General Overheating?.......maybe

[yul]

Took my B for a drive this afternoon, beautiful sunny day 30 C. While I am driving the temp gauge was just below half way with no AC on. Then I got stuck in heavy traffic and the temp started to creep up to one notch above half way. Got a bit worried so I switched on the car heater to full and the temp dropped to half way. When I got home I popped the hood and only one fan was running. Question......are the fans supposed to run together?


yul

 

[silverbarchetta]

As far as I know they come on together. I would check but it hasn't been hot enough here for a while for them to come on at all. The temperature gauge does seem to fluctuate a lot on barchettas compared with many modern cars, in the winter it barely leaves the first mark whereas in the summer goes higher.

 

[Ilkka]

Perfectly normal, that's how it's supposed to work.
Download workshop manual
https://www.fiatforum.com/barchetta/180059-download-full-official-service-manual.html
and see Engine -> Fuel system -> p.17

And silverbarchetta, if your temp doesn't go up when it's cold then your thermostat is stuck and the coolant is flowing through the radiator all the time.

 

[yul]

Thanks for the info Illka. I downloaded the manual today and quickly looked thru it. Why they would put that info in the fuel system section of the manual is beyond me. Next hot day I will take the B out for a spin. I guess my question is what is to hot? The gauge went up to one notch pass the mid mark. I never really trusted Fiat temp gauges.......on my other Fiats (1977 124 Spider, 1973 128 and 1969 600) I have fitted them with a dash mounted digital temp gauge. Looks like the B needs one to. Any idea where I can mount the sensor in the engine block?

yul