QuestionQUESTION: While making left hand turns my temp gauge goes up then when I straighten out it goes back down. Recently installed a used head, prior one was leaking anti freeze into oil. Since replacement I have not lost any A-f but occasionally it runs hot on me, which I can bring back down by running heater. I have flushed the system an added 50/50, have heat in all hoses and cabin, no noise, drip or wiggle from water pump but have taken notice to a sometimes soft upper hose. There are 2 devices that run small coolant lines up around the air intake box they seem to run off of vacuum pressure , do you know what they are and might one be faulty?
ANSWER: I suspect that there's a wiring issue involved. It takes longer than a single left turn for the temp to rise. Try wiggling wires, and inspect engine grounds. Loosen, inspect and re-tighten.
I am not familiar enough with later Sidekicks to be able to pull up a mental picture of that engine. Were you asking about a pre-90 Samurai, that would be a horse of a different color.
scotty
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: could this be a relay problem or timing? I did not have a timing light handy and have been adjusting the distributor in increments between knocking and a stumble until it seems right. I heard timing can cause back pressure on the cooling system?
if all hoses are hot coolant is circulating, right?
AnswerI suspect that there's a connection at or near the engine that flexes slightly when the engine moves slightly(it does, you know) due to forces (inertial and centrifugal) in a turn. When the connection flexes the gauge reads high.
Incorrect timing can cause the engine to run hot. It's primarily because the heat and expanding gases do not expend a majority of their energy moving the pistons, and more heat than normal is instead transferred into the engine and cooling system, which exceeds the cooling system's ability to transfer heat to the atmosphere, causing overheating. This is something that occurs over a longer period of time(a minute or more) than going around a turn.
If the hoses are hot, there is hot coolant in them. If the engine doesn't overheat, and boil out coolant, then circulation is inferred. If the air coming from the radiator cooling fan is warm, then you can infer from that as well that coolant is circulating, and the cooling system is transferring heat to the atmosphere.
Sometimes, understanding engine operation as a gestalt is necessary to diagnose a symptom.
scotty
