It was about -10 degrees this morning and classes were not cancelled, so I started the car like normal. It started OK and then the cold knocking noise came. It didn't phase me b/c my fiance's Neon does the same thing. Well I start off down the road after letting the car sit for 10 minutes. The temp gauge was even to the bottom mark, but it's been slow to warm up if it does at all. I get about a mile from home and it goes to normal. I thought it was odd, but no prob. I it then pegs to the top. I pull the "Oh shit" face and look at my autometer water gauge and it hasn't moved to 100 yet. So I pull over ASAP and take a look. The top hose didn't feel real hot like I couldn't hold on to it and everything seemed normal otherwise. Which gauge should I believe? I'm going to kill some time here in school before I head home, so hopefully you guys can give me some advise.

Woah....its really cold here to (-30 celsius) and usually I let my car warm up for like 15 mins. By the time I drive it, it still takes maybe another 10 mins to get to half on the temp gauge (factory gauge). But I see absolutely no reason why yours would jump to the top, maybe check your rad fluid? Is it even possible to overheat when its that cold out??

Sorry I can't help ya more, but the time for the gauge/engine to warm up is normal for that temperature - but it shoulda stayed at half!

Do you have a aftermarket water gauge? How does it act? I drove the car last night with no probs and it has a new thermostat in it. I wouldn't think that EGT's would give me any warning b/c they were normal too.

If the radiator hose didnt' feel hot, I'b be inclined to believe the autometer gauge over the stock one. I'd be inclined to believe autometer more anyway. It's probably your stock sending unit for the temp sensor. Could be a bad connection at the gauge cluster as well...

Do you have gauge overlays?



15.9 @ 86.7mph
97 Eclipse RS

Injen CAI, 55mm TB, P&P Intake, Crower Stage 2 Cams, Hooker Header, GS-T Muffler, AFX UDP, Crane Ign Amp, S-AFC

I have indiglos. In a fit of rage, I forgot to mention that the dummy gauge would go to normal when I came to a stop sign or light. I would figure just the opposite if the car wanted to overheat. I also know that I have a leak somewhere b/c my overflow bottle is empty after a few minutes of driving. I talked with one of my professors and he seems to think that the car might not want to warm up (another ongoing problem) and lack of cab heat could be the rad cap. I was going to test it today, but now this is happening. Oh yeah, my boost gauge doesn't register when it's cold out either. I LOVE winter!!!!

Definately fill up the coolant, without a full coolant level your temp gauges will be off and have nothign to read. Check your radiator fans turning on. while moving you get cooler air to cool the engine and pull heat away. Could be a thermostat as well.



15.9 @ 86.7mph
97 Eclipse RS

Injen CAI, 55mm TB, P&P Intake, Crower Stage 2 Cams, Hooker Header, GS-T Muffler, AFX UDP, Crane Ign Amp, S-AFC

The fans were running like hell. I'm gonna get to the shop tonight and find my problem. I've just never seen a gauge act like it did.

ok, if you have the autometer hooked up after the thermostat, it is possible that your thermostat is stuck closed and you are overheating, but since the hot fluid isnt making it to the autometer guage its not reading the correct value, I would believe the stock unit depending on where the autometer is tapped into.

Check radiator cap, thermostat, coolant temp sensor, and antifreeze level. If all those are fine and or you replace them all and it still does it, try flushing the coolant system.

I drove it home (about 2.5 miles) and it was fine. I think that there was a funny connection where the factory sender was. I'll blame the cold weather. BTW, I have autometer gauge "T'ed" with the factory sender. I've replaced the thermostat, both senders, and keep 50/50 mix in it.