If I am driving for a while in the heat in stop and go traffic, or for long distances in the heat up a hill, for example, is it normal for the car to go to 5 bars on the temperature gauge?
I noticed it did this on the way to Stockton today. It was up a long hill and it was flopping between 4-5 bars. Turning on the heater got it back to 4 bars/middle.
What temperature is 5 bars and is this normal/safe?
Coolant was flushed recently.
i dont know the ratio of degrees per bar, not sure if its even known or calibrated like that in a linear way.
with a cold motor, spin the fan by hand and also feel for any (and i mean any) side to side wobble.
may just be a fan clutch.
with a cold motor, you should not be able to spin the fan a half to 3/4 of a turn.
if you can get a full revolution or more by hand, that kinda confirms the cluch is bad.
i assume your not using or going through coolant since its not mentioned.
If the coolant was flushed recently, did you make sure it was full? Maybe you got an air pocket and need to fill it some more?
I always thought the fan clutch worked just the opposite of this , that cold it would freewheel and hot it would engage?
Mine used to run at 5 bars if it was hot out and I was running the A/C. Now with a Police Interceptor fan clutch and a 9 blade HO fan it runs 4 bars all the time.
5 bars is somewhere about 190, on a hot day with ac not to bad.
OK, cool.
Guess what? I just ordered a Be Cool Radiator for $250 from JEGS. A 22 year old car and its original radiator work so well for me, I figure I should do this for her.
As for questions, my coolant flow, thermostat, radiator cap, all of that stuff, It's good. I was just wondering if 5 bars is normal and it seems it is. I wasn't too concerned, as it takes an hour + of driving through the hottest valley in California to do it.