96 Cobra - running hot?

paddy_boy · 07-05-2009, 12:41 PM

Yo - just recently purchased a '96 Cobra Convertible, 16,000 orig. miles, completely stock (couldn't resist!). Great car, except I couldn't help noticing the temp gauge creeping past 50%, up to almost 75%, in stop-and-go city driving, before dropping back down to 50%. I replaced stock thermostat with 180 degree thermo, which helped, but temp gauge still runs past 50% in city driving. Is this normal? According to owner's manual, it's normal for gauge to do this, but it's a little unnerving to see this as an owner who cares about his car. I know there was some sort of issue with the radiators on 96 Cobras, and I called a local dealer, who looked up the VIN # but didn't have any record regarding the radiator. I'm willing to purchase a new aluminum radiator, but they're expensive, and there are other areas I would like to upgrade first. I'm also considering driving this car from SoCal to San Antonio, TX in August for a family get-together, and I can't imagine a harder test of a car's cooling system than that! Thanks for your input.

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lasco10 · 07-05-2009, 02:19 PM

i noticed the same thing when driving my 97 cobra through town yesterday...i think it is fine as long as it comes back down once you get going and the temp doesnt stay up.

Mustang3GT07 · 07-05-2009, 02:26 PM

Hmmm....Is their a way to make your hood vent's functional? You prob gotta remove your hood blanket and such. I would start with that. You already change the Thermostat so that is good.

I believe that 4v's just run really hot. I know if I drive my car and I am wearing shorts and its about 80deg out I can actually feel my legs starting to burn. Our motors just run hot!

CobraKMA · 07-08-2009, 12:37 AM

I have a 96 Cobra and noticed the same thing with the temperature guage. I think it is inherent in these cars. I have never seen it higher than the 75% but have been equally concerned while waiting in traffic, it goes back down once moving though.

I bought mine last year with over 140000 miles and initially drained and flushed the radiator. I haven't changed out the thermostat yet.

I am planning to open up the hood vents on mine and removing the hood liner but was mainly looking to increase air flow for performance but this would also cool it off. My concern is the road debris and rain.

You should be fine though but flush and replace the fluid if you didn't do that when changing out the thermostat.

Good luck!

Smokin04 · 07-08-2009, 02:35 AM

If it's filled wrong, it will run hot, if not totally overheat. How did you fill it? Also, running too much coolant and not enough water will make them do that. Honestly 50/50 is too much coolant IMO. I always run just distilled water with 2 bottles of water wetter...coolant retains too much heat for me.

But if I'm going to be in freezing temps, I will run no more than 30% coolant. That's enough to do the job.

pcs · 07-08-2009, 05:11 AM

you dont have to buy a new radiator, you can just take it out and send it to a radiator shop to dissasmble it, acid bath it, and remove all the scaling. while its out, change your thermostat to a 160F and like smoking 04 said, make sure you fill it correctly otherwise it can over heat. your radiator is over 10yrs old so it will have some scale build up over time.

paddy_boy · 07-11-2009, 08:35 PM

Thank you one and all for the advice. I think for the time being I'll just live with what I've got. The car isn't OVERheating, it's just running a little hot, according to the temp gauge, which isn't calibrated in degrees, so who knows what the actual temp is that is being shown on the gauge. Eventually I may put a new radiator in - couldn't hurt. Thanks again.

pcs · 07-13-2009, 03:00 PM

a colder thermostat is about $10 plus coolant is about $8 for a jug, so its cheap insurance against anything possible overheat.

JC316 · 07-13-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paddy_boy

Thank you one and all for the advice. I think for the time being I'll just live with what I've got. The car isn't OVERheating, it's just running a little hot, according to the temp gauge, which isn't calibrated in degrees, so who knows what the actual temp is that is being shown on the gauge. Eventually I may put a new radiator in - couldn't hurt. Thanks again.

Get a scan tool. Mine tells me what the temps are. My temp gauge on my 96 GT goes pretty high, about to the A of Normal and it's running 216*F according to the computer. Not that high IMO.

mfj · 07-13-2009, 05:06 PM

Yeah, just give your radiator a blood bath, and that should help.