[C320-list] Engine overheating

[Rick Sulewski]

Colin,
A number of simple conditions could create a spiked temperatures including
blockages such as a sticking thermostat or you may have a grounded wire
condition due to a pinched temp wire, a bad sender or a bad temp gauge.
Consider if any work has been done to your engine that may have contributed
to any relocation of the involved wires. I had inadvertently pinched the
temp wire when reinstalling the valve cover after adjusting the valves and
the intermittent ground condition spiked the temperature gauge.  After
pulling the thermostat (because I was going to test it to learn if it was
sticking), I found the pinched temp wire under the corner of the valve
cover.

Then a few years later, I had a similar temperature spike condition return
and first replaced the temp gauge since I had ordered that replacement a few
years earlier (before I found that pinched wire under the valve cover). I
replacing the temp sender located on the thermostat housing to finally fix
the problem. 

Rick
My-Ria 1995 320 hull #277 

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Colin Evans
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2013 5:31 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Engine overheating

Hull 774,   2000 model
Over the last few months the temperature gauge has been reading a bit higher
than the normal 160 degrees, up to 180.  .  Plenty of water is pumping
through and the raw water filter is clean. Coolant reservoir is full to the
mark.
Yesterday it went to 240.  I shut down the engine , then re-started a few
minutes later and it went back to 180 and stayed there for a while then
jumped to 240 again.  I shut down the engine again and the same thing
happened.  Back to 180 degrees.  The water warning  light didn`t come on.
The engine compartment didn`t seem particularly hot.  It was a hot day,
about 35 C (95 F) We anchored for an hour then motored back to the marina ,
about 20 minutes and the temp never went above 180.  While reversing into
the pen the temp dropped to 170.  
Any ideas, sender or display?
 
*************************
Regards
Colin Evans
Watermark
Hull 774
Lake Macquarie, Australia