1990 Lumina Running Warmer Than Usual

[1990lumina]

Hi guys. I think I'm having a cooling problem with my 1990 Chevy Lumina Euro, although I'm not sure. Well I guess I will just say what happened. I was driving home from school today and it was actually warm here today, +21C, anyway I put on my A/C to cool the interior down then shut it off. I take the freeway home from school and the speed limit is 100km. So I was waiting at a light to turn left onto the freeway so I usually check my guages here because the light is so long! I noticed my oil pressure was a little lower then it usually was when I check my guages waiting for this light, but I thought well it is warmer here then usual, maybe my oil is a little thinner then usual so I didn't think anything of it, but I told myself "remember to check the oil when you get home." My temperature guage was showing what I think is normal operating temperature for my car, just before the first notch. Well I drove home on the freeway (about 6km drive) and then drove to my house. When I got home I checked my oil, it was at the full mark so I started the car to see if the pressure had come up any. It had, but my temperature guage was showing near half so I quickly opened up the hood and checked my coolant level in the over flow can, it was good, but I noticed my twin cooling fans were NOT on. So I shut the motor off and came onto this website and did a search for cooling fan trouble. I found a link that said I should jumper the fans to make sure they work and it also said if I turn my A/C on the secondary fan should come on. So I thought well turning the A/C on would be easier then jumpering the fans so I tried it. Both fans automatically came on so I guess this solves my question of "do the fans work". Now, what should I do next, as the relay could not be working still right? Anyway, what should I do next to check to see if the fans will work later on. They come on with the A/C but after I turn it off, there go the fans too. The minute that happens my temperature comes up. But at what point on the guage should the fans kick in again? Below is a pic of where my temp needle was at (the green arrow) and where the guage usually is (red arrow), and I guess where the guage was when I shut the motor off last. Also, the trick off turning the heat on high didn't work in this case as my fans stop after turning the A/C off, and the temperature actually came up when the heat was on.

 

Someone please help me out, as winter is coming so I don't need any cooling problems, either to hot or cold. I should also mention when I checked the oil, the motor was hot, well hot enough if you kept your hand on it you want get burned.

 

 

Thanks again guys!

 

- Jeff L.

[White93z34]

don't worry about the temp gauge moveing, it will ALOT, in traffic mine goes almost into the red then the fan clicks on and it goes down to about mid

 

it's all in the driving you do, if theres not airflowing through the car it heats up prety nice, its all normal operation.

 

as far as the oil psi goes that gauge will move around as well i know the one in my old car would move quite abit.

 

and damnit i want your gauges

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Half in traffic is nothing to worry about.. perfectly normal. The fans on both my cars don't kick in till about 2/3rds on the guage (very rarely). But after driving on the highway (1/4) and then going into traffic and waiting at lights it does go up past half sometimes.

 

If you are worried about it flush your coolant and change your thermostat, cause its good to do that anyways.

[test4echo]

I had to change out my temp sensor,

Before I replaced it my temp guage always read under half ALL the time.

When I put my new thermo and sensor in, the temp gage usually stays just under rthe mid point, but will climb almost to the first RED then the fans will kick in.

 

Scared me at first, but now I know its normal.

 

Test4echo

[maybe2fast]

change your coolant maybe it is warn out