still hot... IR Thermo says...

[johns1974]

I'm still a moron and the car is still running hot and i'm curious what anyone thinks with this new bit of knowledge:

I bought an IR Thermometer and when the gauge in the car is just barely under the red, the IR says 212 at the top of the radiator (next to the cap) and 201 at the head where the top hose comes out...

my extreme ignorance is about to show... are those temps truly indicative of an overheating car? Am I in a dangerous place?

Again, there's no leaks anywhere, the oil is good (no white foaminess at all), not a puff of smoke to be seen, no knocks, no pings, the coolant level is topped off and the coolant looks like an ok color... turning the heater on has little, if any, effect

what next, if anything? Thank you all so much for helping me understand this,

-john

[Guest Anonymous]

The temps are high for coolant (keep it under 200). I would consider it indicative of a car on the brink of overheating. When does it almost go into the red? Is it a normal occurance?

[Guest Anonymous]

A radiator is a heat exchanger. Hot coolant enters top and "usually" looses some of its heat by the time it gets to the bottom. Now that you have that fancy thermometer, can you tell us you measured the temperature at any place other than the top of the radiator? I do not know what temperature differentials you might normally encounter, but if the radiator (and fan) are functioning you may have a non issue.

Measure bottom temp and report back.

[peteinjp]

what next, if anything? Thank you all so much for helping me understand this,

-john

The temperature gauge in the dash? Where does it read?

[bmw_jeff]

That's hot, mine reads 165-180 at the top of the water inlet from the upper rad hose when its warmed up good (full temp).

[02Les]

Thanks to whoever posted this pic years ago....keeps coming in handy.

115c = 239f

120c = 248f

[johns1974]

so my gauge is pretty accurate, then... (both the IR and the gauge in the car)... thanks for that reference. I'll have to get the car to someone who knows more than me... Not Tough! Thanks,

-john