SenseiRice
New member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2016
- Location
- Southern NH
So I've got a 1988 244 DL automatic with about 130k miles on it that I bought as a winter beater, when I got it the car ran and idled like crap which was a leaking intake manifold gasket, I replaced that and the fuel pressure regulator and the car runs very smoothly but had a high idle, I have to turn the idle adjustment screw in all the way just to make it idle at 1000 rpm. Also when it's cold outside the car starts up then immediately dies, I have to give it throttle to get it to start but once it's at idle it's fine. I've also noticed at around 3500-4000 rpm it feels like it starts to loose power. The car still revs but it starts revving slower and it just doesn't pull as hard. Then the past two days have been pretty warm and I noticed my car was overheating. I cranked the heat and started moving and the temp immediately went back down. I got home and my coolant level as right in between the high and low marks on the expansion tanks, I let it idle for about 10 minutes after it got to temp and it started to overheat again, I checked the temp with an infrared hand held thermometer and it said my upper radiator hose was only 180 degrees (F) which doesn't seem that hot to me but I don't know what temp these cars are supposed to run at. I suspected possibly the compensator board so I smacked the dash and the gauge didn't move and I grounded the red and yellow wire that goes to the temp sensor then the gauge went straight to the red so I don't think it's the compensator board. I'm thinking maybe a sticking thermostat? When I have the heat on the temp gauge fluctuates a lot below the middle mark but never really reaches it. Maybe the sticking thermostat is making enough resistance that I feel it at high rpm? Maybe I've got two separate problems I don't know. Any insight on what I should be testing would be greatly appreciated because I'm stumped.
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