Quote:
Originally Posted by pj67coll
I think "everyone" may be being somewhat imprecise. For the car to run at 80C the needle should be on the white line next to 80 on the gauge.
The next white line between 80 and 120 is 100C and the last line with the red on top of it is 120C. So for the car to be running at 90 to 95C the needle needs to be covering the top of the 8 in the 80C, to just about to leave the 8 altogether. If it reaches the unnumerated white line half way between the 80 and 120C you have reached 100C.
I have never seen a Mercedes that runs at 80C. Look at the cars in my signature. These are gassers and diesels on two different continents and they have always run with the needle in the 85C to 90C range under normal conditions.
My DD, also an 81 240D is currently running probably too cool. The needle is just above 80C so likely around 82. This is a recent development and I think likely because of a stuck thermostat which I will soon replace. I had the same symptom on my previous one which was fixed with similar results.
I have not climbed in the mountains as you have, where are you located? Anywhere near Las Cruces? But I drive around in Phoenix and with temps regularly above 112F ambient and would not be concerned in normal driving unless the temperature started to get towards the half way line, ie, 100C.
- Peter.
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yes, it would be more accurate to say that some owners reported this, but that others had other reports, and some were similar to my current experience
this situation may have existed for years, and i never would have seen evidence of it, since i wasn't climbing -- if i'm not near the red, i don't pay much attention -- in ajo, az, was hot like phoenix, but we would leave come 6/1 -- now here in silver city, nm, is different -- we're here year round, this is our first summer, i went from 6000' to 8400, and noticed i was up around 110
with the infrared temp gun, i know that my 80c thermostat is opening around 85, as measured on the thermo body, so 90 operating temp on the gauge probably is normal for this thermostat
my attitude now is i can live with it, but i'm going to take a shot at lowering the temp, with a citric acid flush -- i know that when i replaced the radiator in my old 6.2 diesel van, there was a dramatic drop in temp