It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

giuliot60 · Post by **giuliot60** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:35 am

Great. Thanks Ron!

katsi · Post by **katsi** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:00 pm

Why not just put an in-line switch in. That way, when you're sitting in traffic or whatever; you can just hit the switch and have the fan come on. My fan never turned on either. Even after a new temp switch, it still never came on (granted I never really let it get over 190). I ran an in-line switch and hit it when I sit in traffic and it works great. I used one of those little flat toggels and if you use a dremmel to hollow out the black portion of those caps on your dash by the radio, it fits in there perfectly. I even put another switch in the other side just incase I need it for anything (makes everything look even). Ended up using it for fog lamps but decided I did not like the look so now it's just an unused switch again. Anyway, it gives me peice of mind to know that even if the temp switch fails, I can just turn on the fan whenever I want.

sstarch1 · Post by **sstarch1** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:17 pm

I considered doing the same thing as Katsi, but instead did a halfway compromise. I installed a thermcouple-switch in the radiator which closes at 165 degrees, so the fan kicks in much earlier and the temp never reaches 190 even when idling on a hot highway.

katsi · Post by **katsi** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:35 pm

katsi wrote:I considered doing the same thing as Katsi, but instead did a halfway compromise. I installed a thermcouple-switch in the radiator which closes at 165 degrees, so the fan kicks in much earlier and the temp never reaches 190 even when idling on a hot highway.

Wow that is aggressive but, in my humble opinion (and I think most here will agree); these cars really need to operate at just about 190 degrees. When she is running and cooling perfectly, she will stay right at 190. Anything under that and she's just not up to temp yet. Anything over that and she's getting hot. It's an Italian car - what can you say. They are VERY temperamental. Think about the Ferrair Testarosa. Their is a reason Enzo calls it a Testarosa and I believe that he was referring to a woman's temperament and not hair color. Afterall, not all Testarossas are red.

Sorry if I offended any women or Italians - that was not my intention -

sstarch1 · Post by **sstarch1** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:41 pm

katsi wrote: Wow that is aggressive but, in my humble opinion (and I think most here will agree); these cars really need to operate at just about 190 degrees. When she is running and cooling perfectly, she will stay right at 190. Anything under that and she's just not up to temp yet. Anything over that and she's getting hot. It's an Italian car - what can you say. They are VERY temperamental. Think about the Ferrair Testarosa. Their is a reason Enzo calls it a Testarosa and I believe that he was referring to a woman's temperament and not hair color. Afterall, not all Testarossas are red.
Sorry if I offended any women or Italians - that was not my intention -

...whaa? You're saying when you drive down a road at 40mph your WATER TEMP gauge on your dash is at 190 and stays there?

giuliot60 · Post by **giuliot60** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:55 pm

My 81 stays around 195, but that may just be my gauge. Haven't seen it go past 200, then again, I haven't been stuck in much traffic, although it's been hot.

sstarch1 · Post by **sstarch1** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:59 pm

Mine is very dynamic with driving conditions. On the highway or above 35+ its below 140/130. I slow down and stop, it'll steadily rise over 5-10min. Start driving, it slowly goes down.

What your gauges show, seems very abnormal to me. Why on earth would the water temp in your engine NOT change with driving conditions...?

giuliot60 · Post by **giuliot60** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:23 pm

The thermostat. Does your other car vary temp? My Passat stays at 190 once it reaches it.

katsi · Post by **katsi** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:27 pm

Yeah. It will go above when I sit in traffic and that is when I hit the fan. It will go below 190 with the fan on in traffic but to answey your question - Yes. When i am driving her she is most certainly pegged at 190.

RRoller123 · Post by **RRoller123** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:04 pm

My 1980 FI runs about 170 F when cruising at maybe 40-50 mph average on back roads. In traffic it climbs to 195 and the fan comes on and brings it down, but when the car is running in no traffic 170 F or so (on the gauge) is its norm. I haven't been up on the highway yet with it; not until I am a little more sure of the car's reliability, so I can't say what is normal at highway speeds, but I would expect 170.

giuliot60 · Post by **giuliot60** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:58 pm

Is that in the NE summers or during the cooler seasons RRoller? Are you getting hit with this heat wave? We've been in the 90s for a week or so, and in the 100s last weekend.

rlux4 · Post by **rlux4** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:17 pm

My gauge never varies more than 5-10°. I live in the Mojave desert where the temperatures are 95 and up for 6 months a year. In August and the first part of Sept. it rarely gets below 100 and the only time it will get near 200 on the gauge is if I'm at a stop light for a while. I have the wiring with a switch in place but disconnected. It's there in case my temp switch fails.
You've got to remember that the most critical input for the ECU is the temp sensor in the coolant T. It wants to read 190 as its normal operating range. Too cool and it will think the car is still warming up and you'll run rich and not be getting the best mileage. Plus constant rich running isn't good for your engine top end.
Ron

RRoller123 · Post by **RRoller123** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:17 pm

Well, this is only since this April. It was in storage all winter and I only bought it last November. In the hot weather, it runs about the same, but gets up to the 190 or so much more quickly when we get into any traffic. But so far, it does drop back to around 170 when noodling around the back roads even when it is hot outside. Been 90 and humid here for days.

sstarch1 · Post by **sstarch1** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 12:43 am

Here's a shot at ~65mph, which I had been doing for about 20 minutes.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f3rdhlzam3jo2 ... .51.15.jpg

Then when I got to my destination, the temp briskly climbs up to ~ 180/185 and the fan kicks on.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/04yu7pb7vs8bv ... .29.18.jpg

BTW, Here's a pic of her, front and back - post bumper removal.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vcecu5aktcs4e ... 185025.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/coouou5cq680g ... 185046.jpg

steve8462 · Post by **steve8462** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:32 am

i think my Thermostat is not working properly. here is a picture of it in cold position, and in hot position (200 degrees) the second picture is a bit blurry due to the steam. it seems to be sealed in that housing unit and i cant figure out how to drill the small air release hole i see you guys talking about. any thoughts about the open-close range of this thermostat?

It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

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Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

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Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider

Re: It has begun - 1981 FI Spider