correctly, it will boil over when you reach 100 C.

I don't think it would be to bad for the engine. As you said, you should consider upgrading the radiator. By what you describe it simply sounds like the water is not staying in the radiator for long enough. So if at all possible upgrade to something with a double flow, so that the water passes the fan twice, and in effect stays in the radiator longer.

VW Golf radiators work like this, but there should be others more suitable, and looking more original, that you could use.

So what is a "safe" temperature? Let Nissan answer it. Here's the Owners Manual:


Quote:So don't worry about it, unless it actually gets to the "H" mark.

I have run mine for hours close the "H" mark at the peak of summer (and my radiator is in very good, though not new, condition). My engine still runs great and doesn't smoke after probably 70,000 miles (it is an original JDM "used" engine, never been rebuilt).

I've never had it go pass the center and thats on 40deg C plus days.

You've got nothing to worry about.

ddgonzal to the rescue.

Just the info that I was looking for, but I think I must still either upgrade the radiator again or maybe put something temporarily to block that 10mm gap I talked about and then see if it still does it. I did notice that when the bonnet is open and the fan is running that hot air is escaping through this gap and blowing into my face.