4kq coolant temp warning light

[Kneale Brownson]

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At 01:00 PM 08/10/2002 -0400, Aaron Sherrick wrote:

>I've been getting this light pretty regularly.  It will either happen when
>I'm cornering hard, accelerating hard (through a couple gears), and running
>at 75mph+ (for a couple minutes).  It originally started to happen when I
>cornered hard.  I checked the coolant, but it's fine.  Then it started to
>happen when I'd run 75mph+ (usually more like 80+) on the highway for a few
>minutes.  Sometimes it would stay on for a few seconds, sometimes a few
>minutes.  It's pretty intermittent, but if you're running over 80mph for a
>few minutes you can pretty much bet it will come on.  Most recently it
>happens under hard acceleration through a couple gears, like 1-3 (running
>each gear to 5k).
>
>My coolant temp gauge usually hovers just above the 3rd hash mark from the
>top, which I've been told is high.  However, it's always done this in the 6
>years I've owned the car.  My oil temp gauge will often get up around 130
>degrees when I'm running 75mph+ on the highway.  Is this abnormal?  This
>temperature seems to be higher than what it used to be.  I always remembered
>the oil temp hovering around the lower hash mark (~100 degrees) at all
>times.  Any ideas?

Both our 4kq's have been sensitive to the fluid level in the
reservoir.  "It's fine" means it's at or just above the minimum level?  Try
adding a cup or two of coolant mix.  That always stopped the warning light
from coming on under the driving circumstances you describe.

Those gauges and their sensors are 16-17 years old?????
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