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Anonymous Posted on May 19, 2014

Temp gauge pegs or gives real high readings and then gives normal readings

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Graham Willson

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  • Posted on Feb 06, 2017
Graham Willson
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Sounds like you have an air pocket in your cooling system. Could be caused by leak or head gasket failure. I recommend letting a shop diagnose before some serious damage happens

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Anonymous

  • 4044 Answers
  • Posted on Dec 23, 2010

SOURCE: My temp gauge stays normal while driving but when

Check the Electric cooling fan for proper operation. If it isn't running when you are at idle and sitting still that is your problem. The second place to check is the Temp sensor itself. Finally the obvious check is the radiator fluid level.

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Jonah Oneal

  • 14092 Answers
  • Posted on Apr 22, 2011

SOURCE: my temp gauge goes to

CHECK COOLANT FAN FUSES AND RELAYS. CHECK COOLANT LEVEL.MAKE SURE ITS NOT TOO LOW BECAUSE IF COOLANT TOO LOW . BY NO COOLANT AROUND OR COOLANT SENSOR NOT SUBMERGED IN COOLANT COOLING FANS WONT TURN ON.MAKE SURE YOU HAVE 50/50 ANTIFREEZE AND WATER. CHECK FOR CLAPSE RADIATOR HOSES.CHECK RADIATOR HOSE AT WATER PUMP.IF HOSE LOOK CLAPSE REPLACE IT AND BLEED COOLANT SYSTEM.IF EVERY THING HAS BEEN DONE YOU NEED ENGINE BLOCK FLUSHED OUT.HEATER CORE ALSO COULD BE STOPPED UP.A VERY HIGH MILEAGE ENGINE WILL OVER HEAT.OLD ENGINE LOSES COMPRESSION AND HORSE POWER.PUTTING MORE LOAD ON THE OLD ENGINE WILL MAKE IT OVER HEAT.IF COOLANT LEVEL IS LOW.BLEED COOLANT SYSTEM.START THE ENGINE LET IT IDLE FEW MINUTES WATCH THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE.WHEN TEMPERATURE START RISING.TURN OFF THE ENGINE LET IT SET FOR 20 MINUTES.TAKE A LARGE RAG PLACE OVER RADIATOR CAP ON COOLANT EXPANSION TANK SLOWLY OPEN RADIATOR CAP JUST A LITTLE TO RELEASE A LITTLE PRESSURE AT A TIME.DONT OPEN CAP RAPIDLY OR YOU WILL GET SCALDED.ONCE THE RADIATOR CAP REMOVED.IF COOLANT LOW ADD MORE COOLANT IN THE THE COOLANT EXPANSION UNTIL YOU GET TO THE COLD MARK.REPEAT THIS PROCEDURE START ENGINE LET IT RUN UNTIL TEMP GAUGE START CLIMBING A BIT DONT LET CAR RUN TO OVER HEAT JUST IDLE UNTIL TEMP JUST START TO RISE.THEN YOU TURN OFF ENGINE. WAIT 20 MINUTES.THEN USE LARGE RAG OPEN RADIATOR CAP LITTLE AT A TIME. DO THIS PROCEDURE UNTIL THE COOLANT IN THE EXPANSION TANK STOP DROPPING. THEN ALL THE AIR IS BLEED OUT THE COOLANT.WHEN COOLANT LEVEL STOP DROPPING, WHEN YOU DRIVE CAR AROUND.AND TURN OFF ENGINE.WHEN ENGINE OFF CAR SET FOR A WHILE KEEP CHECK ON THE COOLANT LEVEL IN COOLANT EXPANSION TANK. THE COOLANT LEVEL SHOULD BE AT THE COLD MARK IN THE EXPANSION TANK.MAKE SURE COOLANT IS IN THE EXPANSION TANK.IF NOT AIR WILL DRAW IN COOLANT SYSTEM. CAUSING ENGINE TO OVER HEAT.IF BLEEDING AIR OUT THE COOLANT SYSTEM DONT HELP AND COOLANT FANS DONT TURN ON YOU HAVE PCM PROBLEMS.

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Sounds like there may be an air pocket in the system.
Try 'burping' the system. If this still doesn't fix the problem, check the temperature of the heater core hoses (in and out) The inlet should be fairly cool, the other should be piping hot. If they're both cold; the heater core has an internal blockage.

Next, replace the thermostat with a winter (180-195 F) derivative.
Bleed the system accordingly, and keep me posted!
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