engine gets hot... engine dies

81SPIDERMATT · Post by **81SPIDERMATT** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:14 pm

acts like it is starving for gas.... soon as the temp gauge gets right about 190 ... slow deceleration sputter sputter small backfire from tailpipe and dead...... find a shady spot open the hood ... 10 - 15 minutes later after things have cooled a bit... starts right up ... temp gauge says about 170 .. runs great until temp climbs to 190 ish and dead...

recently added marks aluminum radiator... thinking on a 100 degree day 4000 rpms 75 down the highway things are going to heat up a bit... when i pop the hood there is a tremendous amount of heat under the hood.... cant touch afm.. coil.. bottom of the black air flow thing that goes from air box to plenum and top of plenum at the heater thing is also way to hot to touch

also while doing recent timing belt job i put on a home made heat shield.. see thread "28 days to michigan"... this may be concentrating heat in places it was not before.....it may be funneling concntrated heat right onto the black thing mentoned

suggestions please

81SPIDERMATT · Post by **81SPIDERMATT** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:40 pm

just let it run for a while to get hot in the garage.... temp climbed over 190 with fan on.... temp of water in the radiator never got over 140..... not sure if the water is moving ... when i rev the engine it seem to move a little but still no temp change in water

SunnySideUp · Post by **SunnySideUp** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:32 pm

Do you have the thermostat in the correct orientation?

Here's a thread on the issue: http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... ion#p63061

Hope that helps!

RRoller123 · Post by **RRoller123** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:54 pm

Might need to be properly "burped" to remove trapped air.

81SPIDERMATT · Post by **81SPIDERMATT** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 12:27 am

THURSDAY I WWILL POST PICS OF HOW THE THERMOSTAT IS ORIENTED .... THOUGHT I BURPED IT CORECTLY... SAME AS INFO PROVIDED... FIRST CAP THEN BRASS PLUG AT THE T THEN PLENUM HEATER WAS LAST.... BUT NEVERR CHECKED TO SEE IF WATER WAS MOVING OR NOT.... WHEN I STARTED TO FILL THE T I HAD TO PUT THE CAP ON THE RADIATOR BECAUSE IT WANTED TO OVERFLOW... THAT MADE ME THINK EVERYHTING WAS GOING AS PLANNED.... GUESS I WAS WRONG.....

SO WE ARE THINKING THAT COOLING SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING AND ENGINE GETS TO HOT AND DIES.....

JUST PUT ALL THAT NICE NEW FLUID IN THERE.... CAN I REUSE IT IF I AHVE TO TAKE OUT THERMOSTAT AND BOIL TO MAKE SURE IT IS WORKING?

Exit98 · Post by **Exit98** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:45 pm

Yes, you can re-use the coolant. Don't waste it, its fine.

A properly functioning Fiat cooling system will maintain proper temp regardless of the ambient temp, 25 degrees F or 95 degrees F. it doesn't matter.

Replacing the radiator was premature. Having the old one inspected and tested by a radiator shop would have determined if it needed to be repaired or replaced. I don't think that was your issue.

That said, I'm not sure what your problem is. Take it a step at a time. Check the thermostat for sure. Have you installed the "T" back by the firewall? You've got to get hot water returning to the radiator before anything else.

I'd take that heat shield off for now too.

Good luck.

RRoller123 · Post by **RRoller123** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 5:51 pm

If at some point you took the union (that has the bleed plug and temp sensor) off at the front of the engine, it is possible that it could be reinstalled backwards. It is unmarked and easy to put in reverse. The constricted side must face the t-stat hose. You can pull the t-stat hose and take a look to ensure that it is right. Easily removes one more issue from the possible list.

81SPIDERMATT · Post by **81SPIDERMATT** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:06 pm

[quote="Exit98"]Yes, you can re-use the coolant. Don't waste it, its fine.

yeah thanks for that

A properly functioning Fiat cooling system will maintain proper temp regardless of the ambient temp, 25 degrees F or 95 degrees F. it doesn't matter.

i was thinking the same thing .. thanks for the reasurance

Replacing the radiator was premature. Having the old one inspected and tested by a radiator shop would have determined if it needed to be repaired or replaced. I don't think that was your issue.

old radiator was not original ..too small ..held in place with vice grips... and leaked... yeah vice grips

That said, I'm not sure what your problem is. Take it a step at a time. Check the thermostat for sure. Have you installed the "T" back by the firewall? You've got to get hot water returning to the radiator before anything else.

have not installed the t..... going to drain and pull thermostat and check with boiling water.... what temp should it open and if it is bad is there only one to get or are there options and is one better than the other

I'd take that heat shield off for now too.

agreed ... but without it on headers melted a hole in my resevior sp? .. i may make something specific for that.

