Technical Uno temperature

[UnoMia]

Has anyone ever had this happen? I have an 1100cc UNO (FIRE motor). For a while I noticed that on a long, fast run the engine temp guage would go just over the halfway mark, about one or two widths of the needle. This only happened when driving fast, (100 - 120 kph), or up a long, steep hill. Around town the temp stays just below halfway and the fan cuts in and out with no problem.
I thought I'd resolve the problem, so I fitted a new water pump, all new hoses, new thermosat and a brand new radiator. The car has the proper coolant mix and the system has been bled.
However after doing all this work she still goes over the halfway mark, on a fast run or up a long hill! There is no lose of coolant and she never boils.

As the temp sender unit is in the head I assume it's the head area that is getting the hottest, which is why the guage goes above halfway. I know the head gasket is okay as i changed it earlier this year.

I now give up! Has anyone any ideas please?

 

[alexGS]

Hello UnoMia,
My suggestion is that everything is correct - leave it as it is!

The thermostat is designed to keep the engine at a specific temperature - and that temperature is halfway up the gauge (about 90 degrees).

In a hot climate such as yours (it was 32 degrees C in Jo'burg last week, so I guess something similar where you are) it would be reasonable to fit a cooler thermostat (one that opens about 70 degrees) but really, I wouldn't worry about it. The high temperatures are good for the state of the engine oil (evaporates petrol and water from the oil) and as long as there's reasonably cool air available for the air intake, engine performance is optimal.

Will be interesting to see what others have to say, though.

Cheers,
-Alex

 

[Uno driver]

Same thing is happening to my uno, but here is around 5 degrees C now. I changed thermostat and flushed radiator but it's the same, so I think it's normal.

 

[ralphnz]

Mine has done that once when I towed another UNO for about 5 miles. It was pretty hard and unusual work for the engine. Please see the photo of my piston for the result of an engine whose temperature went above 'halfway' hahaha

 

[alexGS]

Please see the photo of my piston for the result of an engine whose temperature went above 'halfway' hahaha

Photo at https://www.fiatforum.com/uno/170938-piston-damage-what-has-casued.html?p=1833997


That's true, but I don't think it was only above 'halfway', I think it was above 'all the way'

When there's no coolant at all, the gauge can be slow to 'update' because the sensor's hanging in mid-air...

-Alex

 

[Chas Uno]

Has anyone ever had this happen? I have an 1100cc UNO (FIRE motor). For a while I noticed that on a long, fast run the engine temp guage would go just over the halfway mark, about one or two widths of the needle. This only happened when driving fast, (100 - 120 kph), or up a long, steep hill. Around town the temp stays just below halfway and the fan cuts in and out with no problem.

As has been said already - this is completely normal in warmer weather. In cold weather like the 3 degrees here in the UK today my temperature gauge was lucky to go above 70 degrees. Brrrr

 

[UnoMia]

Hi,
Thanks guys for all the input, I'm going to leave well alone now and see how she does. I'm taking the car on a 2000km round trip over the holidays, so I just wanted to make sure she's in tip top condition. It gets damn hot here in December!