The past week in texas, the temperature has gotten above 100 and I've found myself stuck in traffic not moving and my car running a little warm. The guage needle creeps a few ticks past noon, and the oil temp guage is right around 225 when not moving in traffic. However, once I get the car moving again, the temp needle settles back to where I'm used to it being. Is this normal or is there cause for greater concern? Thanks for the reply, Clint.

 

did the elect fans come on?

 

yes, the fans come on

 

how long sitting, a/c on as well
did it continue

how long since coolant or therm replace

 

It happens when i'm sitting still for 5 or 10 minutes, yes, i have the the ac on. Also, I have a new radiator which i've had for about 2months so coolant is filled properly, etc.

 

My personal guidelines for a car: Must be able to handle 100+ in stop and go with a/c on. If not, I believe something is wrong.

Ive had a few cars that ive removed the thermostat from. Some people will tell you this is bad because it doesnt keep the water in the radiator long enough to cool it down. Personally, I have had the exact opposite experience. It has kept my cars so cool, they dont warm up in the winter time and I have to put it back in to get the heater to work. I have a feeling the people who say that have never tried it. In any case, the thermostat is a cheap part, and you might consider removing it or replacing yours with one that opens at a lower temperature.