Bad memory or a problem.

86X

86X

True Classic
When I get on the interstate and run at about 70 my temp gage creeps up to about 3/4 to 2/3 the way up the temp gage. Normal city driving it stays at the half way point mostly. I have owned two other X1/9’s and I remember them staying at the half way point. But its been about 25 years sense I have owned my last X, so I could be wrong. I have a new water pump and I think thermostat I can put on but not sure it needs it.
Does this sound like it should be addressed?
 
I would say yes. Investigate this. Did you set the impeller gap on the water pump when it was replaced? Also how is the radiator and the steel pipes underneath?
May years ago I had a intermittent overheating problem, turns out an old bottom part of a pressure cap was sometimes blocking the expansion tank exit to the thermostat. Car would overheat, i would let it cool, add water and it would be fine again for a while.

So check everything just to be sure. Rad, pump, thermostat, hoses, pipes. Fixing this now will save future engine damage,
 
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Alex has a good list of items to check. Hopefully you did the impeller gap dance to appease the Italian car gods.🕺:cool:

Have you bled the cooling system recently? If the rad isn't full of coolant it won't be as efficient. If you have bled it, check for hot/cold spots.

Get ten engine up to temp and make sure the fans cycle. Take an infrared temp gun and check all areas of your rad to see how evenly it is heated. If it is cold at the bottom, it could be plugged up.

I had similar symptoms on my 78 years ago and putting in a new rad was the cure. The original rad was extremely crusty on the inside and only warm at the bottom, but hotter as I moved up the rad.
 
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My experience with Xs that run hotter on the highway than around town is that the radiator is bad. I kept a radiator I took off one of my Xs and labeled at as a "50 mph radiator" as it would be fine at any speed below that but the temp gauge would start to crawl up at anything higher. I used to drive that car with the temp gauge as my speedo.
 
Yes, I would also just swap out the radiator.
At higher speeds, the crusted up radiator just can't flow the volume needed to provide the increased cooling needed for increased power.
With the new rad, the temp stays in the middle even with twice the stock power on a race track.
 
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Sounds like an airflow problem. Is the front chin spoiler installed?....and angled properly? The spoiler directs a lot of air to the radiator, just another thing to check before tearing apart the cooling system.
 
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The previous owner, Rudy installed an aluminum radiator. The pipes underneath look similar ok. I have not replaced the water pump or thermostat, but in all the stair parts he sent there are new ones. When I changed the alternator a couple weeks ago I found one of the bolts on the water pump was missing causing a small leak. I replaced it and checked the antifreeze level it was a little low.
Reading everyone’s replies perhaps it does have air in the radiator. I will give that a check along with the other suggestion.
Also back in the day I don’t remember checking the impeller blade gap. Could you guys clue me I ?

thanks for helping everyone, this is a great forum. Now that I think of it no one has even started an argument sense I joined. That’s great!
 
JimD said:
Geez Dan, move those pics onto our server, That PB watermarking is severe. :)
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It's been a while since I looked at that thread. I just finished reposting the pix directly to XWeb per your suggestion 👌

If anyone runs across one of my older posts with Photobucket watermarking, please message me so I can get them swapped out. I'm pretty sure I still have local copies of all of the pix files I hosted/posted to Photobucket over the years.
 
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86X said:
The previous owner, Rudy installed an aluminum radiator. The pipes underneath look similar ok. I have not replaced the water pump or thermostat, but in all the stair parts he sent there are new ones. When I changed the alternator a couple weeks ago I found one of the bolts on the water pump was missing causing a small leak. I replaced it and checked the antifreeze level it was a little low.
Reading everyone’s replies perhaps it does have air in the radiator. I will give that a check along with the other suggestion.
Also back in the day I don’t remember checking the impeller blade gap. Could you guys clue me I ?

thanks for helping everyone, this is a great forum. Now that I think of it no one has even started an argument sense I joined.
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I have also been VERY impressed with this group of people. We might all have different ideas, but we still talk well with each other and bring the other person up. It feels so much better than seeing someone put another person down.

THIS form is why I got back into the X1/9. I had one in high school, and when I found this forum, I started looking for my 2nd one. (I have 11 of them now)
 
Here is a long shot. I spoke to a friend with a 124 Spider and he claimed that it ran too warm on the freeway. Eventually he found that the cooling fan was wired backwards, when the fan came on it was pushing air, instead of pulling it through the radiator. It's a long shot, but I hope it helps, it is a very easy check. Give an update when you get a chance.
 
TommyClocks said:
Here is a long shot. I spoke to a friend with a 124 Spider and he claimed that it ran too warm on the freeway. Eventually he found that the cooling fan was wired backwards, when the fan came on it was pushing air, instead of pulling it through the radiator. It's a long shot, but I hope it helps, it is a very easy check. Give an update when you get a chance.
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Wow lucky you guys found that! Today I am going to make sure there is no air in the system. I’ll check the fan too.
 
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