Hot Pumpkin Syndrome
#1
Hot Pumpkin Syndrome
After a 1 hour drive yesterday I happened to touch the front right fender area and noticed it was very warm -- almost hot. Probably the hottest point was at the right (passenger side) pumpkin marker light. The engine temperature during the drive was completely normal. The driver side front fender was a bit warm also, but much cooler than the passenger side. Has anyone else seen this happen? Is this normal? (or is this just what happens when you resist the RL peer pressure to install clear side marker lights for too long? )
#3
Turn on your AC which will make the radiator fans come on, then check that the radiator fans are actually running on both sides of the car. If not report back. Could be a relay or the ballast resistor.
#4
Thanks, sounds very plausible -- I'll check the fans next time I get the chance and report back.
#5
Finally had a chance to check this morning and the fans on both sides are definitely running. Even on a short 10 minute drive, the passenger side around the pumpkin is warmer than the driver side. Is anyone else seeing the passenger side fender warmer than the driver side?
Last edited by peterp; 09-21-2018 at 02:02 PM.
#6
Both left and right radiators share the same supply and return lines (see diagram and ignore the third center radiator). I have never checked and compared the temperatures on left/right radiators to see if they are the same. Think you could do that with an infrared temp gun. When was the last time the radiators were cleaned? The space between the AC condensors and radiators fills up with junk. Might be time to do that.
#7
Both left and right radiators share the same supply and return lines (see diagram and ignore the third center radiator). I have never checked and compared the temperatures on left/right radiators to see if they are the same. Think you could do that with an infrared temp gun. When was the last time the radiators were cleaned? The space between the AC condensors and radiators fills up with junk. Might be time to do that.
I just measured it with an infrared temp gun after a 20-minute drive and found the following:
driver side fender -> (just in front of pumpkin): 109 degrees (F)
driver side radiator ->140 degrees
passenger side radiator -> 140 degrees
driver side fender -> (just in front of pumpkin): 130 degrees (F)
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#8
** Bump **
Does anyone else see higher temps on the passenger fender than the driver fender around the orange side marker lights? As mentioned above, I am measuring 130 degrees (F) on passenger fender and only 109 on driver side (with both radiators at 140). You don't need to measure, just touch both fenders around the marker light and you will be able to feel a major difference if you are seeing the same thing. I'm trying to determine if this difference is normal or not.
Does anyone else see higher temps on the passenger fender than the driver fender around the orange side marker lights? As mentioned above, I am measuring 130 degrees (F) on passenger fender and only 109 on driver side (with both radiators at 140). You don't need to measure, just touch both fenders around the marker light and you will be able to feel a major difference if you are seeing the same thing. I'm trying to determine if this difference is normal or not.
#9
When the fans are running is the air pulled through the radiators exiting below the car, just in front of the wheels? Asking because there is a duct behind the radiators that expels the air downward and underneath the car. Maybe that is missing or broken?