Hey all, I have an 88 samurai that runs great and at normal temperatures right under 1/2 on the gauge, until i turn my headlights on, then the temperature gauge ready about 3/4 - 5/8. I am curious if the lights are bogging down the battery or something and reducing the fan or waterpumps ability to keep the engine cool.

Any thoughts?
Thanks

Does it actually overheat, or is it just the gauge reading changing?  How long does it take for the gauge to move from 1/2 to 3/4?

I'm betting that this is not an overheat, it's an electrical problem giving a false reading - you can pick up an IR thermometer for around $35 and use that to see how much the temperature actually changes.

That's what i was thinking also, it goes up like instantly after i turn the lights on. ill drive hours on the freeway at 60mph, then when it gets dark i flip on the lights and the temp goes up.

Just my way of thinking - it would take a tremendous amount of energy to actually raise the engine temperature "like instantly" - so you know at that point it's a "bogus" gauge reading - my suspicion is a bad ground, either under the dash, or between the engine & the frame.

Just my way of thinking - it would take a tremendous amount of energy to actually raise the engine temperature "like instantly" - so you know at that point it's a "bogus" gauge reading - my suspicion is a bad ground, either under the dash, or between the engine & the frame.

That's what I was thinking