The car overall looks and runs great (1996 with 116,000 miles), but I am a little conscerned about the temp guage. I am used to driving Honda's and Acura's where the temp sits one line below the halfway mark. This 96 sat between the the halfway mark and the next line... sometimes sitting on the line after the halfway mark (AC on full-blast at Idle). The best way to descride where it sits is to use a clock as a reference. The temp sits between 12 O-clock and 1 O-clock (usually at 12:30 and 1:00). Is this where it should be? I noticed that if I turn the AC off the guage will move a little more towrd the halfway mark (12). So, I think the temp is ok, but I know you guys would know fro sure!

My question is: Where is the temp guage in the Eldo's supposed to sit?


Thanks!

-Matt

 

One morning when I was driving, my S2000 temp. gauge stays right about in the middle (12) like what you have said. But when I stop smoke starts coming out from the front of the engine. Noticed the next day that after I drove it about 2-3 miles I turned off the car, and had some water dripping out from about 6 different places in my Honda S2000 parts... I have been told that I need to replace my transmission cooler because it has a leak. I've been told by my mechanic that it could cost $500.00 - 700.00 to replace the trans cooler.. So, I ask a second opinion... The second mechanic told me that when he had same problem only that in his El dorado with the temp gauge at almost the middle... Which seems not normal he decided to check his cooling system by means of the pressure tester and followed the instruction to find the leak.. To make the story short he found mine and fixed it... So, my suggestion is to check also your cooling system.. Good luck!!!

 

i have had a 97 black eldorado for a year or so and have had no problems they are very solid stiffer suspension my temp guage does the same exact thing check to see that all of your air intake is correctly hooked up because if not you will use more coolant and your engine will heat up faster and dont blast the ac all day that contributes

 

My '99 ETC temp needle sits just as you describe when under normal use. Here in Arizona, under load (ascending hills with A/C on, cruise, 75mph, outside air temp 112ºF, inside air temp set to 72ºF), the needle will creep toward 3/4 of the gauge's arc. It never goes higher, returning to "1:00 o'clock" as soon as engine load subsides. I was very concerned at first but repeated occurances without problems leads me to believe it's the gauge informing the driver of the engine's present state of operation. Under (extraordinary) load more heat is being generated because it's working harder to address the load being imposed. In traffic, idling, and cruising the needle stays where you describe it. I think we're overly concerned because there aren't actual temperature indications (160º, 180º, etc.). This is by design, 'cause is the average, non-mechanical driver would see how hot the engiine is most of the time, he/she would be over-informed. The driver's manual touches upon this: if the guage is not in the red, all is well. Also: the Northstar engine was designed to "limp home" without coolant for a range of about fifty miles. It does this by using non-firing cylinders as air cooling devices in such cir***stance. This goes against all my experience with engines, but it's there in the manual. I'm very impressed with the Eldorado's overall design and performance.

DVeirs
144K, avg 23 mpg

 

no worries man mine does the same thing it goes from the middle a lil over then back etc its all good