Greetings -

I've got an '83 911 that can't handle the heat. I'm in Vegas, and it's about 100 degrees today, and on my temp guage the needle gets all the way(almost) to the red line after about 20 minutes driving.

This is my first air-cooled car(except for VW bugs when I was a kid - but I don't remember them ever getting this hot) and I don't know if this is typical, or expected. Anything I can do to easily see what the problem might be?

Thanks, Russ

 

Russ,

Your 1983 should be able to handle the heat. What is most likely wrong on the vehicle is the temperature valve that diverts oil up to the front right fender's oil cooler. It's probably never getting up there. Check that out by measuring the outside temperature of the brass looking lines that are found in the right rear fender area, forward of the wheel. That's where the valve is.

 

Or, even easier, go to the right front fender area when the car's temp guage has reached 9:00 or higher. There is a double-loop tube forward of the front wheel, and it's very easy to see using a small flashlight, or daylight. That's the front cooler, and it should be really hot to the touch. If it isn't, let the car get a little hotter and check it again. If it's cool to lukewarm, with the guage needle at 10:00 or higher, the thermostat that's in the right rear wheel area has probably failed. FYI: My '82 lives in Bakersfield, my front cooler works properly, and before I removed the A/C parts in the engine compartment I couldn't keep it under 220 degrees F. on a 100-110 degree day.

 

The red mark is 300 degrees on an SC, isn't it? That's about 50 degrees past the point where the engine should be shut off immediately.

Get your thermostats checked (first the external, then the internal), and also check for kinks in your external lines. An easy quick check is to get the car up above 180 and then feel the front lines to see that they're hot to the touch.

 

All of you - thanks very much! I'm a new Porsche guy and don't know anything about these cars(yet).

Thanks again,

Russ

 

Yikes, that's hot. I would be very careful and not run the car until you get it fixed. I would also change the oil right away if it's not synthetic, since you may have actually burned it.

 

ouch, just put 2 and 2 together, this car gets hot and won't do 100+? it's time to park it and find some good help.

 

Interesting! My '83 SC is completely stock, mechanically, and on the hottest (95 degrees +) days, the Temp Gauge never runs past 210... in fact, it never touches 210... That is with good ol' Dino 20w50 Castrol in the sump(s). On cooler days, it barely cracks the 180 mark...

Sooo, I vote to check the oil thermostat first, BUT... since it won'r pull the Ton (go over 100), might there be an issue with the timing???

Go for a full service and bring everything back to original specs... yes, the old girl has a few miles on her, but I would guess the issues are a result of non knowledgeable mechanics having their way with her...

Keep us posted! She is way too cute to let die!

 

Thanks - I will... Taking it in today. Thanks everybody for all the help!

Russ

 

'86951: That's the way SCs run in L.A., here in Central CA it gets really hot. We see 115 F a few times each summer, and 105 is not unusual. The last time that my car saw 240 was pre-A/C removal. I was on the freeway coming up from L.A., moving very fast, and only after I got home I realized that it was about 112 F that day! Now we just don't drive it when it's over a 100...although I am in the process of planning the installation of a Carrera cooler w/fan.

 

We've been above (or at) 100 here lately and I assure you she stays under the cover until Sat. for the nice EARLY (7 AM) 60 mile run.......too frikin hot,..it's miserable.......did I mention stock AC in need of recharge?

Best,