81 300D running at 100 degrees C

Submitted by Michael DeArmond on 13 March 2008 - 10:13am.
My 81 300D has been running hot lately - a little below or at the 100 degree bar (I'm used to it running around 90). I had a shop here drain and flush the cooling system, check the hoses/clamps, flush the engine, radiator and heater core in both directions, check the thermostat and fan...and still, after about 20 minutes on the road, it's running around 100 without the heat on - I can bring the temp down a little by running the heat full blast, but that just makes us all sleepy. What's next?

warm reading

14 March 2008 - 6:12am
hugho
The obvious question to me is to check if the gauge is correct before you replace the thermostat, have radiator checked etc etc. buy a cheap hIvac infra red laser thermometer used by AC folks. Harbor freight sells a few that are ridiculously cheap. Point it at both sides of the thermostat housing. These things are useful in the kitchen for candy making, oven temp checks etc. My wife steals mine all the time. I even bought a high end one. It reads the same as the cheap harbor freight model.

gracias

14 March 2008 - 2:33pm
Michael DeArmond
thanks for the post - and the tip on where to find the cheap thermometer.