Temperature gauge and warning light reads “engine hot”?

Tiny
RJC175
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 JAGUAR XK8
  • 0.6L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • 118,000 MILES
Monday of this week the wife’s vehicle listed above, xk8 convertible, dash code produced a yellow light saying, “low in coolant”. After the car cooled off ii inspected and found a hole in one of the hoses (center going to left bottom). The coolant reservoir was indeed low. Ordered a new hose and it arrived Thursday. Today (Friday) I put the new hose on and filled the reservoir with new coolant and allowed it to idle, testing both the AC and heating systems. Both systems seem to be working properly. The wife takes the car to the grocery store (5 miles) and dash red warning light signals “engine hot” and temperature gauge peaks on hot. She pulls the car over and in about 5 minutes the temperature goes down to normal. This repeats itself on the way home. Car cools down and I check fluid and it’s at full.
Help, what caused it to run hot?
Friday, September 6th, 2024 AT 10:01 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,602 POSTS
It sounds like the thermostat is stuck but can I ask if the cooling fans were on when the car was overheating? If so, I would swap out the cooling system thermostat. Here are two guides that will help, and I have included how to change the thermostat out in the images below.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-an-overheating-engine

Check out the images (below). Please upload pictures or videos in your response of any problems so we can see what to help you with.
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Saturday, September 7th, 2024 AT 7:46 AM
Tiny
RJC175
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Yes, the fans were working properly. I will try and get a thermostat on Monday.
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Monday, September 9th, 2024 AT 12:59 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,602 POSTS
Yep, that should fix it.
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Monday, September 9th, 2024 AT 8:14 AM

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