81SPIDERMATT · Post by **81SPIDERMATT** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:14 pm

RRoller123 wrote:If at some point you took the union (that has the bleed plug and temp sensor) off at the front of the engine, it is possible that it could be reinstalled backwards. It is unmarked and easy to put in reverse. The constricted side must face the t-stat hose. You can pull the t-stat hose and take a look to ensure that it is right. Easily removes one more issue from the possible list.

here are a couple of pics of orientation.... gonna take it off but thought i would shoot these anyway

is this what you are talking about

its funny because i did pay attention and i made the decision that it was on wrong before because what i thought was the fill plug was pointing at the ground and temp sensor was facing up... sooooo i switched it...... bad huh... when i take off the hose to look at it you say the constricted side towards the thermostat... will that be obvious to me when i look at it.... thanks... matt

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:30 pm

your thermostat and water tee are orientated properly

81SPIDERMATT · Post by **81SPIDERMATT** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:32 pm

So Cal Mark wrote:your thermostat and water tee are orientated properly

thanks mark.... should i try and reburp before checking thermostat....... no.... now i have to know

will keep you posted

RRoller123 · Post by **RRoller123** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:49 am

The "T" at the front has threads for the plug and sensor that are exactly the same (at least on my 80), so the sensor can be installed top or bottom, also obviously the bleed plug. Mine was installed like this, with the constrictor (properly) facing the TStat, and the sensor on the top, bleed plug bottom. I was worried it was in backwards. It is best to pull the hose and see if the constrictor is facing the correct side, as I don't see anyway to tell from the "T" markings itself if it is in correctly. But if there is, someone please share so we don't need to be pulling the hoses to make sure it is right.

81SPIDERMATT · Post by **81SPIDERMATT** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:57 am

RRoller123 wrote:The "T" at the front has threads for the plug and sensor that are exactly the same (at least on my 80), so the sensor can be installed top or bottom, also obviously the bleed plug. Mine was installed like this, with the constrictor (properly) facing the TStat, and the sensor on the top, bleed plug bottom. I was worried it was in backwards. It is best to pull the hose and see if the constrictor is facing the correct side, as I don't see anyway to tell from the "T" markings itself if it is in correctly. But if there is, someone please share so we don't need to be pulling the hoses to make sure it is right.

ok i get it... the sensor and the plug have the same thread??? so the t could be backwards and the plug and sensor is in the wrong place.... getting ready today to drain and check thermostat... i will pull a hose and take a look

RRoller123 · Post by **RRoller123** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:25 pm

That is correct. My "T" was correctly installed, but the sensor and plug were in the wrong locations, due to interference with the radiator fan housing. But it is easy to put the "T" in wrongly. The constricted side goes to the TStat. Here is a pic of the constricted side, the other side has a much larger opening.:

81SPIDERMATT · Post by **81SPIDERMATT** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:52 pm

RRoller123 wrote:That is correct. My "T" was correctly installed, but the sensor and plug were in the wrong locations, due to interference with the radiator fan housing. But it is easy to put the "T" in wrongly. The constricted side goes to the TStat. Here is a pic of the constricted side, the other side has a much larger opening.:

ok 1 thing off the list

here is the thermostat and my question is where would i drill the hole... it looks different than the pics i have seen for the hole drill location

also the following pictures show how water is flowing thru a cold thermostat... do all of these look correct

and this is how i will place it in the pot of water.(picture below).. as it opens this is where i think i will see it moving... corect???

edit add on.... just boiled the thermostat and took to over 200.... did not see movement anywhere... thought maybe i missed it so i stared at it while cooling ..still no movement..... calling auto parts stores now

engine gets hot... engine dies

engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies

Re: engine gets hot... engine dies