W124 high temperature reading

[ash_2009]

Just an Update,

I managed to get a genuine rad cap and decided also at the same time to change the coolant.

So followed alot of what has been written on this forum regards flushing/coolant replacement and then took the car on the motorway for a good 30min drive and the temp gauge still hangs just over 80C but below 100C mark.

So new rad cap and coolant change has NOT fixed the issue. I very much doubt the thermostat needs replacing although I do have a new genuine one.

To me it seems the rad is over and out or some other issue I will have to investigate further.

Ash

 

[stwat]

Just an Update,

the temp gauge still hangs just over 80C but below 100C mark.
Ash

That's perfectly normal.

 

[brucemillar]

Bruce, are you talking about replacement of the whole radiator or just the fins.

ECP dont have the radiator for my car, GSF do and its a Nissens, and complete I am assuming and not just the fins.

Ash

Ash. For some reason I never saw this post. Apologies. Yes I was talking about replacing the entire radiator. On my 124 it cost about £125 for an off the shelf alloy one. A re-core is about £170 if you cannot find a decent off the shelf one.

 

[ash_2009]

That's perfectly normal.

Ever since I have had the car which is now roughly seven years, the temp gauge has never gone above 80C mark, no matter winter or summer,traffic or not.

I shall keep an eye out.

Ash

 

[WDB124066]

That's not normal.

You may find the CHG job fixed a few other things was well.

 

[parkman1]

This subject does interest me no end.

I have a 1991 260E, and because of another reason I was lent a 1993 260E, which I had for a month. On both the cars I notice that the temperature runs between 80 and 90. It is the same on both cars, and neither has AC.

I have a feeling that we are being a little bit over-concerned, and the range between 80 and 90 degrees is normal. Mine sits at, say 83 or 85 degrees under normal circumstances, but it will rise a bit, temporarily, until I get moving again.

I don't think temperatures between 80 and 90 are anything to get worried about.

parkman

 

[stwat]

The temp gauges on these cars are very sensitive and do move up and down quite a lot. unlike most cars that get to half way and sit there, no matter what the actual temp is.

This movement of the gauge does seem to worry a lot of people, but it is perfectly normal. As long as it doesn't hit the red, there is no problem.

 

[zipdip]

Well we are dealing with older cars and the waterways do get corroded,maybe the water passages are a little furred up,but unless the temp gauge goes right up I would not be too concerned.

 

[parkman1]

Hi guys, this is exactly the conclusion that I have come to. There are all sorts of reasons why the temperature will rise and fall, but if none of those reasons is a problem, such as going to the top of the gauge, then i don't personally think that there is a problem.

I sometimes think that because people also have newer cars, and the temperature gauges don't rise and fall because they are digital, then they perhaps think that the old gauges should act in the same way, and stay fixed at 80 degrees, or whatever.

It makes sense to me that if you are in very slow moving traffic then, of course, the engine temperature is going to rise, what else could happen ? But as soon as the air flow improves through the radiator, to assist the fan, then the temperature will drop back to what is perhaps regarded as normal.

I would only be worried if the temperature rose particularly high, and then was very slow to return to normal.

I had a Lotus Sunbeam, many years ago, and you just couldn't risk getting stuck in slow moving traffic, as the engine would rise to over-heat in about 10 minutes. It was a nightmare if I had to go to a shopping centre and the like.

I looked at the things that you could change, in theory, if you decided to try to eradicate the gauge going up at all, and I reckon you would need to change;

the radiator
all the hoses,
the thermostat,
the fan and the fan drive,
refill with Evans waterless coolant [or whatever it is called]
and fit a new head gasket.

But the first thing would be to ask the bank for a loan !!!

parkman

 

[rorf]

If temp goes into the RED then be worried, otherwise don't stress yourselves

 

[WDB124066]

Old rule of thumb, if a gauge swings more than 50% of its scale it is overheating i.e. not operating under normal conditions.

The 124 thing is about changes in normal behavior not a shift up the dial a bit. If there is a change it is natural to want to know why, be raised temps or fluctuation. Once you see one that accelerates up the gauge in quick time when it used to be rock solid you start getting a bit twitchy.