I had a used car, after about two years of daily driving it started having high temp readings when stopped and cooled back down when moving. I replaced the thermostat, no help, so I thought "maybe the temp sensor is bad."
When I removed the temp sensor it was coated in clearish goo...... I'm pretty sure it was petroleum jelly, used to insulate the sensor so it showed a cooler than actual temp and hid a problem. I'm actually amazed that I got two years out of it before the problem came out. If I ever buy another used car I'm going to remove the temp sensor and check it.
Anyway, how common is stuff like this?



Sig removed

(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Sep 8, 2009, 3:08 AM)

This is just a ridiculous theory.

First off, petroleum jelly wouldn't even remain on the sensor at 225 degree temps. It would also have no effect on the sensor readings.

second, if you were experiencing an obvious overheating problem, that pretty much tells you that the sensor is working and recognizing the temp.

third, this would be a completely normal scenereo on most all new vehicles. They run a 195 thermostat so at cruise speed they will maintain around 200 degrees but the cooling fans aren't programmed to come on until 226 or higher so seeing hotter temps in slow traffic situations would be completely normal.




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida




(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Sep 7, 2009, 4:52 AM)

Gone

(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Sep 8, 2009, 3:08 AM)

ROTFLMAO@GLEN
You must have drank a little too much of your bath water that day or experimenting with some wacky tobacy; if you actually believe this. LOL
If anything the jelly would have helped in heat transfer and sent the gauge even higher.
That’s if it didn’t; (like Hammer said) melt and disappear, the first time the engine reached operating temperature; let alone after two years. But I can understand your suspicions though; gee only two years worth of daily driving; there’s no way anything else may have failed, causing the engine to become hot?????
Maybe we should have the admin create another forum; AUTOMOTIVE URBAN LEDGINES
Sorry Glen; don’t mean to be picking on you; but you’re just way too funny.

Dan.

Canadian "EH"