95 Saturn Temperature Guage

Just bought a 95 Saturn (113,000 KM) SL1, SOHC, (four days ago) and have
done some routine maintenance on it that had been lagging by the previous
owner (Oil Change, Rear Shoes, Muffler, PC Valve, Air Filter, that kind of
stuff) I have noticed that the temperature gauge comes up to the first mark
(1/4) and does not get any higher but there seems to be reasonable heat from
the heater. Are these gauges accurate or after 9+ years would it be
reasonable to change the thermostat.

 

My '95 SW2 (184k miles, DOHC) routinely runs at less than 1/4 of the temperature
guage, with no apparent problems. I'd say don't worry about it.

 

Ah, but when it starts to get cold out, the heat will not be enough. I had
a problem and posted the solution last year, (several web sites pick up
this group, a google search turned up my post:

http://www.talkaboutautos.com/group/rec.autos.makers.saturn/messages/141505.html

Short answer is the weep hole in the thermostat housing has lost it's check
valve. New thermostat housing solved the problem.

-David

 

This was my first post to the Group and really appreciate this good
information that you guys come up with. My first mistake was going to be
buying a thermostat (as you have now informed me) I will proceed with an
examination of the thermostat housing (interior of housing) before buying
anything more than a gasket if the ball bearing is still in place. I will
post back to let you know what is found.

 

My 95 has been like that since new. On a hot day in traffic it will go
higher but will drop back to 1/4 when the fan kicks in.

 

I have a 98 SL, 113K that stays at 1/4 and stays warm enough in these
Minnesota winters.
My friend has a 98 SL2 with about 90K that is the same.
I think it's normal.

 

I have a 97 SW2, over 100,000 miles, and it normally runs just over 1/4. The only time it creeps
above that is prolonged idling, such as "rush hour," and when that happens I'll turn the AC on
(activating the fan), keeping it back down close to 1/4.

It did start approaching 1/2 consistently when I had a coolant leak (failing water pump). Fixing
the problem returned the temp back to the normal 1/4 range.

I'm kind of glad it runs so cool, being a little aluminum engine & all.
Our temps here are 70-90 F. Sounds to me like yours is normal.

 

First time poster here. I noticed 'just another's' comments about his
SW2's temp gauge reaching the halfway mark when his water pump was bad.
So this question is for him or anyone else who is kind enough to answer.

I bought a 2000 SW2 from a friend a year ago last August. He had taken
exceptionally good care of the car and had it serviced before selling it
to me. I drove the wagon from Miami to Bellingham, WA before
backtracking to Montana. The temp gauge never went higher than a little
past the quarter way mark. Then last spring here in Omaha, NE I noticed
the temp gauge at the halfway mark and the car shut off twice oneday on
my way home from work. After that the car never shut down again but has
routinely reached the halfway point and I can tell the engine is 'heavy'
like it wants to shut off. There is normally no coolant leakage but on
the hotter days last summer there was a very small amount I'd see under
the car after I stopped somewhere. And if I drive across town I might
see a little leakage also.

I don't know alot about cars but speculated the thermostat or water pump
might be bad. I've taken it in to the Saturn dealership twice now to
have it checked out but both times I was told the cooling system was
fine and that they couldn't tell me if the thermostat or water pump was
bad. The last time I went in I had them change the thermostat anyways to
see if that was the problem. It's obvious now it wasn't. So now I'm
wondering if it could be the water pump, and if it is how come it
doesn't leak alot more than it does. I rarely have to add any coolant to
the holding tank, and when I do it's a very small amount.

Two other things that might help to know while considering my question
are: 1) A few months before I had trouble with the temp gauge, a truck
driving 2 places in front of me lost a tread from one of his tires. The
car in front of me ran over it and it's wheels kicked the tread up into
the air and it slammed into the shield under my bumper breaking it. I
didn't know this at the time but part of the shield broke off and was
lodged against one of the air intakes (I believe that's what it's called
anyways). So I had the air intake replaced along with the shield. That
could have affected something that is causing my problem now, OR
something else could have been damaged by the truck tire that the
mechanics are missing. 2) I don't know if the alternator could have
anything to do with the problem, but I've noticed the dashboard lights
get real dim (more so than I remember them getting a year ago), and the
car doesn't seem like it's starting as fast as it should considering it
has a new battery (replaced last spring).

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, JB

 

Forgot to mention - I have about 60,500 miles on the car.

 

The few drops of antifreeze under the vehicle could very well be a water
pump that has started to leak. The mileage and symptoms you describe would
seem to indict the water pump seal. You do not say if the radiator and
block had been flushed and refilled previously. If it has not been done,
its time so would make sense to replace the water pump at the same time.
I'd have suggested a new thermostat as well, but you have already taken care
of that ...

As to the gauge now reading at the half versus 1/4 point, this could be the
result of reduced coolant flow from either radiator blockage or lower
pressure from a worn pump. In either case a flush and pump replacement will
resolve the problem. It also could be the result of a coolant temperature
sensor starting to go bad so after replacing the pump if it is still higher
than expected, replace the CTS as a last resort.

Good luck!

Bob

 

Thanks for the great advice Bob. I hadn't thought of the radiator and
block flush but it makes sense. I was thinking mostly of the pump going
bad or that truck tire damaging something underneath the car. But
considering the radiator isn't leaking I kind of guessed it was the
thermostat or water pump. With all of that driving in the Rocky
mountains last year with a fully loaded wagon, the pump must have been
working overtime. I'll see if a new pump does that trick. Thanks, JB