Yellow-ha! Fellow mini'ons lol. Just a quick question here. Does the r53 temp gauge needle tend to go below the middle line? My mini does this only when I'm in the freeway. Stop and go traffic stays on mid line no more no less. Before I had a clutch job It wasn't like this. Also my other car don't as well. Is this norm?

 

That seems to be what mine does also. I have a ScanGauge in my car also and the temps seem to hover around 198 in 106 degree weather while on the freeway. While sitting in traffic at a stop light for awhile it gets up just over 200 degrees.

 

...Hmmm? Both of my R53 run just under the center line.

Motor on!

"Now can't get the name "MINIYellowHaHa" out of my head..." Its a summer camp out in the mountains hidden away from the eyes of lowered VWs and tricked out Audis , where MINIs can run and play on an asphalt ribbon of fun...

 

Same here; my 2003 S runs just below the center mark. In all the driving I've done over the last 12 years it seems glued to that spot, hot weather or cold, after it's at operating temp. Never been above that mark.

 

From what I have heard the gauge is really more like an idiot light in that it stays in the middle unless the engine is overheating and the it moves to the top of the range. Mine never varies from the center once warmed up. On my '75 the gauge fluctuates based on factors like outside temperature and load- like a real gauge should.

 

Cool! I actually thinking It's because I'm having a good air flow in the car that sucks in the cool air into the engine bay which makes the engine run cooler. And probably the recent clutch job helps the motor to have less stress. So It cools down a bit. Anyways Thanks guys for sharing. Motor on minions!

 

Are you sure your low speed fan is still working properly?

 

Good question. Well the thing is The last time I checked it spins with the a/c on. But unfortunately now that my ac is not functioning I have no idea on how to check it. For some reason F5 fuse located next to the drivers footwell is out. Although the fuse is looking fine. my fuse tester weren't lit on that f5 slot everything else in there is okay. Even tried to swap with known good ones with no luck. Hmm..

 

There are a couple of ways I can think of to test your low speed fan. You can jump the circuit at the relay by pulling the relay in the engine compartment and taking an insulated wire of a decent thickness and connecting the slots for pins 30 and 87 I think. It should initiate the low speed fan, and possibly the power steering fan, but have a flashlight handy so you can see it spinning. It should be the slot on the drivers side and the slot towards the front of the car, and just stuff the insulated wire in the two slots at the same time. You can check it first with a meter to make sure there is voltage there if you want. The car doesn't need to be running for this, not sure if the key needs to be in the accessory position or not. You can also check your high speed fan this way while you're at it, which is the relay right behind the low speed. There is a diagram on the relays, and you want to connect the two pins that show the little hinged segment between them.

After you confirm that they both work, you should also start your car with the bonnet open and a flashlight, watch that it comes on as the car warms up, if you let it idle, it should eventually come on even without the AC, and the high speed should come on after a while as well.